KILLER WHALES LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM SHORE.
We were NOT ready.
We headed out thinking we’d find nothing. The ocean has been so wild lately we figured the orcas had either eaten everything or scared it all out of town. But just 4 miles into the trip, we spotted a pod of long‑beaked common dolphins… and then everything went OFF.
They were calm at first — cruising, socializing — and then they EXPLODED into a full‑speed stampede.
And that’s when we saw them.
Killer whales. The ocean’s top predators. RACING after the dolphins.
Less than 2 miles from the coast.
We watched this pod hunt for over an hour. They singled out one dolphin, then used those dense, reinforced skulls to bludgeon it — not to kill immediately, but to teach. They ushered one of the youngest pod members into the lead position, showing the calf exactly how to finish the hunt. It was raw, intelligent, coordinated behavior — the kind you rarely get to witness this close to shore.
Eventually we had to head home… it hurt to leave. Encounters like this stay with you. These animals are smart, social, and absolutely electric to watch.
San Diego is WILD right now. I’d get out here ASAP.
— Naturalist Alison
