Orcas in Scotland?

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Evening all [/dixon]!

A friend of ours is VERY into Orcas and has travelled to Canada and Alaska to see them and sail among them. She now fancies staying a bit more local (she's Swedish) so was interested to hear that they're visible from shore in some places in Scotland. I know I've seen some shots of them from shore up there on the forum but can't remember where! My internet access is a little sketchy here but she's managed to find some Flickr shots from Shetland.
My question is (on her behalf), where are the best places for her to go to be almost guaranteed a few sightings. Ideally they need to be easily accessible by public transport since she doesn't drive.

TIA.
 
Island of mull do boat trips to see them, going next year.
 
the orca watch area that @Peter B mentions is the only area I know of, just because I want to go to orca watch every year but not been able to make it happen! :-( Not sure what public transport is like, think nearest airport is Wick.High time is May it seems.
 
Nod said:
to be almost guaranteed
Click to expand...

I think that is the problem. They have been seen seen in some years off the north west coast of Scotland into October and a couple were spotted off the south of Unst yesterday, but I don't think anything is even close to guaranteed.

But agree Crieffy is the bloke to ask.


Dave
 
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Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. She fully appreciates that animals, especially in the wild, rarely stick to timetables so any sightings are a matter of luck. Bloody things never read the scripts! She's done some more research and has come to the conclusion that Shetland is probably the best bet. Her only problem is how to find the time since she spends more time here (Crete) than we do so might run into a holiday period shortage problem. She managed 2 x 3 week breaks here along with a fortnight of Orca cruise in Canada a couple of years ago so should be able to fit in a short break in Shetland.
 
If you are on facebook, there a really active group called "shetland orca sightings".

I live in Orkney in the last year we have had some humpback whales, some pilot wales, some porpoises, some killer wales, and really recently 2 different kind of dolphin... So if you are lucky or spend months looking for them you can have some wonderfull sighning. A couple of years back we also had a walrus visiting.

I love wildlife and i'm often out watching seals, puffins, owls, see birds... but from all them sea creatures so far i have manage to see none off.... So if you live far away i wouldn't plan a trip up in order to spot killer whales but if you are here and especially in the summer months it's good to be tuned in in case you get lucky.

PS: it's a bit like planning to come in orkney for a weekend and wanting to see the northern light, with some luck it can happen but nobody can predict it more that a couple of day ahead. Orca can only be predicted a few hours ahead.

PPS: last year springwatch crew turned up in caithness and while driving up the A9 got a call telling them hurry up there orca just in the pentland first, the guy rush and manage to see them just on the shore... sometimes life is unfair i have lived here for 6 years and never see them but these guys where not even there 2 minutes...
 
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Just got back from Orkney. Was on the lookout for days and saw nothing. At breakfast one died in the wool twitcher was regalling everyone with stories of Orcas and dolphins and diving gannets and everything else we all wanted to see. He'd no photos to back up his claims so we just thought he was a b**l sh***er!
 
True things really but very ephemeral and very localised event, i have witnessed the massive gannet diving quiet often. On facebook the "orkney wildlife" group get some good input from time to time. The dolphin where in kirkwall bay and in the scapa flow maybe two weeks ago and there's some picture of dolphin taking this week close to papa westray! Not heard of orca's for ages (maybe end of july - early august).
 
I've let her know about the Facebook groups - it's up to her now, I can't book her flights to coincide with a pod's passing!!!

Thanks for all the posts and help - does anyone have the number for Orca central casting? ;) :P
 
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