An Orca Encounter We’ll Never Forget
Many of you will already have seen the photographs and videos we shared earlier this week of the Orcas spotted from Hjalmar Bjorge.
It’s always exciting to encounter whales and dolphins during our cruises, but Orcas are a species we never take for granted. Sightings are never guaranteed, which made this encounter all the more special for everyone on board.
As soon as the pod was spotted there was plenty of excitement on deck, with guests and crew grabbing cameras and heading outside to enjoy the moment.
Thankfully, some of those cameras were in very capable hands.
Guide, Stewart Woolley, captured a fantastic series of images which we’re delighted to share below. These photographs are straight from the back of Stewart’s camera, shared while the excitement of the sighting was still fresh. Crew members Steve and Sandra also managed to capture some wonderful images of the pod.
What makes this sighting particularly interesting is that the pod we encountered are still something of a mystery.
The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust has written about this group, and their attempts to identify the pod. There is still much to learn about them, making every sighting valuable. If you’d like to find out more, you can read the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust article here.
For those of us on board, it was simply a privilege to spend time watching these remarkable animals.
Encounters like this are a reminder of why so many people return to the Hebrides year after year. You never quite know what you’ll see next.
The whale and dolphin season is still very much underway and there is plenty of wildlife to look forward to over the coming months. Minke Whales, Common Dolphins, White-beaked Dolphins and Risso’s Dolphins are all regularly encountered on our cruises, while Humpback Whales, Fin Whales and Orcas are always exciting possibilities.
If this week’s sighting has inspired you, we currently have just one cabin remaining on each of the following cruises:
- Whales and Wildlife of the North Minch – Departs 31 July 2026
- Whales and Wildlife of the Minch & Sea of the Hebrides with James Stevens -Departs 11 August 2026
- Outer Hebridean Explorer – Mingulay, Pabbay, Eriskay and more – Departs 22 August 2026
Every cruise is different and no two wildlife encounters are ever the same.
This week, it was Orcas.
