April 2019 Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of April 2019 whale sightings.

April 30
Tue Apr 30 - Haro Strait - There was a gray seen off Eagle Pt. earlier in the day. The first two image sets were as the gray whale came up island, within a 1/4 mile from shore, just south of Lime Kiln Pt. State Park. The third image set I took from County Park where it was closer to shore. These were also sent to Cascadia Research. -Thanks, Jeanne Hyde
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Hey all, On 4/30 I was at Deadman's Bay on San Juan Island when a gray whale swam by heading south. I jumped in my car and drove to the Land Bank where I was able to snap some photos. The animal didn't appear to be fully grown and was definitely emaciated. It never arched so I wasn't able to get a good flank ID; this is the most identifiable image I was able to get. Gray whale Haro Strait off Land Bank, west side San Juan Island. -Have fun, Adam U
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Tue Apr 30 - Rosario Strait - Interspecies association between gray whale and humpback! -(See Island Adventures encounter report on these two in the Humpback section)
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Encounter with Humpback Pop Tart (2016 calf of BCY0324) on the left and a gray whale on the right in Rosario Strait. -Photos by Kristina Trowbridge, Apr 30, 2019
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Tue Apr 30 - East Juan de Fuca - 12:45 - At Rocky Point (W Whidbey). Three days in a row now that I have been lucky to spot another whale on the ocean. This time it clearly looked to be colored gray. Also this time I can see more of it's body and this guy is gigantic. I am quite sure he is all alone and stayed in the same area for a couple hours. -Karina Mitchell
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I only noted the times today. We've seen one gray (reported as orca, video shows gray -alb) this morning 4/30/19 between 7:45-8:30, swimming back and forth. Believed to be an orca because of the blowhole (not heart shaped like a gray) and movements in the water. It was swimming up and down (north and south, back and forth) in front of my home....This is off Moran Beach SP. -Stephanie Salem
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Tue Apr 30 - Possession Sound - 11:00 - Grays. they've snugged up closer to Hat, IE4 on scene, keeping a respectable distance
10:20 - Three grays, traveling southbound slowly towards Everett, mid channel, mid-island, east of Hat. -Lori Christopher
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10:33 - seeing blows and one fluke - under snowy Mt Baker- east of Hat Island from aboard MV Tokitae. Pretty day. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON
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Tue Apr 30 - Possession Sound/Point - 10:02 - Gray whales 723 and 53 are at Possession Point, Whidbey Island, right now. Seen from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express. -Bart Rulon
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06:45 - Jordan with WS Ferries Ops called to relay a report from the MV Suquamish of 2 gray whales heading southbound approx. 1 mile off Mukilteo.
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Tue Apr 30 - Swiftsure Bank - One of the highlights with a young humpback whale interacting with steller sea lions around Swiftsure Bank. -Photo by Gary Sutton, Apr 30, 2019
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Tue Apr 30 - Rosario Strait....We searched deep into the Strait of Georgia before making the turn back south. As we entered Rosario Strait once again, we met up with the gray whale we'd found earlier, but now it had a friend! It was not another gray whale, but a humpback whale!!! The two were traveling side by side, and remained that way for the duration of our time with them. This is something the crew had never witnessed before. What an exciting opportunity to witness interspecies social behavior. -Nat Sam, Capt Scott, Naomi and Nick
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Unknown Gray whale and Humpback known as Pop Tart hanging out together. -Photos by Sam Murphy, Naturalist, Island Adventures, Apr 30, 2019
Other notes by Sam: These two were traveling side by side for at least two hours today, and possibly longer after we left them. Both appeared to be mature individuals, just basing that off of relative size. The majority of the time they could have been touching pec fins beneath the surface, they were just that close to one another. Though they didn't cooperate for photos much (no great looks at flukes, and only two synchronized surfacings), it was a truly remarkable encounter to witness.
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The BCY0324 - calf 2016 known as Pop Tart, the humpback that was hanging out with the gray was ID'd by Tasli as Pop Tart by this photo, It was the best fluke pic I could get. -Kristina Trowbridge
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We saw a grey whale and a humpback both together at Lawrence point, (eastern tip of Orcas Island). See humpback in the picture. -Photo by Ferran Orriols, Apr 30, 2019
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UNCONFIRMED WHALES - Tue Apr 30 - South Puget Sound - I observed several spouts (3-5 ft high) from what appeared to be just one whale (?); location was about half way between Arcadia Point and Hope Island. I could not ascertain the direction of travel, but the time was about 0900. Thanks! I'll keep my eyes open for others. -Tom & Martha Fontaine

April 29
BIGG'S TRANSIENT KILLER WHALES - T167 hunting a steller sealion north of Port Angeles on the morning of April 29th. -Photo by Mark Malleson
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Mon Apr 29 - Juan de Fuca - 07:50 - Orcas, at least 4, I believe one male. Pod headed north of Sequim, Strait of Juan de Fuca, a couple miles south of international line. -Lori Heay
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Mon Apr 29 - Gray Whale #531 took our breath away with her need for speed...Photo by Justine Buckmaster, Apr 29, 2019
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Mon Apr 29 - Bellingham/Samish Bay - I saw a gray whale just north of Wildcat Cove at Larrabee State Park. Friends report it yesterday (28th) in the south end of Chuckanut Bay...with really good pics and videos. -Keith Kemplin
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Mon Apr 29 - East Juan de Fuca - 15:15 - At Rocky Point - I saw a spout again so I assume it's the same whale that was there the previous day. It seems to be staying at that general area off of West Beach. I think there was another one because at one point I saw another spout not long after another. They must have been perhaps 8 feet away. I have been staying a couple hours watching the whale and it didnt really look like it was heading a certain direction. -Karina Mitchell
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Mon Apr 29 - Admiralty Inlet - 08:50 - grey whale north of Ebey's landing few hundred yards out slowing moving south. -Al Lunemann
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Mon Apr 29 - N Saratoga Passage - 08:00 - Large gray off Rocky Point headed west. Close to shore! -Diane Steigleder
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Mon Apr 29 - C/S Saratoga Passage - Gray Whale #531 took our breath away with her need for speed! I have rarely seen Gray Whales going over 5 mph and she was going over 6 mph! She made and impressive wave as she lifted both her head and flukes high on each surfacing, except on those where she remained at the surface, breathing as she continued to swim quickly with her head above the waves. I called it speed logging. Though I wasn't quick enough to catch a photo, she also breached once when we first arrived on scene. This was also the first day this season I saw Tufted Puffins out near Smith Island! -Justine Buckmaster
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11:37 - Hi there...seeing a single gray whale heading south along our Camano Beach through Saratoga (Breezy Point area). So awesome to hear them breathe! -Janett Wingett
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10:29 - Update, definitely two, one heading north fast, the other hanging out just off Indian beach
10:06 - 1-2 grays off Indian Beach, Camano, taking some long dives, heading north. -Joan Smith
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07:39 - Gray whale - 5 min north of Langley across Saratoga passage close to camano island beach! -Deanna Hunter
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Mon Apr 29 - Possession Sound - out sailing with friends last night (29th) and had a gray whale popping up within 300 yards of the navy base in at Everett...we left the marina at 7:00, saw the whale surface heading east around 7:45 pm and had to return to the marina around 8:30 with it still surfacing heading northwest. -Collin Wojahn
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10:00 - Two grays traveling together, mid channel, between Hat Island and Tulalip, angling towards Everett -Lori Christopher
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Good morning. While getting ready for work at 7:05 AM, I stopped for a few minutes and enjoyed the backlit blows of 2-3 grey whales at the SE corner of Gedney Island. Spotted another grey whale on the ferry heading south from Mukilteo. -Danielle Pennington

