Surprising close encounters with marine predators in California bring awe, fear | Jefferson City News-Tribune

Southern California saw an unusually rare orca encounter when Dana Point-based Capt. Dave’s Whale Watching Safari recorded 13 Eastern Tropical Pacific orcas off Laguna Beach on Saturday. Capt. Matt Stumpf said the company might see one such sighting in a good year, but multiple trips have now encountered the pod over the past three weeks. He linked the timing to warmer-than-usual ocean conditions tied to El Niño, noting waters off San Clemente Island were over 70°F in October. Meanwhile, in the Bay Area, a kayaker reported a close encounter with a great white shark off Half Moon Bay on Sunday, with footage showing the shark within feet. Experts said attacks are extremely rare and described the shark’s presence as part of a known migration pattern.