Now in its 15th year, Orca Watch was first established in 2012 by Colin Bird to raise awareness of, and oppose, proposed tidal turbine installations in the Pentland Firth – an area regularly used by orcas during the summer months. Since then, the event, now mainly centred around John O’Groats/Duncansby Head, has grown significantly and attracts dozens of orca enthusiasts from across Europe and beyond.
Marine Connection’s Liz Sandeman recalls: “I remember my first Orca Watch in 2015, when there were just a handful of us spending days scanning for dolphins and whales. We would stand for hours at the headland, hoping for a glimpse of a cetacean fin. In later years, we were very fortunate to see the two Scottish-Icelandic bull orcas known as Hulk and Nótt, and only last week, both were sighted off the Caithness coast heading towards Orkney.”
A valued partner in previous years, the John O’Groats Ferry also supported Orca Watch by welcoming volunteers and citizen scientists aboard return sailings to Orkney. Many participants returned ashore thrilled after successful orca sightings at sea. Sadly, the ferry service no longer operates and is greatly missed by the Orca Watch community.
