It takes a lot to impress three-time Olympic medalist Silken Laumann on the water.
But a pod of orcas did exactly that wowing the Canadian rower by swimming within inches of her Vancouver Island dock in British Columbia on Saturday.
“We are freaking out with joy at the sight of these beautiful creatures off the end of our dock minutes ago,” Laumann posted on Twitter.
More than 115,000 people have now shared in that joy.
We are freaking out with joy at the sight of these beautiful creatures off the end of our dock minutes ago! #exploreBC #whales pic.twitter.com/wnVwsgORCL
— Silken Laumann (@SilkenLaumann) August 3, 2019
The video is 45-seconds of orcas being orcas at Henderson Point.
She’s lived there at Saanich Inlet for a decade and never seen a pod that close.
“Pretty wild,” Laumann adds.
Laumann’s sporting history is also pretty wild.
She shattered her right leg in rowing accident just 10 weeks before the 1992 Summer Games. But she came back after many operations and even more rehab to win a bronze medal at the Barcelona Olympics in single sculls rowing.
The feat is considered one of the biggest comebacks in Canadian sporting history and happened 27 years ago almost to the day.
DETERMINATION. 😤#OnThisDay just 10 weeks after her right leg was shattered in an on-water accident and five surgeries, @SilkenLaumann won singles sculls 🥉 at Barcelona 1992 💪👏
One of the most inspiring performances in #TeamCanada and @Olympics history 👊 pic.twitter.com/yFgQexgFlz
— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) August 2, 2019
Laumann has long retired from competitive rowing, but she still gets out on the water.
In fact, you can see her boat on the dock in the killer whale video.
Not well, but yes I try to get out weekly!
— Silken Laumann (@SilkenLaumann) August 4, 2019
People have just been in awe of the sighting, including fellow Canadian Jann Arden.
The singer and actor tweeted to Laumann, “Just lovely.”
So the whales were the only thing that can trump our interview on Thursday. You have been outshone by a pod of orcas, you may want to come and visit!
— Silken Laumann (@SilkenLaumann) August 4, 2019
It’s been a heck of a summer for wildlife for Laumann.
Just a few days earlier she tweeted the birth of a seal.
“This baby was born on our dock!” she wrote. “Canada is amazing.”
It certainly is.
This baby was born on our dock! Canada is amazing 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/1NltFxEwfn
— Silken Laumann (@SilkenLaumann) July 31, 2019
Photo Silken Laumann/Twitter
