AMAZING footage captured by a cruise captain shows the rare sighting of a much-loved Orca duo off the Scottish coast.
Skipper and owner of Hebrides Cruises, Rob Barlow, was sailing the Elizabeth G off the coast of Ardnamurchan when he spotted the pair of whales on Tuesday morning.
The well-known whales belong to Scotland's only known resident pod of Orcas and are named John Coe and Aquarius.
The pair have a distinct appearance as John Coe's dorsal fin has a deep nick near the top and is also missing a chunk in his tail fluke, which is believed to be from a shark attack.
A skipper with Hebridean Cruises managed to catch a rare glimpse of two orcas off the coast of Ardnamurchan 😍 pic.twitter.com/VZILkiefts
— The National (@ScotNational) June 25, 2024
The West Coast Community of the whales was first documented by Doctor Andy Foote in the early 2000s.
Unlike any other Orca groups in the north-eastern Atlantic, the pod of whales are about a metre larger and have a distinctive eye patch orientation.
Due to a dwindling population over the years, John Coe and Aquarius are believed to be the last remaining members of the group.
Skipper Barlow recalled the sighting as something “very special” and spoke about his late friend Richard Fairbairn, who named John Coe in the 1980s.
He said: “Seeing John Coe and Aquarius was a profoundly emotional moment.
“My very good friend and colleague, the late Richard Fairbairn from Mull was a pioneer in whale watching and conservation and founded one of the UK’s first whale watching companies, Sea Life Surveys.
“Richard was also founder of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Conservation Trust, based on the island, and was actually involved in naming John Coe in the 1980s.
“Richard’s son James is part of our family business and a Hebrides Cruises Skipper with a deep connection to the west coast waters and wildlife so this feels like a very special moment indeed and one I’m very proud to share.
“Capturing these photos this morning felt like a real tribute to Richard Fairbairn’s legacy.”
