Transient Orcas on the Hunt Alongside Monterey Bay Humpbacks

Midway through our morning run aboard Sanctuary, we crossed paths with a less frequently documented group of killer whales: the CA136B matriline. The three orcas were actively hunting in the bay, moving with the tight coordination and deliberate surface intervals characteristic of Bigg's transients searching for marine mammal prey.

Our morning had begun just outside the harbor mouth with immediate humpback whale sightings, followed later by a fluid pod of forty long-beaked common dolphins traveling through the area as we returned toward port.

Conditions remained favorable through the mid-day trip, with a light northwest breeze and manageable chop. In total, we logged fifteen humpback whales across both outings, frequently accompanied by groups of California sea lions numbering around twenty animals in total, as well as three southern sea otters resting near the protected harbor waters.

Observing transient killer whales actively working the bay offers a clear reminder of the dynamic food web supported by Monterey Bay's deep-water canyon system.