April 28
Sun Apr 28 - Sun Apr 28 was quite a day for folks along the east side of Orcas. I'm sure you heard about the sightings around 2 pm with all the whale watch boats and a research vessel as well in Rosario Strait at the Pea Pods. I am reporting what I believe to be J pod going by, heading north in Rosario Strait right along the shoreline of Orcas Island around 5:30 - 6:00 pm. They were spread out not evenly, travelling in small groups, breaching, rolling, tail slapping and swimming in circles. They were about 50 feet off shore. It was thrilling to say the least and it took quite a while for all of them to go by. We counted about 20. We are on the water ½ way between Sea Acres and Doe Bay and look out at the Pea Pod rocks in Rosario Strait. The neighbors in Sea Acres tell me they circled a lot there. I so hope they are getting fish!!-Ann Jones
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17:44 - Just sighted 8 - 10 Orcas near Doe Island east Orcas Is. Not sure whether resident or transient. Dorsal fins not curved or notched. Two males, and several small ones. A Boston Whaler like boat following with vertical flag, research boat? Pod was heading north to PT. Lawrence. -Dale Heisinger
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15:45 - Orcas seen on the ferry from Orcas Island to Anacortes. Pod with at least one large male several females traveling west toward Obstruction pass area. amazing!!!! -Kelly Holmberg
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12:15 - J-Pod is at the north end of Rosario Strait heading south. -Monika Wieland Shields
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~10:00 - We are located on Saturna Island on Cliff Side road. We spotted two orcas male and female at about 10am on April 28th. They were a good distance from each other. -Rosalie Ross
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Sun Apr 28 - Haro Strait - ~23:00 - I heard whales on the Haro Strait hydrophones on the Orcasound website around 11pm. Do you know which pod was in that area? -Meagan McElroy
(we were told Jeanne Hyde heard Bigg's - alb)
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Sun Apr 28 - Juan de Fuca Strait - Today brought a lovely visit with a group of Bigg's killer whales that included one of our favorite families, the T65As, along with T65A's mom (T65) and presumed older brother (T63 "Chainsaw"), and some infrequent visitors, the T167s... Strait of Juan de Fuca, on Constance Bank...Here are some photos from the encounter courtesy of Captain Jeff! -Maya's Legacy WW
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Sun Apr 28 - Puget Sound - 19:40 - 4-5 orcas passing Langley Seawall Park way over on Camano side heading north. -Donna George
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19:18 - northbound up Saratoga! Mid channel heading toward Langley.
19:12 - I can see a male from the bluff at Sandy Point. Still northbound. Aiming toward Saratoga. -Dori Dace
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19:37 - Viewing from Langley Pizzeria Orcas are a tad south and Camano side mid channel. Northwest bound
19:12 - Orcas approching Sandy Point appearing to be heading into Saratoga Passage northwest bound at least 4 including one male and one babee. -Marilyn Armbruster
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I saw a small pod of Bigg's Transient orcas this evening off Sandy Point, first hearing about them as they were near the ferry. My photos are too far away for ID purposes. they headed north up Saratoga Passage after dark. There were at least 4 but most likely 5, one being a male, and one a youngster/babee. These were taken from Sandy Point looking over towards Camano Head. -Marilyn Armbruster
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18:56 - Orcas just passed Hat Island, heads up Langley should get a good view shortly! -Lori Christopher
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18:29 - Orcas continuing north between Whidbey Island and Hat Island. In travel mode 3-4 with one male.
18:19 - Orca. Seeing them parallel to the south of Clinton ferry dock. 3-4 heading north. -Danielle Pennington
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18:14 - Orca. Right in the ferry lane (Muk/Clinton). Viewing from Pioneer cemetery. Can confirm at least 1 male. -Brandon Anderson
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16:57 - Orcas headed north bound in Possession sound. Looks like a group with some adults and at least one baby...We live in Chennault Beach, Mukilteo and look at across at the state park. They're headed north, but not very fast. -Hilary Exon Hager
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16:24 - My wife and I saw the orcas in the attached photo at 4:24 PM today at the following location: N 47º54.003' by W 122º22.035' (off Possession Point, S Whidbey). If you have a moment would you let me know if you were able to identify them. It would be fun to know their names. -Gary de Gorgue
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4/28/2019 was another beautiful day spent in Puget Sound. We started our trip near Seattle with a group of Transient Killer Whales who turned out to be the T100s, not the T65As as I initially thought! ...(Gary Sutton: "That's where they went! Did you have the T167s too?") ...They were paralleling another group that was too far on the other side of the channel to ID. Is the T167s a group of 3 (no adult males)? If so, then it's possible! (GS: Yes, that's right. A female and her two kids. That's good to know. Thanks. Those Puget Sound sightings are always a gap in the data). T100s - Puget Sound. -Justine Buckmaster
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11:48 - Just seen two to three off Blakely Rock. Seemed to be heading north east but also playing around, might be more than 3 and definitely one big one. -Luke Tjemsland
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11:10 - Just passed some (orcas) on Bainbridge ferry. 3, at least one male, headed south, near Restoration Point. -Harmony Lyn Reicks
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11:03 - 2 orcas headed south, by Restoration Point. Off of ferry...One additional orca followed. All headed south. -Chelsea Freniere
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09:23 - Orca. SJC just left the scene, 3.4 nm south of bouy foxtrot (chasing a sea lion).
09:16 - Seen from the San Juan Clipper; 3 (possibly 4) Biggs Orcas, no males, unsure of group ID. Southbound just north of Shilshole, in the traffic separation zone. -James Greenway
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Sun Apr 28 - Samish/Bellingham Bay - 16:18 - Grey whale off of Larabee State Park heading north into Bellingham Bay! -Skooks McKooks
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Sun Apr 28 - Burrows Bay - 18:20 - Garry just got a call from NOAA about a gray whale in distress in Burrows Bay near Alexander Beach - but when Garry talked to the RP it sounded like it is just a gray whale feeding. He told her to call if it turns out to be a different situation, but hoping it is just a sighting not a stranding -Susan Berta, ON
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Sun Apr 28 - East Juan de Fuca - ~1815 - by Joseph State Whidbey Park. A spout caught my attention so I kept looking. Every few minutes it would happen again. It was hard to tell what it was since it hardly showed but it appeared to be black. I think it was by itself and didnt really show any direction it was heading. -Karina Mitchell
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Sun Apr 28 - Penn Cove - 11:00 -Gray whale Penn Cove - Monroe Landing. The second batch of 8 pictures are at 11:00am taken in front of Monroe Landing. Again, very unpredictable about popping up. -Stephanie Montgomery
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10:40 - Just had a gray go by my house on the north side of Penn Cove, slowly heading east towards Monroe Landing. -Brian Miller
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09:20 - Do you all track the gray whales? I have some distanced pictures of the one(s) in Penn Cove today, The first batch is from Penn Cove at 9:20am He was very unpredictable about when and where he would pop up. -Stephanie Montgomery
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07:33 - 2 grays Penn Cove, one near Long Point, one opposite near Polnell Point heading west toward Coupeville wharf. -Lee Fritsch
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Sun Apr 28 - C/S Saratoga Passage - 14:06 - single gray just north of Indian Beach, Camano, heading north, very much on the surface, very little diving. -Joan Smith
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12:45 - MV Saratoga has two Grays into Possession Sound and Saratoga Passage going opposite directions off of Fox Spit. #44 Dubknuck northbound and #56 southbound. -Justine Buckmaster
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10:30 - Single gray in Saratoga Passage heading south just off Indian Beachh -Joan Smith
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1011 - 2 gray whales off of Camano Head, unsure of direction of travel as we gave a wide berth and did not stop to view. -James Greenway
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Sun Apr 28 - Possession Sound - 12:50 - Redhead has gray whales 49, 531, 22, and 383 just south of the Snohomish river delta right now.
12:20 - MV Redhead has gray whale 723 at SE Hat Island. -Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express
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Sun Apr 28 - Rosario Strait - 16:15 - minke northbound past Washington Park, Anancortes. -Rachel Haight
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Sun Apr 28 - South Puget Sound - 09:40 - Just saw a huge humpback off McNeil Island about 9:40am this morning...tried to grab my camera but too slow...so awesome!...Traveling toward the direction of University Place right off McNeil island...husband assumed it was humpback because it wasn't an Orca and it was bigger than our 32ft boat. Did not see a dorsal fin...it did a slow roll and the width of the body was enormous. Could it have been a different kind of whale in the south sound??...It's about 400 ft deep here. -Bette Sereia

April 27
Sat Apr 27 - Penn Cove - Guests on Saturday's Anacortes tour spotted a gray whale we have never seen before in the Salish Sea. After a bit of digging, we found out that this whale does not yet have an official ID number, but was photographed in San Francisco Bay on March 16th. There are an estimated 25,000 gray whales along the west coast, so making this match is truly extraordinary! Thanks to Cascadia Research Collective and San Francisco Whale Tours for helping to make this connection! -Erin, Island Adventures
(Match by Alie Perez, CRC)
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12:25 - Gray whale going into Penn Cove on south side. -Charlotte Ginn
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Sat Apr 27 - N Saratoga Passage - 19:08 - Gray is hanging out by the buoy in Oak Harbor. -Terra Parham
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Sat Apr 27 - Saratoga Passage - My last gray whale trip of the season on 4/27, windy and sunny, with nice visits with #44 Dubknuck (south of Fox Spit), #53 Little Patch, and #723 Lucyfer (pictured further down). -Photo by Bonnie Gretz, Apr 27, 2019
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10:55 - gray whale 356 just south of Elger Bay southbound, seen from MV Saratoga. -Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express
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Sat Apr 27 - Possession Point & Possession Sound - 13:35 - While aboard the MV Tokitae our of Mukilteo I spotted the blow of a whale (presumably Gray) south of Hat Island....somewhere in between that Ferry and the island. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON
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Both #53 Little Patch and #723 Lucyfer were down near south end of Whidbey this morning but were headed back north into Possession Sound this afternoon. #44 was also off Possession Point. on our morning trip but we found him back up around Gedney/Everett this afternoon. -Renee Beitzel
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~13:00 - a gray whale was seen off Possession Point heading northwest bound toward Admiralty Inlet. -Reported by Marcus Raymond
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08:00 - Spouts at Glendale Park closer to Mukilteo side. Heading south. Just one large whale. She did show her body a couple of times. -Cynthia White
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06:45 - While docking at Mukilteo this morning we observed multiple blows from a baleen whale north of the dock out from Everett moving west/southwest. The seas are a little chunky but the sun is shining brightly! -Debbie Stewart
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Sat Apr 27 - San Juan Channel - Just spotted a solo whale (baleen?) heading south through San Juan Channel between Parks Bay and Friday Harbor. Too far out to see kind. -Bryn Black
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Sat Apr 27 - Possession Sound - 06:45 - While docking at Mukilteo this morning we observed multiple blows from a baleen whale north of the dock out from Everett moving west/southwest. The seas are a little chunky but the sun is shining brightly! -Debbie Stewart

