It seems these exotic sea creatures like to vacation off Orange County’s coastline for spring break, grabbing a snack in the sea.

Like clockwork, a pod of false killer whales showed up off Dana Point on Sunday, March 20, the same day a year ago they also appeared off the local coastline.

The most recent pod was previously spotted on Saturday, March 19, in Oceanside, first further offshore and on a second trip just outside of the harbor, where they were observed feeding on big fish.

“They usually like to follow a path, the last couple times they went up the coastline,” said Shane Hansen, general manager for Oceanside Whale Watching, which was first tipped off to the group’s presence by Dominic Biagini, captain of Gone Whale Watching.

They were passing their fish food around, sharing with one another, Hansen said.

“It was super cool to see, we really don’t get to see false killer whales all that often. To see that kind of behavior on top of it, was even more rare,” he said.

When they appeared off Dana Point, they turned around and headed down south, staying close to shore,  before slowing off San Onofre State Beach, likely to feed.

“They are always pretty cool to see, these guys cruising through the water and doing whatever they want,” said photographer Matt Larmand, who captured images of the mammals. “They act like dolphins, how they swim and porpoise out of the water. It’s like a dolphin on steroids, pretty much.”

False killer whales are an unusual sighting off of Southern California, typically preferring very deep, tropical and subtropical waters.

“Their size is hard to comprehend until they are close to the boat,” said Matt Stumpf, a drone operator for Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari, which also encountered the pod.

“When they surfaced all together as a pod, you not only got the sense of their size, but also the close-knit community they live in. They were always with each other, never alone,” he said. “It’s really interesting that it was a year to the day that we saw what I suspect was this same pod. I hope they mark their calendars for next year.”

False killer whales are actually members of the dolphin family, just like orcas and pilot whales. The full-grown adult males can reach lengths up to 20 feet long and weigh nearly 3,000 pounds. Fish and squid are their primary prey.

“The passengers were all in awe at how large they were and so happy to be seeing such a rare species,” said Stacie Fox, photographer for Capt. Dave’s. “On our second trip, when we found the false killer whales again, there were a couple that hung out right next to the boat and under the bow. It was amazing.”

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In 2019, pods of false killer whales were reported four times in local waters. Previously they hadn’t been spotted off Orange County since 2016, when they made national news when one gave birth next to a charter boat in Dana Point.

In 2017, there was a sighting reported off of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

It’s not just the passengers who get a kick out of the rare sight. Typically, dolphins and gray whales are the usual suspects spotted offshore this time of year, Hansen said.

“I definitely love all those animals, but something new and exciting is a treat even for the crew,” he said. “It’s an exotic species here, something a little different makes the trip memorable, for sure.”