Orcas Literally Leaping in Celebration on Oregon Coast (Video), and Yes, They 'Moonwalked'

Published 06/02/26 at 6:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Depoe Bay, Oregon) – To say the past 48 hours has been eventful when it comes to whales would be an understatement. The central Oregon coast saw a spectacular display of killer whales on Sunday, catching sight (and video) of them hunting, carousing and even jumping out of the ocean in enormous leaps and bounds. (Photo Tradeswinds Charters)

They even did something known as “moonwalking.” Jaw-dropping video shows the belly flops (but not the moonwalks).

At least six seemed to collect together around the Depoe Bay area making all sorts of unique moves, with much of it documented around Boiler Bay and near the channel at Depoe Bay. All this began in the early morning, according to Oregon Whale Sightings' Julie Conrad, with reports of one female orca about a mile off Seal Rock, and more joining in the sojourn northward along the way. By noon there were four around Depoe Bay and Boiler Bay, and that's where they began to make a splash. Literally.

Among those that caught the action were customers aboard Tradeswinds Charters. They snagged video of two zipping around, and then suddenly one flies into the air and smacks back into the water. This breaching happens a second and third time.

Tadd Mick, owner of the biz, said this had happened at least two more times while they were in the area but it was only caught on film these three times.

“Right before that there was one of them that had a sea lion in its mouth,” Mick said.

The pod made its way to Boiler Bay, according to Conrad, and others apparently had photos of the orcas jumping there as well (see more at the whale sightings page).

Video May Take a Bit Longer to Load

It's here where they briefly went after a gray whale, but reports seem to indicate they gave up on that one, Conrad told Oregon Coast Beach Connection.

Why did the killer whales bound out of the water in such a dramatic way?

Mick and Conrad think it was likely a celebratory thing, after a successful devouring of some tasty marine tidbit – like the sea lion.

Photo Tradeswinds Charters

Reports differ on sea lion or seal: either way, Conrad said they snapped up at least two near the harbor and one more around Boiler Bay.

“Transients typically stay completely silent while hunting, and sometimes after a successful hunt, they'll exhibit what's called celebratory behavior,” she said. “This is when we're most likely to see active surface behavior, like full breaching, tail and fin slapping, cartwheels, and chin slapping. During a hunt, we don't typically see much above the surface. It usually happens really quickly underwater.”

They've also been known to shake their prey (like sharks) and then share it with their pod mates.

It was here they did something called “moonwalking.” They were seen moving backwards at times, which is what they do when sharing their morsels with their pals. It's essentially just swimming backwards.

“They can also moonwalk while nose down and their flukes way up in the air,” Conrad said.

To paraphrase Coolio: Ain't no party like an orca party....

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