In Alaska, they are a common and ever present sight in our Prince William Sound waters. I have rafted side by side these giant beasts and can say, I never trusted them. I rarely trust anything in nature that has teeth larger than my fist.
On many occasions they could have easily overpowered our raft, boat OR floatplane when in these waters. Why don't they? NO one knows for sure, they seem to be happiest when left along by humans and I believe if you do not agitate them, they won't agitate you.
I think we can chalk up another one for Disney. Free Willy and all that. Humans have an insatiable need to "humanize" every creature on the planet. I feel humans do this because they have detached themselves from the natural world.
When you see a killer whale with its dorsal fin limped over, it is not a happy camper. I have never seen this in the wild, but I have noticed they do that when in captivity. In captivity, they are not happy campers. Humans in captivity aren't either! We do have that in common, but that is about all.
These creatures, when in the water next to you, make for scary neighbors. Dominant males will reach over 40 feet and could easily trash your vessel if they desired to do so. I realize this and realize they are powerful predators that are best left alone and viewed in their natural habitat. They DO NOT belong in some artificial pond doing tricks for the spectators.
