Bremer Canyon
50km off shore from Bremer Bay is an amazing deepwater ecosystem. It is thought that hydrocarbons leaking from the earth's crust are the start of a food chain
that attracts orca, sharks, sea birds, blue fin tuna, oceanic sun fish and many other species. Pods of orca are particularly common during the summer month of February.

David Riggs ( http://www.riggsaustralia.com/) has been observing the area since 2005.  In part this lead to the documentary "Search for
the Ocean Super Predator" which was produced by Michael Lynch, Leighton De Barros & David Riggs and released in 2013.
Dave then used crowd funding to organize a charter boat with scientists and photographers for the 2014 season.
Growing public interest supported the introduction in February 2015 of public tours to visit the Bremer Canyon.
Passengers depart from Bremer Bay each day aboard Naturalist Charters "Cetacean Explorer".

All photos copyright 2015 Keith Lightbody
Orca surfing
Orcas (Orcinus orca) are a toothed whale and apex predator. They are the largest of the 35 species of oceanic dolphins.

Fred
indian yellow-nosed albatross

albatross with scraps
Orca
one orca "split finger" has a split fin
Orca
split finger often approaches boats

crested tern landing
(Bremer Wharf)

sooty oystercatcher eating a crab
(Bremer Wharf)

vertical male fin

"paintball"
Albatross landing
black-browed albatross ski landing

 

Tern with fish
crested tern with fish
(Bremer Wharf)
Tern with fish
tern colony has good food supply
(Bremer Wharf)

drone used for recording video

crew, scientists and film makers


wandering albatross


juvenile shy albatross
Orca
orca surfacing near the boat

birds flock to the site of an orca kill
Ship crossing through the canyon area
ship Blue Moon passing directly above Bremer Canyon

 


nz fur seal

(Bremer Canyon)


fishing boats
(Bremer Harbour)

orca going inverted under boat

"sonic" orca crashing through a wave

different nicks in fins allow identification

orca with bones of beaked whale

fins and birds

unique marks allow identification
Orca pod
orca pod

 


black-browed albatross


black-browed albatross


carnaby's black cockatoos
(Bremer Bay)


mermaid sculpture
(Bremer Bay Resort)

light-mantled sooty albatross

flesh-footed shearwater

marine scientist briefing - leila

orca
Pod of pilot whales
pod of pilot whales

 

Vertical albatross
juvenile black-browed
Vertical albatross
wandering albatross
Vertical albatross
indian yellow-nosed

 


hooded plover
(Bremer Estuary)

rock parrot
(Main Beach)

avocets
(Bremer Estuary)

weevil
(Bremer Bay)

black-browed albatross

orca fin


white-faced storm-petrel


wilson's storm-petrel
Orca attacking beaked whale
orca attacking beaked whale
Lightning over Bremer Bay
lightning over bremer bay

orcas approaching the boat

boat safety briefing - rhett

black-browed (left) & indian yellow-nosed

flesh-footed shearwater

 

Orca surfing
Photos not to be reproduced without my permission and acknowledgement.
(EXIF) data has been retained in the above photos to identify the camera, lens and settings used.

My main photography page
cumuluskeith at gmail.com

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