Snorkeling with Orcas.

[Ander Gat]

I came across an article about snorkeling with Orca whales in Norway. Which brought me to their website.

Snorkelling safari - ORCA TYSFJORD - whale watching in Tysfjord, Norway.

Seems like this would be an absolutely amazing experience. After searching the Scuba Board forums I came up with a few topics about people would have dived with Orca's around Vancouver Island. My question is, why wouldn't something like this be possible around Vancouver Island? Are the Orcas more dangerous? Do we have laws that prevent getting that close? Is the visibility too poor?

What is prevent me from jumping in a kayak, paddling out to a pod and snorkeling with these wonderful creatures?

 

[wilderydude83]

Man, that just doesn't look fun haha. I can't really imagine being in that funky suit in that kind of weather with a killer whale. Is the water at least clear, you think?

 

[akirawut]

That funky suit? Like a drysuit? What we dive in 365 days a year up here, and in many other places with no trouble?

 

[Sintax604]

While it would be an amazing experience to see an orca on a dive by accident (although I'm sure I'd need to hose out my suit afterwards) I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go out seeking it. We've got two types of orcas around here, the residents which eat mostly fish and the transients which prefer to dine on marine mammals... like seals... which is what we look like in our black suits and fins. No thanks!