A group of friends out boating got the thrill of a lifetime when their excursion turned into something you’d only see on a nature documentary.
They didn’t just witness an epic orca hunt, they became a part of it when their boat became a safe haven for one terrified seal.
The boaters were whale-wise and did their part in keeping a safe distance and turning off the engine when the action headed their way. Best of all, the group had a talented photographer on board who captured the whole experience.
Charvet Drucker, Smith Siromaskul and Terese DeBoer Drummond were boating in Saratoga Passage off Camano Island on Sunday, Nov. 2 when they spotted Bigg’s orcas. These killer whales are transient and roam from Alaska to Northern California, eating marine mammals like seals and porpoises. The Bigg’s population is estimated at around 380 killer whales, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association, unlike the Southern Resident orca population, whose numbers have dwindled to under 75 and primarily feed on Chinook salmon.
Drucker described the whole encounter on KOMO’s #SoNorthwest Photography page on Facebook. Here’s what happened, in her own words:
“I can’t even believe I get to write/post this! The most insane thing happened to us on Sunday in Saratoga Passage off of Camano with some Biggs Orcas.”
Drucker continues, “We were out on the boat watching some orcas, about 300-400 yards away from them, when the hunt began, when we noticed the seal they were chasing heading straight at us. At that point, we shut the boat off completely to wait to see where they all decided to go. Well.. the seal decided to jump onto the boat for safety.”
Watch and share the encounter on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook:
Drucker adds, “The orcas definitely tried to find it, but gave up after about 15 minutes or so. Once the orcas left, we turned on the boat and slowly made our way closer to shore, with the seal aboard, to get it to a safer location. Once we got closer to shore, the seal decided it felt safe enough to leave the boat and jumped off on its own accord.”
A happy ending for this seal, and a whale of a tale they’ll never forget for the trio of friends on board.
Our thanks to Charvet and friends for sharing this amazing PNW experience!
See more of Charvet Drucker’s wildlife adventures on Instagram and TikTok.