Orca make routine trip memorable for Black Cat staff

A pod of ten Orca made a routine trip off Banks Peninsula all the more memorable for three Black Cat Cruise staff yesterday.

The company’s Canterbury Cat was heading from Lyttelton to Akaroa to provide cover for its Nature Cruises operation for a day while the Black Cat Catamaran had some essential maintenance work done.

The staff on board were delighted to see the large fin of a bull Orca in the distance just off Hickery Bay which is about half way between Lyttelton and Akaroa, Black Cat Cruises Group Operations Manager Paul Milligan said.

“After initially seeing just the one bull, we then spotted a mum and calf closer to shore and then another couple of smaller pods of three or four Orca, one of which came in close to the boat and had a play in our wake. They were travelling pretty fast, so looked like they were in transit rather than feeding.”

Milligan said it was a shame that the Orca were not in the area a few hours later as it would have given some of their guests on the Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise a chance to see them.

“It was a real treat for the staff on board as it’s not that often we encounter them. The trip around the peninsula is a unique experience that was made even more special by the encounter with these amazing marine mammals,” he said.