2006 04-19 SB Channel - Orca attack

Killer whales attack a gray whale mother and calf in middle of the Santa Barbara Channel. There were some superficial wounds but strangely, no deaths. We watched in amazement for over an hour, ran back to the dock to change passengers, then ran back to the same numbers. Nothing there. No whales, no blood, no birds.

Also humpback whales a sea otter and other species were also seen.

--

The scene as we first found it. A small fishing vessel was drifting nearby and enjoying the show.
Orcinus orca & Eshrichtius robustus & fishing vessel 2006 04-19 SB Channel--6003
Orcinus orca Eshrichtius robustus fishing vessel 2006 Channel 6003
In order of appearance from bottom to top: a killer whale calf, a killer whale female, and a gray whale calf.
Eschrichtius & Orcas adult & Juv 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-053
Eschrichtius Orcas adult Juv 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 053
Gray whale calf tries to climb on top of its mother to escape the killer whale attack.
Eschrichtius robustus calf on cow 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-021
Eschrichtius robustus calf cow 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 021
Gray whale calf on top of mom.
Eschrichtius calf on cow 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-035modSMALL
Eschrichtius calf cow 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 035modSMALL
Calf with open eyeball rests its head on top of mom
Eschrichtius robustus calf & eyeball on cow 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-022
Eschrichtius robustus calf eyeball cow 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 022
Killer whale - one of many
Orca 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-064
Orca 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 064
Again, mother killer whale and her calf with a gray whale (already showing rake marks from killer whale teeth)
Eschrichtius & Orcas adult & Juv 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-051modSMALL
Eschrichtius Orcas adult Juv 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 051modSMALL
Gray whale mother and calf side by side in front as a large killer whale surfaces in back
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-014
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 014
Gray whale mother and calf with killer whale mother and calf.
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-006modSMALL
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 006modSMALL
Gray whale calf being rammed beneath the water by killer whales
Orcinus orca attack Eshrichtius robustus 2006 04-19 SB Channel--6009
Orcinus orca attack Eshrichtius robustus 2006 Channel 6009
From left to right: a gray whale calf is being separated from its mother by a killer whale in the middle.
Orcinus orca attack Eschrichtius robustus 2006 04-19 SB Channel--0025
Orcinus orca attack Eschrichtius robustus 2006 Channel 0025
Gray whale mother and calf and killer whale - all side by side
Eschrichtius & Orca 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-044
Eschrichtius Orca 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 044
A large killer whale dives, a gray whale mother is seen in back
Eschrichtius & Orca 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-045
Eschrichtius Orca 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 045
Gray whale mother and calf and a pack of killer whales
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-005modSMALL
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 005modSMALL
Gray whale on its side with killer whale
Eschrichtius & Orca 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-056
Eschrichtius Orca 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 056
Killer whale, gray whale calf, gray whale mother
Eschrichtius & Orca 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-089
Eschrichtius Orca 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 089
Killer whale, gray whale calf, gray whale mother
Eschrichtius & Orca tail 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-094
Eschrichtius Orca tail 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 094
Killer whales with gray whale calf and mother
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-005
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 005
Gray whale calf on its side with killer whales in front
Orcinus orca & Eschrichtius robustus 2006 04-19 SB Channel--6012
Orcinus orca Eschrichtius robustus 2006 Channel 6012
Killer whale rams gray whale calf (middle) next to mother (left)
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-025
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 025
Numerous killer whale "rake" tooth marks are now visible on gray whale's back
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-031
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 031
Calf on top of mother
Eschrichtius baby laying across mom 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-001modSMALL
Eschrichtius baby laying across mom 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 001modSMALL
Killers ram grays - part one
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-038
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 038
