27 Encounters with the 27s ORCA pod (Scotland)

Here is 27 encounters with one of the most amazing pod of Orca (Killer Whales) that are able to be seen throughout Scotland!

This pod of orca can be seen from Scotland mainland, Shetland, Orkney and they have even been seen off the coast of Northumberland too (but less frequent). The pod is known for coming extremely close to shore in search of their favourite prey species - seals and porpoises! The pod is currently up to 9 members in total with two impressive Bulls (34 & 72). Bull 34 is easily recognisable from the small notch out the top of his is dorsal fin. The pod is known to split into two separate groups, especially more recently with them only joining up on odd occasions over the past year or so.
The videos are in order of us seeing them, we are so thankful to have been able to spend so much time with this pod of orca over the years. Full versions of each encounter can be seen on our YouTube channel!
List of Encounters below:

1 (Shetland '21) Our first encounter the the 27s was not one to forget! We saw them entering the bay in the distance and then they eventually headed straight for us and swimming right under the headland which we were stood on giving us incredible views from above!
2 (Shetland '21) Brief & distant encounter which made viewing and getting footage tricky, but still amazing to see them!
3 (Shetland '21) The pod cruised up the east coast of Yell where they then rounded the top of the island and headed further offshore. This was the very next day to our previous encounter!
4 (Shetland '22) This encounter was very late on in the evening where the pod passed by really close in, we were able to hear each exhale of air as they went by! We followed the pod across to the east mainland where we ran alongside them up the headland, doing our best to record them after 22:30!
5 (Shetland '22) The very next day. One of the BEST days of our lives and certainly one of our best and closest ever encounters with orca. It is crazy to think you can get this close to killer whales from land in the UK. We spent over an hour with the full pod going up and down in front of us, literally meters away - absolutely MIND BLOWING!
6 (Shetland '22) Again another brief and distant encounter where we spent most of the encounter watching them through binoculars.
7 (Shetland '22) The pod was patrolling the shore in front of a bay full of seals before some members surprised us and popped up super close to where we were standing on the rocks!
8 (Shetland '22) Another AMAZING encounter off one of the most stunning locations in Shetland - St Ninians Isle. The pod headed past right below where we were stood giving amazing views of them through the crystal clear tropical looking water, we could see their whole bodies gliding in and out of the kelp under the surface.
9 (Shetland '22) We watched the pod throughout the day where we ended up seeing some members head past us close in off the rocks where we were stood giving amazing views.
10 (Shetland '22) The next day.. Incredible views yet again as we watched from the cliff tops of the pod gliding under the surface.
11 (Shetland 2022) A close pass by the pod heading up a very misty and wet Yell sound.
12 (Shetland '22) The pod headed inland through some voes but staying fairly far from land going in and out of the mussel lines.
13 (Shetland '22) The third day in a row seeing the pod, ending with them launching a porpoise clear out of the water!
14 (Shetland '22) A wet and windy encounter with the 27s pod in a voe. The next time the pod was seen they would have a new calf!
15 (Orkney '23) Our first encounter with the pod in Orkney, giving great views as they travelled around the Scapa Flow all day.
16 (Caithness '23) We followed the pod all day up the east coast of Caithness and watched them successfully hunt and feed on porpoises!
17 (Shetland '23) Incredible close views of the pod extremely close to shore on multiple occasions throughout the day!
18 (Shetland '23) We watched the pod travel up the Yell sound, coming in close to the rocks.
19 (Shetland '23) Watching the 27s in gale forced winds throughout the day ending with a close encounter as we were losing the light.
20 (Shetland '23) Another brief encounter in gale forced winds!
21 (Shetland '23) An almost identical encounter to one we had in the same location a year previosuly.
22 (Shetland '23) The pod surrounded a seal which was sat on rock in the middle of the voe. Extremely lucky escape!
23 (Caithness '24) We followed the split pod across the North Coast of Caithness.
24 (Caithness '24) Our CLOSEST mainland Scotland encounter to date with the other half of the pod! We had followed them throughout the day which ended in the ultimate finale!
25 (Shetland '24) Another close encounter in Shetland!
26 (Orkney '24) We watched half of the pod in Kirkwall just as we were losing the light.
27 - (Orkney '24) Amazing views of the split pod hunting birds in Orkney!

#orca #killerwhales #scotland