Small fin in a big ocean

A beautiful look at the dorsal fin and saddle patch (the white mark behind the fin) of a young female small Type B orca in the Gerlache Strait on December 31st, 2017. It was the first time I was able to get up close and personal with this ecotype of orca in a zodiac vessel. It was a great experience and I learned a lot of how these animals move and behave around smaller vessels, as apposed to the larger ships, which is where I have seen them many times before.

They move quick, like their space and move quite quickly, which makes it for a very exciting opportunity to get a look at them and to peak their natural curiosity. A quick lesson I won’t forget and I hope to learn more the next time I get the opportunity to encounter this ecotype of orca next time I find my way to Antarctica.

Small Type B Orca cruising past my small zodiac on New Year’s Eve, 2017