‘I freaked out’: Paddleboarder recounts startling encounter with orca pod

JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - A close encounter with a pod of orcas left a paddleboarder in Alaska with an experience he’ll never forget.

Saffron Hayes caught the close call on video as he was navigating the waters near Lena Point, nearly 14 miles northwest of downtown Juneau.

Hayes said he noticed the orca pod and worked to get closer while keeping a safe distance.

He was sitting in about 10 feet of water when one of the whales in the group became curious about the Juneau paddleboarder.

“They came and checked me out, and it was really scary,” Hayes said. “Maybe he thought I was a sea lion or something, or just wanted to get real close and look at me.”

In the video, a curious orca whale swims directly under Hayes, then abruptly pops out of the water inches from the paddleboard, blowing air out of its spout, to Hayes’ surprise.

“I freaked out when he came up, and he kind of blew his blowhole at me, and I turned off the camera, but two other orcas came by shortly after[ward] that I didn’t capture on video,” Hayes said. “Both times, just kind of buzzed right by my paddleboard.”

Hayes said the entire encounter lasted between five and 10 minutes, and he counted up to 10 orcas in the group.

As far as the whale’s intentions, Hayes felt the close call was a playful moment for the orca.

“He didn’t touch the paddleboard, and you know, it was amazing how, like, shallow I was. I could see the bottom,” Hayes said. “The orca was so graceful, just coming right underneath the paddleboard and turning around and then coming back and blowing air at me. He could’ve easily tipped me or done something to me.”

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