April 26
Fri Apr 26 - Saratoga Passage/Possession Sound - 1400 -1700hrs - 8+ Orcas moving steadily from just south of Hat Island to the Possession Point buoy. Sometimes strung out over 1/2 mile, sometimes tightly grouped together, at times fast moving, at times meandering about. Photos taken with Nikon 200-500mm. -Gary Carter
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15:55 - Orcas passed Glendale Beach. Halfway to Possession Point. Continuing south.
15:09 - Orcas north of Clinton ferry. Lots of splashing!
14:54 - I am above the Clinton ferry dock looking for the orcas. Don't see them but there is one or maybe 2 grays between the ferry and Hat Isl. A small boat is following them and more small boats are approaching them. Hope they are aware. -Donna George
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3:20 - moving quickly now stil southbound.. Approx 1 mile north ferry lanes.
3:00 pm - viewing from south end Brighton Beach line of sight with Everett Providence Hospital slowly trending south middish channel.
2:50 pm - directional change again from southeast end of Hat Island heading south...Marilyn Armbruster
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14:40 - From Allie Hudec: Spotted the orcas midway between Clinton ferry dock and Hat/Gedney Island, heading toward Everett, maybe on a kill? Lots of splashing and activity.
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14:20 - Orca. Brief visit with the T65As today.Big direction/behavior change. Rapidly NE bound towards Hat Island, viewing from Brighton Beach,Whidbey. T65A2 -Rachel Haight
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14:15 - Orca. My husband is reporting them north of the Clinton ferry dock, between Gedney Island and Whidbey heading south. -Danielle Pennington
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13:55 - Small group off Sandy Point, Whidbey Island this afternoon. -Scott Pearl
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13:30 - Orcas approaching Sandy Point, Whidbey. Saw the babee...southbound. -Marilyn Armbruster
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13:13 - Orcas in Langley mid channel. -Cynthia White
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12:55 - Saratoga departing the T65As slowly southbound after making a kill. They are mid channel in Saratoga Passage off of Mabana Beach. -Justine Buckmaster
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Kicked off our half day tours today with an awesome trip! Left Edmonds and headed up through Admiralty Inlet, saw some sea lions and loons, then on to Partridge Bank where we found a sleepy young gray whale. We then went through Deception Pass, saw some seals, an otter and more loons and other birds! We go further into Saratoga Passage and find the T065A's!! They kept grouping up while they were making lunch...After that we found #383 and #531 gray whales!! Awesome day!! -Janine Harles
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12:40 - We think it's the T65As. -Lauren Ryan Booth
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11:51 - We're watching 3 orcas (we think it's 3) heading south through Saratoga Passage offshore of Whidbey Island. The whale watching boat "Puget Sound Express" is following them. -Janett Wingett
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11:44 - I am viewing from high bank at Baby Island Heights, orcas are mid channel southbound. -Marilyn Armbruster
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11:07 - A pod of transient orcas SB in Saratoga passage off Onamac Pt. 1 male, and 4 females/sub adults. The San Juan Clipper left the scene at 1055. -James Greenway
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10:47 - San Juan Clipper has southbound orcas in Saratoga passage. Between Onamac point and Whidbey. -Jason Mihok
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Fri Apr 26 - N Saratoga - Grey whale 9:30 AM today, Blowers Bluff, E side of Whidbey. (Oak Harbor area) -Merri Huffine
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Fri Apr 26 - E Juan de Fuca & NPS grays Saratoga Passage - Kicked off our half day tours today with an awesome trip! Left Edmonds and headed up through Admiralty Inlet, saw some sea lions and loons, then on to Partridge Bank where we found a sleepy young gray whale...After that we found #383 and #531 gray whales!! Awesome day!! -Janine Harles
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Fri Apr 26 - Central Puget Sound - 15:40 - Small grey or humpback whale off Alki headed towards Seattle! -Ct Jordan

April 25
Strait of Georgia - It was a bit rough but we were rewarded by seeing 8 Biggs killer whales. The T090s, T124A2's and T087 pushing into the waves heading north. The Bonapartes gulls are still abundant in Active Pass feeding in huge aggregations too! T90 and T90B. Great day in the Salish Sea with the T124A2s, T090s and T087. It was fun to watch T087 punch through the waves with his smushed rostrum peeking above the them. Photos by Gary Sutton, Apr 25, 2019 Ocean EcoVentures WW
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Thu Apr 25 - Puget Sound - 15:30 - Orcas have moved east to mid channel, directly east of Apple Tree Point. Lots of breaching and surface activity. At least one little one... maybe T65as from yesterday?
15:05 - Around 5 (orcas) off Apple Tree Point Kingston, west side of shipping lane. NB. One tail lob noted. -Sara Frey
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14:40 - Maija w/WSF called to report 3-4 orcas 1 mile east of Kingston. Direction of travel unknown.
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Had a sighting at around 1330 on Thursday, April 25th. A small pod, with a baby and few other adult animals heading North off Shilshole Marina in Seattle. -Li Sung
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Thu Apr 25 - Juan de Fuca/Rosario - 15:15-15:30 - Wrapping up the day at Deception Pass today - and two gray whales swam by - what a surprise - and a treat! No ID's on them (yet), they didn't show enough of themselves to be identified....heading southbound, about 200 yds offshore at West Beach, Deception Pass. Pics taken between 3:15 and 3:30 pm. -Jill Hein
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15:30 - Two grey whales south bound @ West Beach. -Photo by Kris Holley, Apr 25, 2019
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10:27 - Gray whale blow and back spotted from ferry as we approached Anacortes dock. Whale was south of Cypress E bound mid channel. -Bethany Ryals
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Lone baleen whale, maybe a gray, in Rosario headed east towards Anacortes at 9:45 AM (seen from ferry). -Steve Smith
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09:18 - Single gray whale traveling north along the west side of Whidbey, seen from 1/2 N of the Hastie Lake boat launch. 100+ yards offshore. -Melinda Killian
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Thu Apr 25 - Saratoga Pass & Possession Sound - Today was the last day of Gray Whale tours on Saratoga. Don't worry, they haven't left yet, so we'll likely still see gray whales on some of our half day tours which start tomorrow! We were treated to encounters with 5 individual Gray Whales, including #21 Shackleton and #22 Earhart in Saratoga Passage as well as #49 Patch, #53 Little Patch, and #383 near Hat/Gedney Island. I only managed to get photos of Earhart since our awesome passengers had lots of questions for me! -Justine Buckmaster
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Thu Apr 25 - Puget Sound - 18:34 - The whale is now close to Kingston, I'm still seeing it's back and the blowhole!
18:10 - I saw a blowhole a couple of times. Looks like a single gray whale heading SB. I'm at Point No Point. -Omar Machado
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Thu Apr 25 - Haro Strait - About 4pm I spotted a humpback whale just north of Sydney Island, Humpback Dalmation, towards Stuart Island in the Salish Sea. I have attached a few photos, the whale was doing some good 10-20 min dives, but not a ton of tail showing. -Thanks so much! Amanda Glasel
(ID dorsal match by Alisa LB based on Gary's image/ID below)
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The day started off with us finding a humpback whale BCY0169 - 2015 calf known as Dalmation" only 30 minutes from Cowichen Bay! This is a welcomed sight and this is one of the first humpbacks to be spotted in the Salish Sea after their winter in the breeding grounds ... (see photo by Capt Gary below). -Ocean EcoVentures WW

April 24
Wed Apr 24 - Puget Sound - 18:59 - Orcas. Looks like a kill. Too far on the west side to see whats going on but lots of birds.
18:45 - Orcas. Others seen now, same place, milling
18:36 - Viewing solo male orca headed southbound slowly, long down times. Others not seen yet. Mid channel due West of the South side of Three Tree Point. -Christina Van Wolbeck Fenerty
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19:14 - single orca SB approaching Robinson on Vashon. Looking from Burien but appears to be pretty close to shore
18:48 - Orcas. Still there milling. Taking long dives
18:34 - Seeing blowholes (at least 2 orcas) SB. Closer to Vashon (Right before it transitions to Maury). Viewing from south side of Three Tree. -Sandhya Ballal
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18:04 - Orca. They are SB just passed Dilworth closer to Vashon side than West Seattle/ Burien. -Lindsey Clark
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17:35 - from Lincoln Park, seeing at least 3-4 (one large male present) steady SB, west of mid-channel. -Brittany Noelle
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Here they are just off Restoration Pt, look left of the bouy. -Photo by Helen A Andrews, Apr 24, 2019
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16:48 - Maija from WSF called to report small pod of orcas, 6-8, just south of Restoration Point, Bainbridge heading south (keeping to main channel).
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14:22 - Okay ID's T65As and T99s.
13:23 - Orca. Apple Tree Cove, just made a kill (seal), then porpoised to catch up to rest of group. Heading south. Naturalist says it is not T65A's. We are not sure who it is yet. -Janine Harles
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Awesome day on the water! Started with gray whales near Gedney Island (#44, #49 and #383)...On the way home now, and Naturalist Justine sees a breach in the distance! We found killer whales by Kingston! T099's, on a kill, a quick celebration by the whales and then we went home! Whew!! So much fun!! All photos are zoomed and cropped for details! All whale watch guidelines were followed. -Janine Harles
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13:17 - Seeing breaches from Golden Gardens. North of Kingston tho close to Kitsap side. Boats gathering. Is that the clipper? -Alexander Simenstad
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12:57 - Tony Woelke, WSF, MV Spokanecalled to report pod of orcas, at least 3, incl. male, 1 mile directly off Kingston Ferry dock. (no direction stayed but presume still southbound or maybe stalled?)
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12:35 - back of camera images by Sara Frey look like T65As. -Alisa, Orca Network
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12:10 - Sara Frey called with a further report of approx. 5 orcas heading south a few hundred yards off Apple Tree Point, Kingston. Photos to come.
10:40 - at least one orca right off shore, Apple Tree Point, Kingston - traveling SB at a fast rate. Long down times. Members of the T65As off Apple Tree Point. -Sara Frey
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Wed Apr 24 - California - (Sharing this because they showed up in the Salish Sea on the 29th!)...We started off traveling pretty far to the north close to Santa Cruz, CA to catch up to some Rare transient Orcas that have possibly never been sighted here they frequent the waters of Alaska/British Columbia and the male and matriarch are over 40 years old! T165(female) T166(male)... -Slater Moore Photography Instagram
(Thanks to Lissa Bros Anderson for sharing Slater's IG images and report with us)
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Wed Apr 24 - Burrows Bay - 13:37 - One gray whale in Burrows Bay, Rosario Strait west of Fidalgo Island, between Edith Point and Alexander Beach. Very close to shore. -Curt Huber
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Wed Apr 24 - E Juan de Fuca - 14:30 - Good afternoon. My wife just got home and said she saw at least two whales (not orcas, but not sure if greys) off of Moran Beach on Whidbey at around 2:30PM. She said they were heading north toward Deception Pass and close to the beach. -John Dooley
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Last Wednesday 4/24 between 4:30-7:30pm there were two whales (initially reported as orcas), one appearing to be bigger than the other wwimming north/south, up and down off Moran Beach (West Whidbey). (video reviewed showed grays -alb) -Stephanie Salem
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Wed Apr 24 - N Saratoga Passage - One of one of the two grays feeding off Oak Harbor Sea plane base. -Photo by Christine Sweger Miller, Apr 24, 2019
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17:27 - Gray is heading into Crescent Harbor. -Terra Parham
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11:30 - grey whale mid channel (Saratoga Passage) between Rocky Point and Oak Harbor. Headed north. -Nancy Fryhling Sinnett
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Wed Apr 24 - Penn Cove - 10:45 - While in Coupeville we ran into Sherie Wells who reported seeing gray whale on her way to work this morning outside her place near 8th and Golden, Coupeville around 10:45. Whale surfaced and went on her/his way.... she believes heading out of Penn Cove.
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1025 - Gray whale still by mussel rafts - Penn Cove. I do not have my camera with me, so I'm running home quick to get it and hopefully whale will still be around when I get back! -Rachel Haight
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09:26 - Lone gray in Penn Cove now by the Mussel dock on the north side. -Morgan Merkel
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Wed Apr 24 - C/S Saratoga Passage - 19:15 - Hi, We are sitting here at Los Rojos in Langley 7:15 , April 24 and a gray whale just swam by traveling east and looking like he is feeding in the shallow water in front of Langley. -Veronica von Allworden, Langley
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09:55 - Gray whale: nearing Mabana Shores southbound viewing from Fox Spit area (Whidbey side) looks like just one gray...not feeding just traveling.
9:35 - gray whale, possibly two, on Camano side between Mabana and Elger Bay. No direction but surface activity...Marilyn Armbruster
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Wed Apr 24 - Port Susan - 19:41 - 2 gray whales rolling & frolicking in Port Susan Bay, Camano Island mid island siting during dinner a few minutes ago. We moved here last July & this is my first sighting!!! I am so excited to have witnessed this incredible event. -Cathy Early
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Wed Apr 24 - Possession Sound - 3:00 One gray, possibly #44 Dubknuck, east of Hat isl, mid channel on the move south. -Lori Christopher
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10:54 - 2 Grays (closest to the Whidbey side) b/w Whidbey and Hat island headed towards Langley now. -Giana Hystad Davidson
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4/24/2019 Today was definitely a lucky day! The weather and water conditions were beautiful and we encountered three Gray Whales cruising close the the southern shore of Hat/Gedney Island. All three of the whales fluked and we identified them as #49 Patch, #383, and #44 Dubknuck...Justine Buckmaster
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Awesome day on the water! Started with gray whales near Gedney Island (#44, #49 and #383)...On the way home now, and Naturalist Justine sees a breach in the distance! We found killer whales by Kingston! T065A's and T099's, on a kill, a quick celebration by the whales and then we went home! Whew!! So much fun!! -Janine Harles

