Our encounter with orcas in Tahiti : A first in 30 years of whale watching

Wild Aura Stories

September 18, 2025

The Ocean’s Apex Predators, the Ultimate Dream of Whale Watchers

Orcas are legendary apex predators, highly intelligent and at the top of the food chain. They are feared by almost every creature in the ocean. Maybe that’s why they inspire such fascination and respect.

They can be spotted all year in french Polynesia waters, yet encounters are incredibly rare. Most sightings are reported by fishermen, and until that day, in Tahiti and Moorea, no whale-watching operator had ever documented an observation or in-water encounter with orcas.

For the polynesian community of whale watchers, an encounter with orcas is the ultimate dream: powerful, fast, and mysterious, they inspire both fascination and respect.

News We Couldn’t Pursue

On this day, Louise, our guide, was leading a “blue water” spearfishing expedition off Tahiti, organized by Wildaura for a documentary project. Unlike coastal fishing, blue-water spearfishing targets large pelagic species far offshore and requires a highly experienced team.

On board were J.B., captain and representative of one of our trusted partner operators in Tahiti; Pascal, a blue-water spearfishing specialist; Ewan, a professional cameraman; and Louise, who organized the session and was responsible for overall safety, including shark interactions.

Early in the morning, word reached us that a pod of orcas had been spotted north of Moorea. However, orcas are fast, unpredictable, and rarely remain in one area for long. Tracking them is notoriously difficult, especially in rough offshore conditions. We took note of the information, but set it aside and remained fully focused on our spearfishing mission.

The First Sighting

As the fishing session ended, unbelievable news arrived : one of our partner operators from Moorea, after hours of searching, had found them and even managed to swim with them multiple time! The orcas’ position became clearer. They informed us that the pod was heading toward Tahiti. Louise and J.B. knew this was their chance, however slim, to witness a dream come true.

At first, spotting them was uncertain. On the way to the possible location, J.B. thought he saw a blow but wasn’t sure, he had never observed orcas up close before. When we reached the coordinates provided, it seemed the other boats had lost track of the pod. Still, our team persisted, searching the wild sea for over an hour. Then, we spotted another boat zigzagging rapidly : the unmistakable sign that the orcas had been located.

And then, there they were. The immense dorsal fins cutting through the water, a sight that brought tears, disbelief, and sheer joy to the team.

Face to face with our dream

The first attempt to enter the water was chaotic: equipping ourselves while the boat moved at high speed in rough seas was a challenge. Once in the water, two orcas appeared beneath our fins, curious, then vanished almost immediately. The encounter was quick and chaotic but thrilling.

For the second attempt, our team decided to anticipate the pod’s trajectory while maintaining a respectful distance. The orcas’ speed and the rough swell made approaching them by swimming even more challenging. When Louise finally spotted them in the water, the distance was too great, and it seemed they might only see the pod from afar. Guided by instinct and her experience with dolphins and whales, she attempted to attract their attention by spinning and waving her arms.

Then, the unexpected happened: a group of seven orcas turned almost 90 degrees, heading straight toward them. Time seemed to stop. A male, a female, and a juvenile female approached directly, while the others passed behind. The male even swam under the boat, offering JB an exclusive view as a reward for all his efforts. Tears flowed beneath masks, hearts raced, and the team realized the full magnitude of what they were witnessing.

From the Storm Came Gratitude

As the rain was getting stronger and the swell bigger, the orcas continued on their path and the team returned to shore with hearts full of gratitude. Our team was fully aware that we had experienced an incredible moment - one that very few people had the chance to live that day - made possible by the information shared by local fishermen and the partner operator who located the pod. In Polynesia, there is a true community of ocean enthusiasts, passionate and deeply respectful of marine life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSqnMmWxwpM

This extraordinary encounter also allowed Ewan to capture remarkable footage, which has since been shared with the local NGOs working on photo-identification of cetaceans in Polynesia, contributing to ongoing research and conservation efforts.

I am forever grateful for JB, owner of Tahiti Ocean Adventures to make this dream come true and Moorea Moana tours for providing the infos that helped us achieve this adventure