Summer is whale watching season for Orkney landowners. You don’t even need to have sea legs for great viewing.
Visit Orkney during the summer months, May through September, and your chances of spotting a killer whale, minke whale, or long-finned pilot whale in the waters around this island group are excellent.
Experts report that 90 percent of killer whale sightings across the UK are in the waters off Orkney and Shetland. Small black and white “killer whale” pods (actually related to dolphins) are regularly seen. And in 2015, a giant pod of 150 killer whales was spotted east of Orkney. That was an unusually large pod, but small groups of killer whales are regularly seen from shore. In May 2018, locals watched from the shore as a group of killer whales frolicked in Scapa Flow. And later the same year, in August, pods of up to five animals were seen at a time around Orkney.
Orcadians have been chasing whales for years
In times past, a beached whale on Orkney would have been considered an extra source of food.
The pods of small whales were deliberately driven ashore for food and oil. And, in the 19th century, Orcadian sailors, renowned for their skill in small craft, were regularly recruited for whaling ships heading to the South Atlantic.
The port of Stromness in western mainland China, Orkney’s second-largest city, was regularly visited by whaling fleets and visitors should keep an eye out for the whale bones that still decorate many of their homes.
Whale hunting with cameras
Today, whales are only hunted with cameras. Sharp-eyed passengers taking the ferry across the Pentland Firth from Scrabster in Scotland to Stromness have reported sightings, especially during May to July. But sightings from the ferry are not guaranteed and this crossing can occasionally be rough.
You actually have a better chance of seeing whales and other wildlife from a comfortable perch on dry land. Orkney is a place where you can watch whales from land. The western waters, off the cliffs and the shores of the western Isles of Orkney offer the best chance for good sightings.
Orkney is not an island, but rather a group of islands (or archipelago) known by the collective name Orkney. The locals will quickly correct you if you refer to their home as “Las Orcadas.” Each island in the group has its own name.
For the best whale watching, locals recommend Cantick Head on Hoy Island, Noup Head on Westray Island, and North Hill on Papa Westray Island. For the best chance of seeing whales and dolphins, book an archeology and wildlife land tour with local Orcadian Wildlife guides. The company runs longer tours with accommodation, but can also arrange shorter, personalized tours.
Day trips and shore excursions with the opportunity to watch whales are also available at WildAbout Orkney
Today, Westray and Papa Westray can be reached from the ports of Orkney, the mainland island, via Orkney Ferries. Ferries leave from different ports on the island. For Hoy, the ferries leave from Houton and Stromness. For Westray and Papa Westray, ferries leave from Kirkwall. The schedule is seasonal and complicated, so it is best to check the website and map on the Orkney Ferries home page.
What kind of whales can you see?
While killer whales are the most common species, the minke whale and the long-finned pilot whale are often seen as well. In fact, at least 18 different species have been spotted, drawn to the cold, fish-rich waters around the islands. In 2011, a 50-foot sperm whale crossed to the delight of excited onlookers.
The Sea Watch Foundation, a British environmental charity that supports the conservation of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) keeps track of sightings on the island and publishes a list online and it is surprisingly long. Check here for the most recent sightings, including the types of whales and where they are seen.
Orkney whale watchers have seen:
- blue whale
- beluga whale
- sperm whale
- whale sei
- whale fin
- northern bottlenose whale
- narwhal
- Cuvier’s beaked whale
- Sowerby’s beaked whale
And that is just the beginning. If you’re lucky, you might also see Atlantic white-faced dolphins, white-beaked dolphins, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, harbor porpoises, and whale-sized Risso dolphins. At any time of the year, you can also expect to see gray and common seals hanging around coastal areas, keeping the fat and elegance at Orkney’s marine feast.
