Diving Adventures with Herring Hunting Orcas and Humpback Whales

Most people only know orcas, aka killer whales, as performers in aquatic-themed amusement parks. Too bad, because in reality, this largest member of the Delphinidae family — yes, they are technically dolphins, not whales — are one of the ocean's most intelligent and intriguing inhabitants. They are social animals and much like an aquatic version of a wolf pack, they often work together on the hunt. One of the most stunning examples of this takes place each winter in the cool waters of Norwegian Fjords.

The orcas come in pursuit of the massive schools of spawning herring that congregate in these waters in numbers approaching a billion. Working as a team, the pod member’s dive and looping around the flitting schools of small silver fish, calling and blowing bubbles to frighten their prey and herd them into tight-packed formations. The orcas then use their powerful tails to stun the herring, which they then pick off individually, as if they were dining on hors d'oeuvres.

When Norwegian dive operator Olav Magne learned of the herring hunts, he recognized the chance to create a unique in-water adventure. In 1993, he traveled to the United States to attend the annual DEMA dive show and promote his project. After encountering an initial wave of skepticism and rejection from numerous adventure tour operators, Olav met underwater photographer Amos Nachom, the founder of BigAnimal Global Expeditions who eagerly embraced the opportunity to swim with orcas on the hunt. “We were told 'the orcas are going to kill you,'” Amos recalls. “We scouted the first trip, proved them wrong, and have been diving with orca pods in Norway ever since. The experience is always safe and always spectacular.”

In recent years, participants in BigAnimal orca trips have been witness to an exciting new development. The same herring schools hunted by the orcas are also attracting groups of humpback whales. These 40-ton behemoths travel some 5,000 miles across the Atlantic to Norway's high-arctic Fjords to join in the seasonal feast. Much like the orcas, the big whales use bubble curtains and tail slaps to frighten the herring into tight schools, and they have also been known to crash their way into a school organized by the orcas. This one-two combination of big animals creates some truly exciting opportunities for viewing and photography.

BigAnimal orca trips in the Norwegian fjords are nine-day excursions limited to a maximum of four participants. After arriving in Oslo, travelers transfer to the city of Tromso, some 200 miles above the Arctic Circle. There, they board the Sula, a comfortable liveaboard vessel that becomes a floating base of operations for the next six days. Because of the short winter days, diving begins soon after sunrise, which is around 10 am. The Sula crew cruises the sheltered waters of the fjords, using lookouts and radioed information from whale watching vessels, fishermen and ferryboat skippers to determine the location of the orcas. As soon as the action is located, divers are in the water. Dry suits are the order of the day; waters of the North Sea are cold but exceedingly clear, with horizontal visibility up to 50 feet, and vertical visibility up to 100 feet. The presence of divers does not deter orcas or humpbacks from their hunt. Both species may seem curious about the humans sharing their habitat and will often swim closer for encounters. The action continues until dusk, which comes around 3 pm. It is a relatively short but very intense period of activity, after which divers can relax, enjoy a warm shower and take in a magnificent night sky that often includes displays of the Northern Lights. It is an experience not to be forgotten.

BigAnimals Global Expeditions was founded by award-winning photographer and explorer Amos Nachoum, who has led expeditions for The Discovery Channel, Disney, Columbia Pictures, National Geographic and other well-known institutions. The company specializes on one-of-a-kind wildlife experiences that run the gamut from dives with great white sharks, whales and manta rays to in-water encounters with anacondas and crocodiles, and land-based expeditions to view snow leopards and polar bears. The company enjoys a perfect 40-year safety record, and each adventure travel expedition is tailored to small groups, and carefully planned to coincide with peak animal behavior. Amos and his team are known for finding the best ways to observe and photograph unique animals in the wild. Caradonna Adventures has forged a partnership with BigAnimal Global Expeditions to provide easy access to each of these memorable excursions. To learn more, call at 800-330-6611 or send a note to sales@caradonna.com.