April 23
Tue Apr 23 - Strait of Georgia - I sighted two bulls, four females and one juvenile in south Strait of Georgia this afternoon at 2:30. The group was traveling and diving and tail lobbing. -Photos by Chris Fairbanks, Apr 23, 2019
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Tue Apr 23 - Saratoga Passage - 12:50 - Two grays whales out there there mid channel out from Langley...still there drifting south.
12:30 - seeing blows of a gray whale mid channel out from Langley. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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I was alerted by friend 10:30 am who saw 2 grays feeding between Fox Spit and Bells Beach, too far to photo for IDs. They traveled towards Bells Beach and then headed out toward mid channel trending southeast I'd say around 11am. Folks in Langley and across at Camano keep an eye out. -Marilyn Armbruster
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2 grays were in Elger Bay this morning...Tami Fifiled
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Tue Apr 23 - Possession Sound - Noon - watching whale (s) blow off S end of Hat/Gedney Island, both in SW side and SE side while departing/ crossing Mukilteo to Clinton aboard MV Suquamish. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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Tue Apr 23 - Puget Sound - Was having dinner with friends in Suquamish on the patio of Sully's and observed a Gray swimming east to west between Suquamish and Bainbridge Island....Unfortunately I'm no expert and not for certain that it was. But, others also observing felt it was (a gray vs humpback). -Walt Philemonof

April 22
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES - Mon Apr 22 - 18:00 - Orcas spotted off Point Hudson - My family and I spotted a pod with at least one male and a baby off Point Hudson heading North. I think there were 5. It looked like there were 3 swimming together and a mother and calf a little behind them. -Thanks, Sara Bailly
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16:17 - Orcas, mid channel between North Beach and west San Juan Island. Female headed west, male headed east (for that moment). Very calm seas....directionally, it's more like between PT and Victoria. Before I could get the binocs to my eyes, I could see that it was too large. So, just those two fins, male and female, very close together, moving in opposite directions. Curious, lots of seal activity noticeable since then (they would have caught my eye, too) just off shore. I've been concerned that there's been relatively scant sight of them these last years, compared to when we moved here in '05. Is it mating season on Protection Island? - Hope the hydrophones caught the orcas. -Annette Huenke
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GRAY WHALES - Mon Apr 22 - Juan de Fuca - Good morning! I wanted to report a sighting of what I believe was two grey whales off the coast of NAS Whidbey Island this morning! I was driving in the northern gate at about 7:45am and happened to see the blowhole mist not too far off the shore, approximate lat/long 4822N 12240W. I pulled over and was able to grab my binoculars and watch what I think was two whales slowly traveling south and blowing every 30-45 seconds. They stayed really low in the water and I never saw a fluke or the heads, but I could see the backs, which were dark colored and bumpy with white spots that I assume were barnacles. I watched for about 15 minutes and then came back out at around 8:20am to a location slightly further south and were able to find them and watch them again for another 15 minutes, approximate location 4820N 12241W. We are assessing that they were 400-700 yards off shore. They seemed to be moving slightly further off shore and continuing south. I hope this is helpful! -Stephanie Garza
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Mon Apr 22 - Possession Sound - 15:00 - seeing the gray east of the SE side of Hat Island, between the Island and whale watch boat.
10:35 - Just sighted a gray whale east of Hat Island, on the edge of the Snohomish Delta. Seen from Clinton/Mukilteo ferry. -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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UNCONFIRMED WHALES - Mon Apr 22 - 14:30 - Seeing blows just north of Edmonds dive park 230 (gray or yes could be, I've heard reports of one (humpback) between Edmonds and Kingston). -Christopher Hanke
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UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES - Tue Apr 22 - Sorry this isn't timely. Last night (22nd) we saw approximately eight orcas near the Point Hudson buoy between 5:30 and 6:15 pm. Heading North. It looked as if they were feeding, as the circled around several times. -Pinky Mingo
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Mon Apr 22 - E Juan de Fuca - 10:24 - We are watching a baleen whale off of Moran Beach toward Smith Island. It is slowing going south. We will send updates if we can identify the type or change of direction. -Laura Bernards Fridinger
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My friend Laura Fridinger reported a gray whale located near Moran Beach on 4/22. Here are the photos I took. I apologize for the quality but it was a nasty, rainy day which exacerbates the graininess...Photos by Casie McClellan, Apr 22, 2019

April 21
SOUTHERN RESIDENTS - Sun Apr 21 - ...near Matia Island, Dave grabbed his gear, headed to Snug Harbor, and left in the boat around 1205. "Orcinus" arrived on scene near the west end of Patos Island at 1300 with the bulk of J pod in the lead group and the J16s about a half mile to the southwest of them. -Full report & images at Center for Whale Research Encounter 27
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Sun Apr 21 - Members of J pod (including honorary Jpod member, L87) surface together demonstrating the incredibly close social bonds that tie these whales together. -Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Maya's Legacy, Apr 21, 2019
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13:00 - Saw members of J Pod south of Patos Island @ 1PM. -Photo by Dante Aubert, Apr 21, 2019
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11:32 - KW between Matia and Sucia NW bound slow travel. Prince of whales came all ''tis way. 11:30 happy Easter! -Bethany Ryals
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10:15 - Js picked up between Barnes and Clark and Matia going north.
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Date spotted: 4/21/19 @ 7:48 am
Number of Orca: 8 (that we could see)
Area spotted: Sea Acres Orcas Island (just south of Point Lawrence)
The whales were heading north and put on a nice show of "spouting." -Jim Durand
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...Then Sunday morning, April 21st - seemingly the same group with male and baby included at about 7:30 am were traveling very close to the shore...They were heading north along the shoreline of Orcas. We are between Doe Bay and Sea Acres...Could easily toss a stone distance...Lots of wonderful sounds of breathing as they went by. Just love that sound. So, they were traveling north very quickly along the Orcas shoreline which looks out on the Pea Pods. Could you please tell us who you think they were? I would love to think they were some of the SRKW....especially with that youngster. Thank you for all the work you are doing!!! -Ann Jones
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT KILLER WHALES - Sun Apr 21 - 17:37 - KWs in front of the Anacortes->FH ferry at this location (pin drop indicates approx: 48°32'50.1"N 122°55'55.7"W - 2nd hand from parents aboard ferry; no direction given). -Kailey Genther
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Sun Apr 21 - San Juan Channel -As "Orcinus" was heading home from the J pod encounter and nearing Roche Harbor and the fuel dock, word came over the radio that "Sea Lion" found a group of transients in San Juan Channel. That wasn't very far away so Dave turned around and headed back out. "Orcinus" arrived on scene around 1515 about halfway between O'Neal Island and Pt. Caution. The T65As were heading southeast down San Juan Channel... Full report & images at Center for Whale Research Encounter 28.
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T65A4 nuzzling up to T65A as they passed Pt. Caution this evening...They cruised into the harbor then ducked out right on shore of brown still south bound. -Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Apr 21, 2019
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16:30 - T65As southbound outside Friday Harbor. -Monika Wieland Shields, OBI
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15:15 - Saw the T65As in San Juan Channel against the coast of San Juan Island. -Photo by Dante Aubert, Apr 21, 2019
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Sun Apr 21 - Juan de Fuca - 12:32 - Still seeing it same area.... Pretty sure I saw a second one south of this one
10:46 - Seeing whale spout from Joseph Whidbey over towards Rocky point. No idea what kind. -Jamie Bartram-Cypher
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Sun Apr 21 - Penn Cove - 19:16 - Gray (reported as orca) heading north out of Penn Cove....I was told there were orcas but when I got there it was a gray. One gray over by Monroe Landing. -Teri Caporgno
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11:09 - one whale off Coupeville wharf, I think the other two headed out but not sure.
10:45 - one appears to be headed towards coupeville wharf from the East
09:50 - gray, at least one right off Monroe landing.
09:35 - they are out in the middle in front of the eastern most mussel rafts.
09:15 - 2 grays starting to travel east together
09:00 - the pair (of grays) are deep in the cove in the middle. Long deep dives.
08:02 - Two grays are right together traveling west into the cove. Third gray is hanging off Monroe Landing.
07:46 - All 3 (grays) right off Monroe landing feeding
(Notes: Yes 356 and 185 we're together and 2249 solo. Hard to keep the three of them separate going thru my pictures!) -Rachel Haight
(IDs by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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07:35 - Gray whale. Moving towards Oak Harbor side of Penn Cove.
07:31 - Gray whale. Indeed near the wharf in Coupeville...Appears to be headed out of Penn Cove now. -Eileen Burdick
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06:59 - Grays. (still there) Right off beach at Monroe Landing. And another near the wharf.
06:34 - Whales in Penn Cove. One near the east end and one closer to the wharf. I believe grays. -CeCe Celia Aguda
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Sun Apr 21 - Saratoga Passage - 16:10 - Seeing a single grey whale head south through Saratoga Passage, just now reaching Lowell Point. -Janett Wingett
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16:05-16:10 - Gray whale sighting from Camano State Park. Whale was heading southbound (video showed fluke on a dive). -Jay Cobb
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15:01 - gray whale out from Hidden Beach heading towards Camano Island, Cama Beach area. -Rachel Haight
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Sun Apr 21 - ~Noon - Single Gray, just north of Hat Island about noon. -Shelia Guard
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8:54 am - single gray whale at Port Gardner, right as you exit Everett Marina! He came up right behind us. -Photo by Sarah Hartwell, Apr 21, 2019
(ID'd as NPS gray 44 by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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Sun Apr 21 - Penn Cove - this whale fed off Monroe Landing Easter evening, one that was there from the morning I believe? -Photo by Rachel Haight, Apr 21, 2019
(ID as PCFG CRC 185 by Alisa LB, ON)
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Sun Apr 21 - Hi Cindy & Alisa, Below are some photos of the Gray Whale that was swimming north and south past Larrabee State Park. Joe belong to a birding page that I'm also part of, and I saw him post a brief description of "special guests" along with some regular bird photos. I explained that the Grays are having a rough year and asked for any photos and continued monitoring of the situation. He treks from Bellingham to Semiahmoo Spit/Blaine, so I know he'll be on the lookout when near the water. Hope this helps with sightings, possible ID, etc. -Amanda Colbert

