Eight Orcas Hunt Sea Lions Outside Moss Landing Harbor

Our morning departure aboard the Ocean Spirit was met with choppy conditions, but the swell did little to deter a remarkable wildlife encounter just outside the Moss Landing Harbor mouth. Here, we came across a pod of eight transient killer whales actively feeding on California sea lions.

These mammal-hunting Bigg's killer whales are highly coordinated pack hunters. Observing them so close to the harbor entrance provides an excellent demonstration of their tactical efficiency, as they utilize the shallow, constrained waters near the harbor mouth to corner their prey. This localized hunting behavior is typical for transients when targeting pinnipeds along the coast.

The sighting was first reported by the Ocean Spirit High Speed RHIB, allowing us to safely position Meridian at a respectful distance to watch the encounter unfold. While the bay was unusually quiet for humpback whales today, with very few individuals spotted in the immediate area, the presence of these apex predators more than defined the morning.

Watching these marine apex predators operate in such close proximity to the coastline is always a sobering reminder of the complex food webs at play in Monterey Bay. It was a stark, powerful morning on the water that highlighted the raw, shifting dynamics of this sanctuary.