Killers ram grays - part two
Eschrichtius & Orcas 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-041
Eschrichtius Orcas 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 041
Wounds across back of gray whale
Eschrichtius robustus & Orcinus orca wounds 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-071
Eschrichtius robustus Orcinus orca wounds 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 071
One gray whale is on its side, the other shows rake marks from killer whale teeth
Eschrichtius calf on cow 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-030
Eschrichtius calf cow 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 030
Gray whale calf on top of mother
Eschrichtius calf on cow 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-035
Eschrichtius calf cow 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 035
Gray whale calf on its side with eyeball visible and left pectoral fin in the air
Eschrichtius robustus on side & eyeball 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-061
Eschrichtius robustus side eyeball 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 061
Underwater view of a coastal bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops just underwater 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-188
Tursiops just underwater 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 188
Coastal bottlenose dolphin rides the bow of a sailboat
QQQ-Tursiops rides sailboat bow 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Hbr-302
QQQ Tursiops rides sailboat bow 2006 Sta Barb Hbr 302
A close look at a coastal bottlenose dolpin spouting
Tursiops close up spouting 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-172
Tursiops close spouting 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 172
A southern sea otter dines on a red urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus)
Enhydra lutris 2006 04-19 Coal Oil Pt-322modSMALL
Enhydra lutris 2006 Coal Oil 322modSMALL
A flock of black skimmers turn in unison across the east beach anchorage near Stern's Wharf Santa Barbara
Rhynchops niger black skimmers 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-146
Rhynchops niger black skimmers 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 146
Methane bubbles rise from the ocean floor at one of many natural gas seeps
Natural gas bubbles oil seeps 2006 04-19 Coal Oil Pt-304
Natural gas bubbles Oil seeps 2006 Coal 304
Methane bubbles rise from the ocean floor at one of many natural gas seeps
Naural methane gas bubbles oil seep 2006 04-19 Coal Oil Pt-308
Naural methane gas bubbles Oil seep 2006 Coal 308
Abstract ocean surface patterns
abstract ocean surface 2006 04-19 Coal Oil Pt-334
abstract ocean surface 2006 Coal Oil 334
Oil barge "Jovalan" transports oil from offshore platform Holly to storage tanks on the beach. Tow boats then take the barge to LA or SF
Bunker barge Jovalan Platform Holly 2006 04-19 Coal Oil Pt-374
Bunker barge Jovalan Platform Holly 2006 Coal Oil 374
Humpback tail
Megaptera novaeangliae 2006 04-19 SB Channel--7207
Megaptera novaeangliae 2006 Channel 7207
Tail flukes waterfall - a humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae 2006 04-19 SB Channel--5028
Megaptera novaeangliae 2006 Channel 5028
A humpback whale with a deep wound
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes & scar 2006 04-19 SB Channel--5010
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes scar 2006 Channel 5010
Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae 2006 04-19 SB Channel--5009
Megaptera novaeangliae 2006 Channel 5009
Humpback whale with wounded tail
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes & scar 2006 04-19 SB Channel--5036
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes scar 2006 Channel 5036
A humpback whale is seen upside down with both pectoral fins in the air
Megaptera novaeangliae upside down pectoral fins in air 2006 04-19 SB Channel--4014
Megaptera novaeangliae upside down pectoral fins air 2006 Channel 4014
Humpback whale tail flukes
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes 2006 04-19 SB Channel--7211
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes 2006 Channel 7211
Humpback whale tail flukes
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes 2006 04-19 SB Channel--5005
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes 2006 Channel 5005
A pesky California sea lion rides alonside a large humpback whale
Zalophus californianus & Megaptera novaeangliea 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-566
Zalophus californianus Megaptera novaeangliea 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 566
A large school of northern anchovies seen boiling on the surface
Balls of Engraulis mordax on surface 2006 04-19 SB Channel--02
Balls Engraulis mordax surface 2006 Channel
The twin blow holes of a gray whale - up close.
Eschrichtius robustus blowholes close & Cryptolepas rhachianecti & Cyamus scammoni 2006 04-19 Sta Barb Chnl-078
Eschrichtius robustus blowholes close Cryptolepas rhachianecti Cyamus scammoni 2006 Sta Barb Chnl 078

© Robert Perry

Mr.Zalophus@gmail.com Please click on the image above to go to my MarineBioPhotography website.

2006 04-19 SB Channel - Orca attack