April 20
Sat Apr 20 - Rosario Strait - ~18:30 - about 6:30 pm a group of orca was going south in Rosario Strait. We are viewing from Orcas shoreline looking out on the Pea Pod rocks and North Pea Pod. There were approximately 5 orcas...one male and one baby in the group. They were traveling South close to and on the west side of Pea Pod rocks. -Ann Jones
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~ 17:30 - we came across these beauties today in the Rosario Strait...Between Lummi and Orcas. We were headed eastbound, right off Lawrence Point, they headed west. Are these not T123s? -Aine Morris (IDs confirmed by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat Apr 20 - ...After coming out from Deception pass, sharp eyed captain Scott spotted another whale for us. This time it was a humpback whale in Rosario Strait and we landed some really great looks. It turned out to be "Apollo", daughter of BCY0172!!! She had been sighted in Hawaii in 2018 so it was really crazy to see how far she has come. After many great views of Apollo we had to wave goodbye. Our search continued around Cyprus Island and returned to Anacortes having completed an amazing journey!!! "Another humpback has returned to the Salish Sea for the season! "Apollo", the 2010 calf of BCY0172 "Horizon", was spotted heading north in Rosario Strait on Saturday, April 20th. Last year Apollo welcomed a calf of her own, a male nicknamed "Nova" - three generations! Apollo tends to spend time a bit more to the north and may just be passing through, but a great sighting nonetheless!" -Tyson - Full report & images at Island Adventures Blog Apr 20.
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Sat Apr 20 - Bellingham/Samish Bay - Larrabee SP - ~17:00 - Enjoying the beautiful day at Clayton beach when we noticed a spray of water, then the roll of a surfacing back then a glimpse of a whale tale, it was small. It seem the size of an orca but I believe it was alone. We watched for about 10 minutes. We would see the spray and the surface and then it would be gone for a few minutes. It headed north towards bellingham Bay. Very close to shore but not close enough for me to see marking and confirm it was an orca. Just going by size and tail. (48.6425680, -122.4896692) Around 5pm 4/20/19. -Danielle Morgan
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The whale was back/resighted at 3PM today - Gray whale just outside Wildcat Cove, which is the boat launch area on the north end of Larrabee SP. It was about 200 yards out from my vanatage point at a private residence above the cove. -Joe Meche
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14:46 - Grey whale feeding off Larrabee State Park! -Vanessa Morse
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...All I had was my phone. I got two videos, one that I hoped showed the knuckles - might be able to pull a still from that. The same whale was there Friday. I think it was a younger animal, it seemed small...He or she looked short, if that's a term that can describe a whale. It's why I thought it might be a HB until I watched it awhile and saw it up close and saw the heart shaped blows multiple times. Watched it for ~ 3 hours as it cruised up and down, feeding with about 2-3 minute dives. -Andrea Vance
13:43 - Approx location Clayton Beach.
13:18 - Gray whale sighted in Wildcat cove at Larrabee right now. Headed south. -Andrea Vance
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Sat Apr 20 - Juan de Fuca Strait - Hello, I was told you folks are interested in Non-Puget Sound Gray Whales! I know you've already probably seen a few photos of this individual that was seen North of Freshwater Bay on the afternoon of April 20th, but thought I'd share these anyways. Let me know if you need anymore information, and I'll be sure to send any other photos your way in the future. -Karac Lindsay, Naturalist, Eagle Wing WW
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You guys wanted ID-shots of greys. This is the one from JDF strait today...seen at 12.1 28.0 heading west 2kts. one breath then down for 4-5 minutes just below the surface traveling. typical grey whale north of Port Angeles.... -Cheers, Marcus Bergstrom
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Sat Apr 20 - E Juan de Fuca - West Whidbey - 18:03 - Deception Pass, Grey whale right now, close to shore by Cranberry Lake...in the end we counted 3 greys, they took their time getting down to the star and that's where it looked like they started to feed.....I know there were other people on the beach with really nice cameras and long lenses but I don't know if they're on here. There was a definite third trailing just behind these two. Map image courtesy of Sofia Cardozo, Apr 20, 2019
(reviewed short video, blows of 2 whales present - alb)
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Sat Apr 20 - N Saratoga Passage - From 17:40- 19:30 We saw four gray whales including a small one...right off seaplane base. (Crescent Harbor) -Photo by Shaune'e Woodward, Apr 20, 2019
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...Just outside of Crescent Harbor Captain Scott found our first whale of the day. It was gray whale 56 and he was being his usual self with longer dives than most of our Sounders. After a few surfacings from him we headed into Crescent harbor and picked up three more gray whales. The first is a whale brand new to this area, not one of our "Sounder" population, and has been given the number CRC-2249. After some close passes we headed further in to the bay to check out a couple other whales. These two were identified as 723 "Lucy" and CRC-185 and they were feeding like crazy. Pec fins and tail flukes were going mad churning up white water all around as these two giants fed heavy in the shallows...Full report and photos at Island Adventures Blog Post April 20.
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Sat Apr 20 - C/S Saratoga Passage - I spent two hours last night (Apr 20) watching a gray whale feed right off of Inn at Langley, then crusing up to Seawall Park, close to shore!! Pure coincendence that I was having dinner at Prima. Apparently it was there for an hour or so before we got there. We watched until dark! -Christy Korrow
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Beautiful evening spent with locals and tourists alike watching this gray whale just off shore in Langley. Golden hour magic at its best! -Photo by Dori Dace, Apr 20, 2019. -(see Dori's beautiful FB video HERE )
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~19:00 - gray whale feeding very close to shore in front of the Doghouse, downtwon Langley, Whidbey Island. -Photo by Dave Bennett, Apr 20, 2019
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10:01 - Have a large baleeen whale visible from Camo Island State Park. Mid channel visible from beach near boat landing. -The Whale Watcher
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9:30 am - 2 grays out at about mid channel between Baby Island and Fox Spit seen first by Sue Wicklund trending south....Marilyn Armbruster
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Sat Apr 20 - Possession Sound - 08:16 - ...There now appear to be two whales and they are continually bobbing head first out of the water. I am also noticing fins breaching the water and there is active bird activity....
06:54 - There appears to be a grey whale off of Jetty Island (Everett). In between the island and the barges holding all the sawdust. The whale is bobbing head up out of the water. -Sandra Volkert-Honeycutt
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COASTAL GRAY WHALES - Sat Apr 20 - Coastal - 18:37 - We are visiting La Push from our home in Puget Sound, and have been delighted today to see a pod of whales feeding right off of First Beach in front of the Quileute Oceanside Resort today, starting about 4 pm and still going strong. Of course, we neglected to bring our binoculars. They definitely are not orcas, and we have not seen any dorsal fins at all. So our guess is gray whales. We estimate at least 5, possibly as many as 8. So many blows, and occasional spy hopping. Sadly, this is the best photo I could catch. It has been a true delight to watch them! I would estimate, based on some relatively small "blows" scattered among them, that there are some juveniles. -Tari Poe Norris
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On Saturday (April 20th) we encountered a large Gray Whale with a sunken head/back near the PA marker and in Freshwater Bay. -Photos by Andrew Lees, Apr 20, 2019
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On our way home from the adult Gray in the afternoon we found a very small Gray Whale south of Albert Head aiming south. Unk#2. -Photos by Andrew Lees, Apr 20, 2019

April 19
Fri Apr 19 - Saratoga Passage - ...gray whale, was having a whale of a good time yesterday afternoon in front of the Inn, Langley...I was there 5:30 to 6:30 on Fri, 4/19. -Neylân Gürel
(Beautiful video shared by Neylân of gray whale #531 feeding off Langley waterfront, see frame grabs below -alb)
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19:25 - Saw blows from Grays mid channel Saratoga from Fox Spit. -Jim Lovvorn
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18:56 - The tide is high, and I'm watching at least one gray whale feeding right in front of the Inn at Langley. Durand Dace
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18:40 - observing gray whale blows that appear to be in Race lagoon area, Whidbey. I'm observing from Camano side. Whale is southbound. -Krista Paulino
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Fri Apr 19 - Possession Sound - Everett PM - The rain began to ease up a bit in the afternoon. Just 20 minutes into the tour, we spotted a pair of whales. It was our old friend #383 and a new arrival, #356! This is the first time this year that #356 has been sighted - exciting! These whales gave us very close pass showing off their large tail flukes. We saw another whale far up into the delta feeding - too shallow for us to visit. On the way home, much to our surprise, there was a gray whale feeding right in front of our dock off Jetty Island! What a fun day! -Erin and Renee, Island Adventures
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Everett AM - It wasn't long into our tour that we spotted our first whale. This whale was feeding in the shallows and not being very photogenic but we were able to snap enough of a shot to confirm this whale as #2246. We continued on to find a pair of whales swimming very close to each other. As we watched, we ID'ed one as #49 "Patch" and the other as one of our favorites, #383. #383 decided to do some people-watching and spyhopped repeatedly as he checked us out. As we headed back, we spotted two more spouts, one belonged to #383 and the other belonged to #22, "Earhart", one of the few females in the Puget Sound gray whale population. -Erin and Renee - See Reports & images at Island Adventures Blog Post April 19.
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Fri Apr 19 - Bellingham/Samish Bay - Also on 4/19 I sighted a gray whale off Larrabee State Park at Whiskey Rock. This whale was feeding. Gray whales come to Clayton Beach at Larrabee Park regularly in the spring. -Chris Fairbanks

