A group of friends and family enjoying a day on the water off the west coast of B.C.’s Gambier Island got an unforgettable surprise when a pod of orcas swam directly towards them. Much of the close encounter was captured on camera by Joshua Lepin of Horseshoe Bay, who was part of a yearly reunion in Howe Sound. “They’re coming right for you guys,” someone can be heard saying in the video, as the whales appeared in the distance. Lepin says everyone began huddling together once they realized the orcas were heading their way. “We were all in the water,” he said. “So we’re getting out of the water.” The cellphone videos shows the whales, which included some youngsters, putting on quite a show. “As soon as they got really close, one of the lead whales started to flap its side fin as it went right by us,” Lepin recalled. “Especially the baby one was really kind of hopping around. It was almost like it was riding the back of a larger one.” The unexpected visit lasted about 10 minutes, and someone joked “now they’re just showing off,” as one of the whales smacked its tail on the water. “I’ve spent a lot of time in these waters, and I’ve seen orcas before,” said Lepin. “But I’ve never seen behaviour like that.”
