Rare orca encounter off San Diego includes colorful surprise

A rare orca encounter Wednesday off San Diego was made extra special when one of the mammals swam to the boat and provided an enchanting moment.

“As if seeing this beautiful animal in the wild wasn’t enough, it also gifted us with a beautiful rainbow!” Domenic Biagini, owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, exclaimed via Instagram.

The accompanying footage shows the orca’s close approach – and features Biagini’s exuberant narration – and its “rainblow” greeting.

Biagini and crew, acting on tips from nature and local sportfishing captains, located more than 10 Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, or orcas, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

ETP orcas are commonly encountered in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez but occasionally venture into U.S. waters to hunt dolphins and other marine mammals.

Biagini explained the tip he received from seabirds:

“Our initial exploration found a lot of interesting wildlife, but what stood out to us the most was the number of Black-Footed Albatross we were seeing much closer to shore than usual.

“Those Albatross are often a harbinger of larger predators being around like False Killer Whales, sharks, and especially Orcas!”

Biagini promised “more to come from this incredible day” as the ETP watch is in full swing after the encounter.

The orcas were headed south as Biagini returned to port, but that does not mean that they will not resurface off San Diego or elsewhere in Southern California in the coming days.