April 18
Thu Apr 18 - T123D peeking up beside mom today, T123, in the choppy waters of the Strait of Georgia. Let the Biggs baby boom continue! -Photo by Gary Sutton, Apr 18, 2019
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Thu Apr 18 - Penn Cove - 17:15 - Watching a whale spout in Penn Cove from Front Street Grill headed North at 5:15 pm. -Holly Ihrig
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Thu Apr 18 - Saratoga Passage - 18:51 - 2 grays here at Hidden Beach. -Nancy Culp Zaretzke
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Thu Apr 18 - Possession Sound - Today #531 in Saratoga and #22, 49 and #383 were hanging around SE Gedney. 383 briefly scared the heck out of us when he surfaced right under our bow! -Renee Beitzel

April 17
Wed Apr 17 - Admiralty to Hood Canal - 19:15 - I was looking out my window and saw an orca breach! I would not have believed it but then saw a tail pop up! (Red arrow is where it popped up). We headed down to the beach and saw 6-7 orca swimming near Hoods Head island, east side. Mostly traveling southerly but stopped for a while, apparently feeding. We last spotted them traveling past "Nessie" and toward the middle of the Hood Canal Bridge. We watched them for about 20 minutes. One had a Very Large dorsal fin with a notch. One seemed quite small. We spotted them from the East side of Hood Canal. -BryAnn Bingham
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19:07pm. - Orca pod in Hood Canal north of the Hood Canal bridge. There were at least 6. The very large male had a notched dorsal. They were relaxed and not traveling. -Jae Ly
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17:20 - Orca. Seeing several of them just south of the yellow buoy off Skunk Bay. Saw a few spouts then splashes close together, possibly on a kill? -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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17:15 - Orca. long down times. South of Mutiny Bay and just past entrance to Hood Canal more on Kitsap side still southbound. -Rachel Haight
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T63 Chainsaw! Admiralty Inlet off Bush Point.
16:40 - the orcas are off north end of Mutiny Bay, Whidbey still heading southbound. (Marilyn Armbruster sent back of camera photo: T63 Chainsaw is here! She also sent one that looks like T65A2)
16:23 - T63 Chainsaw, with another male, off Bush Pt. lighthouse, close to the Whidbey side, heading south.
16:20 - At least 4 males. One group coming, closer to Bush lighthouse. First group passed by. At least 2 orcas still north of Bush Point lighthouse even closer in towards Whidbey. T65A2, Companion to T63 heading south past Bush Pt. lighthouse. -Photos by Marilyn Armbruster, Apr 17, 2019
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Three Steller sea lions hiding in shallow water off Bush Pt., scanning for dorsals. -Photos by Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Apr 17, 2019
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16:00 - the orcas are about 1/2 mile north of the Bush Point boat launch, close to shore on the Whidbey side foraging/hunting, generally headed south. -Report from Michael Waitt
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15:35 - 2 males between Lagoon Point and Bush Point, southbound Whidbey side. No camera. suspect Ts...Jill Hein
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13:30 - 14:00 - A pod of orcas moved east from the straits (Juan de Fuca) into Admiralty Inlet between 1:30-2pm. Looked to be 10 or so individuals, two huge males traveling together, smaller males and a huge female not far away, then a smaller group nearby. The largest male had a big notch in his dorsal fin. One of the males came completely out of the water twice. They were tail slapping, occasionally milling for a short while - just having orca fun. Spent most of their time below the surface as they approached the light house at Point Wilson. -Annette Huenke, North Beach, Port Townsend
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Wed Apr 17 - Hood Canal - 10:57 - my husband said he was walking my dog out on Misery Point off the Hood Canal and a boat pulled up and said he had seen Orca in the Hood Canal....Karen Wagoner
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Wed Apr 17 - N Saratoga Passage - 4:00 pm - One Gray whale heading south towards Onomac, close to Camano Island; seen from my deck at Eagle Crest. Too far for photos, sorry .... it showed its fluke as it went down. -Kristina Trowbridge
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Wed Apr 17 - C/S Saratoga Passage - ~17:00 - Viewed a single gray feeding in Elger Bay around 5 PM. -Dave Davenport
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11:15 - We saw gray whales #531 and #723 Lucy heading north into Elger Bay on the Camano side close to shore. From MV Saratoga. -Justine Buckmaster
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~08:30 - Hi Susan, Was enjoying my breakfast coffee about 8:30 AM and spotted 2 Grays feeding and moving south from Mabana. On the Camano side, but quite a ways out. Yesterday, about the same time, spotted one Gray in about the same place, and same time. - Barbara Brock
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Wed Apr 17 - Possession Sound - 11:45 - We also encountered #22 Earhart S of Gedney/Hat Island heading toward Everett. -Justine Buckmaster

April 16
Tue Apr 16 - Active Pass - An intriguing and special time with orcas around 7:30 pm on Tuesday, April 16th on the shore of Galiano Island on Active Pass. A couple of sea lions swam quickly through the pass from the east. Shortly after that, a group of 4 orca came through from the same direction. Identified as the T049a's by Rachelle Hayden. Definitely in moving in stealth mode. They went almost to the west end of the Pass and then turned around. Much more activity -- tail slaps, a cartwheel, a series of breaches by the male. Came close to the shore and had a good look for fish right in front of me. They continued east and went around Mary Ann Point just after 8 pm. T49A1 - Active Pass from the shores of Galiano Island. -Karoline Cullen
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Tue Apr 16 - Haro Strait - Bigg's Killer whale images from the Western Prince II taken today by Naturalist Katie! The T123's in Haro Strait. T123D is less than a year old calf and decided to have a bit of fun after a successful family hunt. -Photos by Katie Jones, Apr 16, 2019
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Out of the two eco-types of Killer Whales that we see regularly in the Salish Sea, mammal-feeding Bigg's Killer Whales are the lucky ones. Unlike the Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales, which feed primarily on declining runs of Chinook Salmon, Bigg's Killer Whales have an ample food supply, hunting Harbor Seals, porpoise, and Sea lions. Mammal-feeding Bigg's Killer whales are thriving in the Salish Sea. With about 300 individuals that can be seen in the area, we are encountering more and more family groups on a regular basis. In fact, we have seen mammal-feeding Killer Whales almost everyday since the beginning of March. It's been fascinating to see a boom of Bigg's Killer Whale calves being born and surviving. This highlights how critical the issue of food is in survival rates. Today was an incredible reminder of what is possible when the top ocean predator has ample food. The T123's are a group of 4 individuals. Mom and her 4 kiddos, the most recent, T123D, is under a year old. Today we saw the family hunt, and the wee little one got to expend some built up energy and practice belly flops. It was absolutely amazing! We lost track of just how many belly flops and breaches T123D did today. Luckily we have some video! Check it out! How many breaches/belly flops did you count? -Western Prince, Video by Traci Walter & Ivan Reiff, Apr 16, 2019
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Tue Apr 16 - Gorgeous underwater perspective of T49A1 about to break the surface in Active Pass - from the bluffs above on Galiano Island. -Photo by Karoline Cullen
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT KILLER WHALES - Tue Apr 16 - 13:52 - Video posted to twitter HERE of T101s off Stanley Park Seawall heading under Lions Gate Bridge. BC CTV News piece on T101s in Burrard Inlet, Vancouver BC. -Twitter user: bccan604
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Tue Apr 16 - 10:53 - T123s inbound near Victoria, T36As on a sea lion kill on the strait side of Active Pass. -Monika Wieland Shields
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GRAY WHALES - Tue Apr 16 - Penn Cove - ~09:00 - Penn Cove Boat Launch today. -Photos by Bill Fritsch, Apr 16, 2019
(All photos are 2019 newbie CRC2249)
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I finally got to ring the whale bell at the Coupeville Wharf today, as gray whale #2249 made a close pass by, heading east towards the boat launch. This whale (sex unknown) had been traveling back and forth in Penn Cove all morning, appeared to be stalled (feeding?) between the wharf and boat launch when I left, close to noon. Unfortunately, no fluke (tail) shots. (Zoomed and cropped.) -Jill Hein
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09:01 - One is still there, straight out from boat launch. -Holly Ihrig
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07:02 - Alert: 2 Gray whales in the Cove east of the Wharf. "Good" morning! Looks like slowly headed west. -Coupeville Historic Waterfront Assc.
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Tue Apr 16 - Possession Sound - 12:36 - #531 and #21 west of Mabana, Camano Island, 531 heading north and Shackelton heading southwest. -Janine Harles
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8:05 AM Tuesday. Grey whale northbound between Langley and Camano Island. Mid Channel. -Rob Harris
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~ 08:00 - Two, possibly three, grey whales off Sandy Point Beach this morning just before 8am, heading slowly up Saratoga Passage, towards Langley. Lots of spouting! We sit back from the bluff about 1/4 mile, so sometimes difficult to get a good look and count. -Jeff Rice
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07:09 - Spotted whale off of the north side of the Clinton to mukilteo 7am ferry. Unfortunately I didn't see any others with it so not sure what type. It breached the surface twice. It was headed towards Saratoga Passage. Seemed larger... So I'm wondering if it was a gray. -Kristen Wagner-Patterson
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UNCONFIRMED WHALES (humpback or gray) - Tue Apr 16 - 13:01 - Blows out from North Edmonds, possible gray. Looks like it's heading NW. -Janine Harles

