Orcinus orca in North Cove Rothera

Orca or Killer whales are the largest members of the dolphin family with the maximum length being recorded at 32 feet. They live for 35-50 years and weigh up to 11 tonnes. Due to their formidable array of teeth and that they hunt in pods they are at the very top of the Antarctic food chain. They eat everything from krill, squid, fish and sharks to penguins, seals and even the much larger baleen whales. Learn more here

There is a pod of about 10 that comes back to Rothera each year and they will swim right past the wharf as the water drops to 350meters within 50meters of the wharf. They are another member of marine life that means we have to stop diving for four hours after a siting. Once you have seen their fins it is easy to tell the difference between them and Minke Whales.

The pod of Orcas that comes to Rothera has distinctive marks on their fins that the winters immediately recognized when they made their first apperance back this season. Normally they are seen by the guys up in the ops tower (our air traffic tower) will see them first way out in the bay or seal watch will see them and an all stations call will go out on the VHF. As it is normally at South Cove or the wharf everyone on station runs down to the south part of the station with cameras running or on gators to take pictures.

The other day I was on seal watch and saw them about 2.5km out towards Leonie the dive boat had just gone in the water and asked where I had seen them. The orca surfaced behind the dive boat just as they radio asking me where they were – it was fun to say ‘look behind you’ ! The Orca went under the boat and came up the other side so despite losing the dive there were lots of smiles.

The last few days there has been a lot of Orca and Minke whale activity so diving has been very limited with the four hour rule in effect however, quite a few boat trips for science have been extended for some whale watching!