Gerlache straight is the best place to try and spot the small Type B Orcas in Antarctica but of course they are not always seen. On an evening with perfect light and wind conditions the call went out that they had been spotted and so in a rush layers were thrown on over pajamas!
In the evening light the yellowish hue of the whales looked even more orange than it normally does.
This colour is down to the diatoms, or algae that collects on the whales down here in Antarctica. They are known to periodically swim to higher latitudes to clean their skin as the diatoms die off in warmer water.
The group consisted of about 12-15 orcas and was very spread out. One young one gave us the most incredibly swim past as it went right underneath the bow of our ship in glass-calm seas. This is the most magical moment I have had with Antarctic orcas in my ten trips to Antarctica.
The massive eye patch on the type Bs is so distinctive.
These orcas are also quite small compared to most other ecotypes and are thought to mostly be feeding on penguins.
As we followed the orcas we saw 2 chinstrap penguins sitting safely on an iceberg and wished them the best out there.
It was a magical evening and very hard to sleep after this encounter, despite the 13 hour working day. It was very special indeed.
-Judith
This story can also be heard in Episode 55 in the Whale Tales Podcast.
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