On a recent afternoon at Victoria Golf Club in British Columbia, Canada, orcas surfaced close to shore, interrupting play for golfers.
The accompanying images, captured by Elah Davidson, show orcas in the Salish Sea adjacent to the course, and one golfer immortalizing the moment with his camera.
Davidson, a naturalist for Western Prince Whale Watching, was part of an Aug. 28 expedition that encountered the orcas near Victoria Harbor on Vancouver Island.
The company boasted on Facebook: “When we arrived on scene we were greeted by a group of Bigg’s [transient] killer whales known as the T60s, circling the reefs apparently looking for harbor seals.
“They hunted for about an hour before moving on. After they caught their lunch we were lucky enough to see a spyhop and a few tail lobs before they carried on, passing by some lucky golfers who could see them from shore.”
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Davidson told FTW Outdoors that this region is home to Bigg’s transient orcas, which prey on marine mammals, and critically endangered Southern Resident orcas, which feed on salmon.
“I’ve never seen them in this exact spot before, but they can be found in these waters year-round,” Davidson said.
The Facebook post includes images showing various orca behaviors.
Victoria Golf Club, founded in 1893, is the oldest golf course in Canada that remains at its original location, according to the website.
It’s the second-oldest golf course in North America, so countless orcas undoubtedly have graced its shores, and an untold number of golf balls have been plunked into the sea.
