Community Corner
Fisherman Spots Orca Near Cape Cod
The rare sighting is believed to be the quirky "Old Thom," a solitary, eight-ton male orca who's been seen in the area before.
CHATHAM, MA — An orca was spotted by scallop fishermen Sunday afternoon, about 25 miles southeast of Chatham, according to NBC Boston.
Asher Molyneaux, a skipper with the New England Fishmongers, had just woken up from a below-deck snooze when he spotted a huge dorsal fin popping up from the waters near the boat, Boston.com reported.
"I had just had a wicked good sleep, and was just getting my whereabouts again when all of a sudden, there was an Orca,” Molyneaux told Boston.com.
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A video posted to Facebook by Jerry Leeman, another crew member, shows the orca surfacing, spouting and ducking under multiple times.
Orcas are found in every ocean in the world, the NOAA Fisheries says, but sightings off the Cape are rare.
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The orca spotted on Sunday is believed to be "Old Thom," a 30-foot, eight-ton male who's "known for being spotted in unusual places," according to the Orca Conservancy. He tends to show up in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, but has been spotted off Cape Cod before.
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