Orca got stuck and cried for hours. When rescuers arrived, something incredible happens

A juvenile orca was clearly in trouble, caught between sharp stones and increasingly exposed as the tide receded. According to Ocean Guardians, Sarah Lane and Tom Baxter, around 7:30 a.m., Mark contacted the local conservation group Coastal Watch to report his discovery.

Based on Mark’s account, the orca specialists deduced what had likely happened. Orcas in that region often worked together to hunt seals, with some driving prey toward the shore while others lay in wait to ambush. This young female orca must have misjudged her path, and as the tide ebbed, she became trapped in shallow water, unable to free herself from the rocky crevice.

She was crying out in fear, likely in pain, when Mark, by chance, sailed close enough to hear her. Mark was a familiar collaborator with Sarah and Tom, frequently partnering on marine research.

They were returning from Port Angeles to their headquarters when Mark alerted them to the orca’s predicament.

Sarah and Tom knew time was critical and that they’d need all available support. As they sped toward Mark in Cascade Bay, they reached out to the Salish Sea Protectors in Port Angeles and the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to inform them of the orca’s dire situation.

Meanwhile, Mark and his crew cautiously approached the orca to assess whether they could assist in dislodging her.