Epic Day with the T36A’s and T65B’s Steller Sea Lion Take Down!! – 3/10/16

We found Orca off the Belle Chains. They slow rolled past the Sea Lion haul out and my anticipation peaked… only to have them keep going with barely a glance in their direction-they were looking pretty content and lazy, moving very slowly…

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Circling back around to take on the Steller again…

We followed them out into the Strait where they became quite elusive… then off in the distance BAM!!! Full flying breach out of the water!

perfect-form

We knew they were on something and made our way over. And all that I had hoped came to fruition… they were hunting a big male Steller Sea Lion!!!

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team-work
Team Work!

This may be my favouite sequence of photos ever… so much water.

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t36a1-on-reentry

t36a1-2

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Here you can see the Steller Sea Lion that they were hunting right beside T36A1.

t36a1

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Sea Lion to the left, Orca to the right!

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Wait… do I see a little bit of pink??? Is that Orca… excited…??? T65B1 ‘Birdsall’ enjoying the hunt! Holy Crap that Orca is Breaching with his boy bits out!!! He must be very happy to be hunting that Sea Lion…

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Such amazing power and grace

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-Ashley

This story was also told in Episode 23 of the Whale Tales Podcast, listen here.


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