Rare Orca Sighting Off Chatham, Massachusetts: 'Old Thom' Spotted Seven Miles Offshore

On Sunday, a rare orca sighting occurred off the coast of Chatham, Massachusetts, with Paul van Steensel and his group spotting the killer whale seven miles offshore. The orca, nicknamed 'Old Thom,' was identified by its distinctive dorsal fin.

Old Thom, a solitary bull orca, has been spotted in the area several times over the years. He is often accompanied by a pod of white-sided dolphins before heading towards Nova Scotia. This sighting is significant as orcas are rarely seen in the waters off Cape Cod.

Paul van Steensel, who has been tuna fishing off Chatham for 20 years, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, 'We saw a fin in the distance, which was very large, and I thought it was a sunfish because they frequently flop their fins. Then it came up again, and we saw that it was an Orca. It was really cool.'

Marine experts from the New England Aquarium and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy reported the sighting. Massachusetts shark biologist John Chisholm commented on the event, stating, 'Although orcas are known to prey on white sharks in other parts of the world, there's no evidence of that occurring in the NW Atlantic. So far their presence doesn't seem to bother the white sharks. Will that change? Time will tell.'

Orla O'Brien, an associate research scientist at the New England Aquarium, described Old Thom as 'a little bit of an odd duck' on account of his solitary behavior. She noted that Old Thom is 'the most commonly seen whale off of Massachusetts or New England,' and added, 'He must be exploiting a certain food resource that he likes.'

The sighting of Old Thom is particularly noteworthy given the rarity of orcas in the Atlantic Ocean. Killer whales are more commonly found in British Columbia, Washington, and other areas on the West Coast. The population of killer whales in the Atlantic is smaller and more spread out, making each sighting a 'needle in a haystack' situation.

Van Steensel's sighting has attracted attention, with videos of the encounter being uploaded to Facebook and multiple news stations in Boston and Connecticut reaching out for interviews. The young boys on the boat were particularly excited about the experience, asking if it would be featured on TV.

This rare sighting of Old Thom highlights the unique and unpredictable nature of marine life off the coast of New England. As researchers continue to study these occurrences, each sighting provides valuable insights into the behavior and migration patterns of these magnificent creatures.

Key Takeaways

• Rare orca sighting off Chatham, Massachusetts, 7 miles offshore.
• The orca, "Old Thom," is a solitary bull orca with a distinctive dorsal fin.
• Old Thom has been spotted in the area several times, often with white-sided dolphins.
• Orcas are rarely seen in Cape Cod waters, making each sighting significant.
• Researchers are studying Old Thom's behavior, with no evidence of attacking white sharks.