April 15
Mon Apr 15 - I caught all 6 of the T65As going through Cattle Pass about 11:30 AM. -Photo by Dante Aubert, Apr 15, 2019
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Mon Apr 15 - T65a v3 - I spotted the T65As in Haro Strait and took some video. I thought I'd share it with you. -Video by Dante Aubert, Apr 15, 2019
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15:47 - They are off of land bank now, about a mile out, heading north. -Alissa Elderkin
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12:30 - Transients heading down San Juan Channel aiming for Cattle Pass. -Monika Wieland Shields
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UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES - Mon Apr 15 - ~08:00 - My boyfriend is working on the waterfront, one of his employees told him around 8 am he saw whales heading south past the bridge. He just called me and let me know. I'll head out and see if I can spot any between McNeil and fox island or by the fox island bridge. -Jami Cantrell
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Mon Apr 15 - E Juan de Fuca Strait - 2 gray whales about 200 yards off the coast of NAS Whidbey Island (west side). -Robert J Bruton
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Mon Apr 15 - Saratoga Passage - 17:30 -5:30 - Connie Barrett sees two gray whales heading north approaching Cama Beach on the Camano side.
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16:55 - viewing from Fox Spit 2 grays out 1/4 mid channel Camano side...Line of sight from Fox Spit, Oak Harbor water tower. To me they look off Cama Beach but probably more realistically west of Camano State Park trending northwesterly. Too far for ID photos. -Marilyn Armbruster
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16:30 - Solo gray headed north from Hidden Beach, was feeding at Hidden...Cris Sanguino
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16:15-16:40 - Karen Graham wrote to report she is watched a gray a little north of Hidden Beach feeding then he headed north. (Photos she provided show #44 Dubknuck!) -Photos by Karen Graham, Apr 15, 2019
(ID'd as 44 by ALB)
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15:53 - Mary Pacher is watching two grays feeding in the mudflats just north of Hidden Beach.
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15:30 - One, maybe two, grays off of Hidden Bch in Greenbank. Can't tell which direction it's going, just going around in circles. -Geana Lijek
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11:23 - #44 and #53 off Langley, northbound. -Renee Beitzel
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7:49 am - We have a single grey travelling north up Saratoga Passage, about 44 yards off Breezy Point! -Janett Wingett
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Mon Apr 15 - Port Susan - 13:28 - Gray Whale Port Susan off Tillicum Beach 200 yds heading south towards Tyee. -John C Storbeck

April 14
Sun Apr 14 - N Saratoga/Oak Harbor - STEAMBOATS A COMIN- SPOUTING NEWS" - Today, marked the 14th day in a roll/on a roll of multiple grays between Strawberry & Polnell Pts. on Whidbey side with Mariners' Cove right smack in the middle and Brown & Rocky Pts. on Camano side with Utsalady Bay in the middle. (Skagit Bay/Most Northern Saratoga Passage) area. Highlights, on Friday evening while kayaking were up to 5 grays on a brief meetup/encounter? and/or feeding session in deeper water off Camp Grande' Rocky Pt. Certainly, not on ghost shrimp. Usual suspects have been a trio with 2 together and 1 outlier. Although, one sunset, all 3 were feeding close together at Polnell Pt.
Today, a single whale fed for an hour close in off Mariners' Cove Stoney Beach around 6:15AM. Swirling, pausing to let off some steam with spouts 75' from shore. Coming back later, not sure if same one; for another hour until noon. A Whale Touring Boat was waved down to capture some time with single gray out further mid channel. This has been a special spring for gray whales. Evidently, dining at the above area restaurants is pretty good in these waters this year. -Robert Stonefelt, Oak Harbor
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Sun Apr 14 - N Saratoga - 09:17 - Grey whale mid channel Saratoga Passage at Harrington Lagoon right now. Looks to be slowly northbound. -Peder Sunde
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Sun Apr 14 - C/S Saratoga - 18:40 - Karen Graham called and reports they are watching a gray whale directly out from Portico restaurant (Langley, Whidbey waterfront). We just saw him briefly, about 100 yards off shore at the most. No photos.
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Today we went out on the Red Head (Puget Sound Express) today with the Susan, Howard, Cindy, Bonnie and the gang. It started off pouring, then in typical Sound fashion, we had a break in the weather and had a nice time with 531 and 383. Lots of fluking, rolls, and feeding. Another amazing day! -David and Meliss Haeckel
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15:50 - Grays now rolling in close to shore to feed with fluke and pectoral fin out of the water.
15:40 - We're with #531 and #383 off Camano across from Langley and about a mile north. They're traveling north fast with a couple of high flukes. Seen on the Orca Network benefit cruise aboard the Redhead.
On Sunday's Orca Network benefit whale watch aboard the Puget Sound Express from Langley we saw gray whales #383 and #531 (pictured) along the shores of Camano and Bell's Beach on Whidbey Island, within 2-3 miles from Langley. They traveled fast to the north, then began feeding close to shore as we watched from a few hundred yards out. -Photos by Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Apr 14, 2019
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~14:00 - I saw a gray traveling mid channel south of Baby Island and Camano State Park. I just couldn't tell what direction. then the rain hit, and visibility pretty limited. there may have been one feeding below the banks across the street from me.
13:35 - I can hear the gray whale but cannot see her/him. -Marilyn Armbruster
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13:37 - It looks like we have 2 grays now 531 and 383 getting closer and closer to Mabana Beach on Camano Island
13:15 - Gray whale 531 swimming east toward Camano Island mid channel from Bells Beach on Whidbey Island. Seen from the Redhead. -Bart Rulon
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~ 13:00 - One gray whale off of Bells Beach heading towards Langley (southbound). -Rick Lessley
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Sun Apri 14 - Port Susan - Fluke tip of 44 Dubknuck - 22 Earhart (photo), 21 Shackleton, plus one were here at Kayak Point again. -Photos by Gary Lingfelter, Apr 14, 2019
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Sun Apr 14 - Possession Bar - At 11:07 - Renee Beitzel reports Gray #53 Little Patch feeding off Possession Point, S Whidbey.

April 13
Sat Apr 13 - 15:27 - 4 or five orcas heading south from Ayock point on Hood Canal a couple hours ago (~13:00). Do you know if they are Biggs? Mitch Bogrand
(we had no other reports - alb)
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Sat Apr 13 - Penn Cove - 12:28 - Seeing what looks like 2 gray whales deep in Penn Cove...they were all the way at the end (past the mussel docks). Not really traveling, broadside to the road just feeding. -Heide Gibson
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11:20 - Just saw 1 gray blowing and surfacing about 300 yards off the Penn Cove Shellfish dock at San De Fuca. Heading towards the end of the cove. Couldn't get a good picture with my phone. Too many white caps today. -Seaneen Hummel-Karldy
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Sat Apr 13 - N Saratoga Passage - 08:43 - Grey whale spotted at Harrington Lagoon, now headed toward the buoy at Long Point. -Peder Sunde
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Sat Apr 13 - C/S Saratoga Passage - 08:54 - Tami Fifeld reports seeing 1 gray whale feeding in Elger Bay and 3 grays feeding there yesterday.
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Sat Apr 13 - Possession Sound - 08:41 - I'm seeing gray whales blowing on the southeast side of Hat/Gedney Island from excellent front row view aboard the MV Tokitae heading west. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

April 12
Fri Apr 12 - Anacortes: Shortly after leaving the dock we got a report from a someone that had been on the ferry three hours earlier that saw a male orca traveling near Anacortes. With no other information and a lead that was already hours old, we knew we'd have our work cut out for us, but Captain Scott went with his gut and made a turn to the north in Rosario Strait. Lucky for us, his hunch was correct, because shortly after stopping near Peapod Rocks to view some harbor seals, we spotted the whale! This lone male turned out to be T77A, an adult born in 1996. We traveled west past Sinclair Island toward the south end of Lummi and surprised us with at least one nice close pass as he checked us out! We got a lot of quality time with him as the only boat on scene! We decided to do some exploring and headed up toward Sandy Point in search of other wildlife. We found some juvenile bald eagles, surf scoters, and a turkey vulture, then it was time to travel back to the south, completing a circumnavigation of Lummi Island. Our whale, T77A, was was still in the area, so we got to spend a few more moments with him before heading back to Anacortes. -- Erin, Island Adventures April 12 Encounter Report
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Fri Apr 12 - S Georgia Strait - 18:30-20:00 - I saw what appeared to be a lone gray whale off the beach just north of Intalco pier at Cherry Point, north of Bellingham...It looked to be feeding, taking a few pretty short breathes and then 7-10 minute dives. I'd never seen one from shore up there. -Bea Acland
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Fri Apr 12 - N Saratoga Passage - 11:50 - 12:05 Snatelum Point (or Snakelum). We saw from the water looking inland 1 Grey Whale surfacing (breathes and back) just off Snatelum Point, heading south. Saw the tail then she dove for for several minutes before resurfacing. Awesome! -Robyn Myers
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Fri Apr 12 - C/S Saratoga Passage - 09:07- 3 grays this morning headed from Mabana to Irenella (northbound). -Lucinda Brezak
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Fri Apr 12 - Possession Sound - Hey Lori, awesome video! We did get some ID's. That was 21, 22, 383, and we think 185 as well, but we were never able to confirm the 4th. 44, 723, and 49, and 53 were on the southeast side on our way out as well. So much action out there this afternoon! -Tyler McKeen
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Lots of Friday afternoon fun at the NW corner of Hat Island. IE4 was on scene, hoping they got good IDs for these pals! (See IDs above by Tyler and this stunning Facebook VIDEO by Lori). -Lori Christopher
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12:50 - Gray whales 49 Patch and 723 Lucyfer are on the east side of Hat Island. Patch spyhopped!! Seen from the Redhead, Puget Sound Express. -Bart Rulon
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11:20 - Gray whale #44 Dubknuck feeding in flats just off Everett. ...and another whale feeding on Delta that we didn't get close enough to ID as well as #2246 feeding near marker on Delta too. -Renee Beitzel

