As you know, Washington and the PNW are home to some pretty spectacular sea life. Beyond the aquarium, it’s not every day that you get to experience these creatures up close and personal. But one Washington family got the experience of a lifetime last week after an orca whale took a liking to their boat.
Washington is known for its orcas but normally people view them from afar. However, a 17-year-old male orca from the T65A pod had different plans for the Syna family. The orca came straight for the family and started rubbing against the boat. While it’s not known exactly why the whale took an interest in the Syna’s boat, some theories include playing and the whale simply being itchy.
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Incredible video of a close encounter with Transient orca Ooxjaa (T65A2) yesterday on the east side of Saratoga Passage, just south of Elger Bay. Ooxjaa is the oldest son of group matriarch Fingers (T65A) and takes his name from the Tlingit First Nations’ word for “windy.” pic.twitter.com/hXFnKXKfAI
— Quad Finn (@Quad_Finn) June 30, 2021
Now while this is all fun and games obviously having a massive whale under your boat isn’t exactly the most comforting experience. There were a few moments where things got a little bit tense but everyone came out of the experience A-okay. And if you’re wondering, the curious whale eventually swam away as the family was able to safely move towards shallow water.
Be sure to check out the video as it’s pretty dang cool. If you’d like to check out the original story you can click here. With that, enjoy the water folks. And you might as well keep your eyes peeled because you never know what you’ll see!
