Part IV - Azores, Portugal : A Crazy Encounter - An Orca (Killer Whale) Passing Right Beneath our Small Boat and Surfacing in Close Proximity

Our final day in the Azores dawned with a bittersweet feeling. After days of exploring this stunning archipelago, it was time to catch our flight back to Paris. But before we bid farewell , we had one last mission: to try whale watching again. Despite our incredible encounter with a dolphin pod on our previous trip, we did not spot any large ocean predators. So, we decided to give it another shot but we had no clue what was awaiting us !

The morning was spent sight-seeing. As midday approached, we made our way to the whale watching boarding point. Upon arrival, we immediately sensed a buzz of excitement among the guides. There was an energy in the air, a kind of quiet anticipation that made us curious. Then, one of the guides we had gotten to know well approached us. With a smirk, he shared some thrilling news: a pod of orcas (killer whales) had been spotted far off earlier that morning. He cautioned us to keep this information just between us. Orcas, he explained, were incredibly rare visitors to these waters. They moved fast and unpredictably, and there was no guarantee we’d see them . The secrecy was deliberate - to avoid raising hopes too high among other passengers and risking disappointment if the orcas eluded us. For some of the guides, this was their first time hearing of orcas in the region, making the moment even more extraordinary. Our adrenaline surged. The possibility of witnessing orcas in the wild was almost too good to be true.

Killer whales are considered the apex predators of the ocean due to their extraordinary intelligence, complex social structures, and sheer physical power. Their dominance is not just a result of size or strength, but of remarkable cognitive and cooperative abilities that set them apart from every other marine predator.

They are renowned for their cooperative hunting strategies, which are among the most sophisticated in the animal kingdom. Documentaries like BBC’s “Frozen Planet” have captured orcas in Antarctica working together to create waves that wash seals off ice floes, making them easier to catch. This coordinated behaviour not only shows their ability to work as a team, but also shows they can engage in tactical planning and execution. Orcas communicate using unique dialects within pods, passing on specialized hunting techniques and local “culture” across generations. The ones hunting marine mammals often communicate in near-silence to avoid alerting prey, only vocalizing after a successful hunt.

Adult male orcas can reach up to 9 meters in length and weigh over 6 tons, making them one of the largest predators on the planet. Despite their size, orcas are fast and agile, capable of swimming at speeds up to 50 km/h. These creatures sit at the very top of the marine food chain—no other animal preys on them.

We set off on the boat, eyes glued to the horizon. For nearly an hour, the ocean was eerily calm and silent. The only sounds were the lapping of waves and the occasional murmur of the crew. Everyone was focused, scanning the vast blue expanse for any sign of movement.

Then, out of nowhere, my brother tapped me on the shoulder. In a hushed but excited tone, he whispered in Tamil, “Dei, Orca da!” - I will never forget these words. At first, I thought he was joking or teasing me. But then I spotted it as well : a sleek black shape cutting through the water at our 2 o’clock. Apparently, It was my brother who spotted it first. 

For a few moments, I was utterly speechless. The orca was real, right there in front of us, the ultimate apex predator that the entire ocean fears.

Up Close and Personal with the Orca

We followed the orca carefully, moving slowly to avoid disturbing it. The boat came to a gentle stop, and the atmosphere on board shifted from tense anticipation to pure exhilaration. Suddenly, shouts erupted from all corners of the boat.

To our utter shock, the orca passed right beneath our boat, so close that it felt as if it actually might have brushed against the bottom of the hull. Orcas are known to attack boats, and there have been some recent cases off the coasts of Brittany and Gibraltar where the attacks seemed like acts of generational revenge against humans. But this one seemed more curious than aggressive.

The sheer power and grace of the creature was breathtaking. Then, as if putting on a show just for us, the orca breached three times nearby, each leap sending sprays of water sparkling in the sunlight.

After those magical moments, it disappeared back into the vast ocean, leaving us all in pure awe. The presence of orcas could potentially explain why we didn't come across any sperm whales who are residents here all year around. Maybe even they kept their distance from these killers. 

That afternoon became one of the best days of my life. The thrill of spotting such rare and magnificent animals in their natural habitat was indescribable. It was a perfect end to our Azores adventure- well, almost !

"Megalodon Teeth"

While having lunch at a local restaurant before catching our flight, I was checking out the decorations on the side while waiting for the bill. They had interesting specimens (not alive, of course) like starfish, sea urchins, and seashells. But something caught my eye—it looked very peculiar. After processing what I had seen for a few seconds, there was only one thing it could be: "Megalodon teeth". Just by looking at the size of the tooth, it was clear how big this pre-historic shark was. The waiter casually said that it had been there for a while and didn’t know the full story of how it ended up there. I couldn’t help but wander back in time, imagining when these monsters ruled these waters millions of years ago.

The Fin Whale Surprise

Just as we were about to head back, one of the guides suddenly shouted, “Fin whale!” Sure enough, we spotted a mother and her calf but they were quite far off . Fin whales are the second largest animals on the planet, only beaten by blue whales. Adults can grow up to 80 feet long and weigh as much as 80 tons. Despite their size, they move through the water with surprising grace.

The Orca passing beneath our boat and surfacing in close proximity

Fin whales (mother & calf)

Megalodon tooth at the restaurant