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MOSS LANDING, California (KSBW) — A whale watching trip off Moss Landing turned into a rare and unforgettable experience Sunday morning when orcas were seen hunting dolphins in Monterey Bay.
The crew of Sanctuary Cruises described the event as extraordinary.
“Most whale watchers that come out on a regular basis come 15 to 20 times a year to witness that one event. So that’s, and that’s the big thing,” Captain Joey Stagnaro said.
Stagnaro spotted a pod of killer whales closing in on a group of dolphins and immediately alerted the boat’s owner.
“I immediately called the owner of the boat. I said, get out here. This is unreal. Unreal. And, he did. And, we got some, some lot of happy tourists here in the Monterey Bay,” he said.
Owner Mike Sack and naturalist Luke Kilpatrick captured the dramatic hunt on camera as multi-ton orcas burst out of the water in pursuit of their prey.
“By far one of the top, you know, moments. I mean, I was I’ve been out here doing the whale watching for, you know, 18 or so years and yeah, it was right up there,” Sack said.
“What you see on the camera is half of what we actually saw. You know, Sunday was amazing. Sunday was great. I’ve never seen them throw whales up that high. Like the way I was up higher than the boat. It was. It was insane,” Kilpatrick said.
The orcas returned Monday, providing experts another opportunity to observe their hunting behavior.
“They’re reaching a top speed of around 30 miles an hour, coming up from underneath and then trying to ram to the dolphin to hit as hard as they can to weaken it before the rest of the pod works to take it down,” said Chase Dekker, head biologist for Sanctuary Cruises.
While the scene can be difficult to watch, biologists emphasized its role in a healthy ecosystem. “We were telling people it’s it’s nature. You know, we have to accept it. But it doesn’t mean you have to like it necessarily because it is very difficult to watch. But it does play into a part of how healthy Monterey Bay is,” Dekker added.
Passengers on Tuesday’s trip did not witness the same dramatic hunt but still experienced the unique wildlife of Monterey Bay.
“I’ve never seen this many humpback whales so last time I was near the Channel Islands and we saw dolphins and a few whales in the distance, but there was just a lot of activity and a lot of breaching today,” one passenger said.
Biologists noted that July is typically a quieter time for killer whale sightings, making this encounter even more unusual.
For those who witnessed the hunt, it was a moment they will never forget.
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