April 11
Thu Apr 11 - San Juans - 13:55 - Saw a Pod as we were leaving Friday Harbor on the 1:55. Heading NW. Maybe 6-8 total. -Laura Sand
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12:15 - Transients are heading up San Juan Channel. -Monika Wieland Shields
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10:50- Orcas passed Eagle Cove... close to shore. -Erin Corra
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09:20 - Hi Alisa! (Observed and photographed from shore) Haro Strait SJI, S/SE of Edwards Pt. All bunched up and moving fast, I observed 4-5 orca (one large male) traveling to the S/SE. As they hurried past one took time to perform a rolling maneuver that I hope was prey related. Matriarch T90 (born 1980) T90B (born 2006), T90C (born 2010) and mom T90. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
(IDs by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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Thu Apr 11 - 14:56 - At least one male has rounded Point No Point and is headed up Admiralty toward Mutiny Bay. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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Sara Frey is seeing them from Kingston. There are three to four, including a Big male, female maybe 2 younger? Bit of feeding activity but down now. As of 13:30 they are Kitsap side and approaching Eglon. Here are pics for hopeful ID's. They were close to the Kitsap side, not midchannel. They were about at the edge of the shipping lane. Trending north at a leisurely pace, occasional feeding activity. -Sara Frey (3 images sent to Melisa Pinnow, CWR: "Maybe T101A and T49A2?")
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I am so excited!!! I've lived here all my life and I've never seen orcas!! There are orcas right now on the Kingston Beach! I might have cried. -Rachel Mundell
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Thu Apr 11 - C/S Saratoga Passage - While in class today with SWS (Sound Water Stewards) at Cama Beach, we unexpectedly found Gray whales feeding along the beach. I didn't have my DSLR along, so this is all I could get. -Kristina Trowbridge
(curled fluke tips resemble CRC 185 - alb)
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Thu Apr 11 - Possession Sound - We spent the majority of our trip today with gray whale #531, who was feeding along and CLOSE to the shores of Gedney Island. Even as close as looks, she was still in about 100 feet of water! Later on, we got a few glimpses of #53 LP, who surprised us with a spyhop!! To be fair, #531 did it once too, but I was not fast enough to get a photo...#49 Patch was out there too but he was further off and being antisocial. -Renee Beitzel
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Thu Apr 11 - I saw what I believe to be a humpback whale from my back deck this morning on West Beach in Oak Harbor, Washington....I saw it initially out of the corner of my eye diving down. I watched for ten to fifteen minutes after that and was able to see the blowhole a couple of times but then had to get back to work. I will be sure to let you know if I see it again or if I'm able to view more of it's activity. -Linda Votaw
(Attached video - too distant to confirm humpback or gray, but gray more likely based on beahvior, proximity to shore, and previous sightings in the area - alb)
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Thu Apr 11 - Elliott Bay - ~ 13:30 - Delayed report of a humpback between Coleman Dock and Ivar's on the Seattle Waterfront...not confident (re: species) - only one sighting. Thought I saw a dorsal fin as it dove, but didn't see it again to verify. -Dave Glenn

April 10
Wed Apr 10 - It was about 1:30/2 pm and were around until 2:45 in front of Orcas Island in the Presidents Channel between Waldron Island and Orcas, they started closest to Orcas Island and swam over to Waldron. They had clearly been hunting/eating. (T123s - see photos) -Ashely Turner
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The T123s a family of four: T123; her son T123A; daughter T123C; and a newer calf T123D first seen in October 2018 (~ 6-months-old now). -Photos by Ashley Turner, Apr 10, 2019
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Wed Apr 10 - 1 or 2 male orcas NB at the north end of Colvos at 7:30 PM April 10...Very certain on species and sex. Less on number - saw two fins in rapid succession, but not at the surface simultaneously, so it may have been just a single animal. About 50 m from shore. -Shannon Kachel
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Wed Apr 10 - Alki - ~ 08:20 - Fairly certain I saw a lone baleen whale off Alki Beach...Really close to shore. Maybe 100 yards out? Traveling north. Looks like maybe the fast ferry from Bremerton got a report because it was moving pretty slow. -Stephen Cohen

April 9
Tue Apr 9 - Haro Strait - T11s south of Kelp Reef. -Full report and images at Center for Whale Research Encounter 26.
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Tue Apr 9 - T65A3 (b. 2007), Matriarch T65A (b. 1986), & T65A6 - Dalco Pass, Puget Sound {Happy 1st birthday to T65A6 - first seen in Puget Sound April 10th, 2018} -Photo by Gevan Marrs, Apr 9, 2019
(IDs by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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(note re; April 9th Puget Sound - The day started with an unidentified group southbound in the morning who by all accounts flipped just south of Three Tree Point, Burien then continued northbound on the east side of Vashon in main channel. About that time reports of others further south, so for a time there was some confusion if pod had split. What appears to be the case: the T65As were already down south in Tacoma area while SB whales (later ID'd as T101s and T124As) were nearing Three Tree Point. SB group continued north while T65As continued westbound Dalco Pass and headed north up Colvos Passage west side of Vashon exiting top of Vashon several miles trailing the T101s and T124As. Groups passing Kingston area ~ 90 minutes apart, both still northbound by evenings end. - alb)
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Tue Apr 9 - Puget Sound group 2 (T65As) - 19:30 - Orca. Passing Apple Tree Point, Kingston, NB on west side of shipping channel. Appeared to be a male however, is getting quite choppy and light is poor now. -Sara Frey
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19:20 - Orcas spotted between Edmonds and Kingston headed North towards Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound. Mom with baby plus another larger orca at 7:20pm. -Jaime Williams, Studio Jade
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19:08 - Maija with WSF just called. Pod of 3-6 orcas off Kingston heading northbound (time/location thinking this is T65As)
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16:54 - Now to the north of the yellow buoy...in between Alki and Bainbridge. Mid channel.
16:45 - Seeing maybe three headed north in between Blake and Bainbridge islands. Viewing from Alki. -Justin Allen David Jones
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15:34 - 2nd pod now headed NE towards West Seattle, between North end Vashon, South end Blake. A very good day.
15:28 - The 2nd pod is very, very loud....I could hear the whales breathing-blow hole air movement, in each of them. The whales were mid channel and it was as if they were right next to me. They've cleared north end of Vashon and are headed towards south end of Blake Island
15:12 - This 2nd pod (of 4 orcas), swimming north, Colvos/West pass, is moving fast. Research boat present.
15:02 - I'm sitting on Green's Point, Southworth, looking down Colvos, to the south. Orcas, several, mid-channel. Halfway between Southworth and Olalla. -Kathleen Cage
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13:59 - So hard to track. They went up and down just a couple of times very far away. May be near or even past Als in Olalla.
13:49 - Orca. Yep! Directly west of Lisabeula. Heading north on the Olalla side. Way across. Just saw one. -Caroline Martin Matter
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~ 12:58 - I saw blows over at sunrise Beach I wonder if they turned north?
12:50 - Orca. I just saw them north of Point Defiance - close to Vashon. T65A2 (born 2004), T65A4 (born 2011), T65A and T65A5 (born 2014) - Dalco Passage. -Gevan Marrs
(IDs by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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12:54 - Orca. Heading south past Point Defiance.
12:44 - Orca. Looks to be about 5 heading west toward Colvos close to Vashon. Viewing from Owen Beach. -Amber Stanfill
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They were so sneaky today! From Owen Beach around 12:45. -Photos by Amber Stanfill, Apr 9, 2019
(T65As based on other images same place/time)
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12:38 - Orca. Just sighted same group from Commencement Bay, just passed the ferry headed up towards Five Mile Drive, Owen's Beach area.
12:36 - Orca. Group of 4 mid channel heading NW away from port towards Vashon ferry. Viewing from Owen Beach. -Jennifer Schweizer Johnson
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12:17 - Orca. Just off Point Defiance in Commencement Bay. Seen at least 6 fins Crest the water and saw one visible baby in the group. -Candace Gavin
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Just before noon - I seen 3 Orcas just E /SE of Northern Fish CO. Right up from Commencement Bay. By the time I got parked, This is the only photo I could get before they went under & headed NW & out to the middle. Other people said they seen around 20 in the Pod! -Jerry Hughes
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Tue Apr 9 - Puget Sound - T124As & T101s
17:18 - Orcas went at a very fast pace. They are now past Fay Bainbridge. Heading north.
17:06 - Spotted 4 (orcas) trending north at Fay Bainbridge. -Becky Woodworth
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17:16 - Orca. group with little baby & 2 males off Presidents Point (sightline from Bainbridge), heading north, Kitsap side. Spyhops. Yay!
16:20 - At least 3 orcas northbound, watching from Manitou Beach bluff, SE toward Seattle. (she is looking SE. The pod is north of ferry lanes/south of West Point Lighthouse.) -Sue Larkin
(Larkin Notes: I just reviewed the timing on the photos...my images were shot between 4 and 5.The pod definitely split as it passed Fay Bainbridge. The 2 boys ventured into the entrance to Port Madison Bay just a little bit, I think chasing food and may have been around for a while. 5 minutes prior to that I saw and have a few images of orcas moving north with a beautiful spyhop. They moved very quickly from Elliott Bay up to north Bainbridge. The images of the baby and mom were shot at 4:20pm...I was on the beach near my house, just south of Faye Bainbridge. T124A3, T124A3 and her calf, T101B, T102....so nice to see them closer to the Kitsap side on the way north...photographed from spots between Fay Bainbridge Park and Manitou Beach on Bainbridge.) -Photos by Sue Larkin, Apr 9, 2019
(IDs by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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16:14 - 3 adults one juvenule off Yeomalt Point. -Jane Rein
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15:48 - Orca. Chris Merritt is at Old Creosote, Bainbridge and reports group is straight out and just under the Space Needle from her line of sight.
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15:30 - West side of Elliot Bay, in front of Bainbridge Island, approx. 5-6 orcas. Watching from Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. Helicopter hovering above. -Alexander Simenstad
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KOMO 4 News Aerial Video -
(Melisa Pinnow, CWR reviewed Komo's video: "I think the group with the calf and juvenile are the T124As. I see the T101s later on.")
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15:16 - Orcas now southern tip of Bainbridge. Northbound, both groups, T65As still back. Helicopter above the northern group.
15:15 - Orcas approaching Bremerton ferry lanes and south tip of Bainbridge. At least 1 male. NB on West side of channel. Seems they will pass on East side of Bainbridge Island. 65As still back
15:13 - Orcas were (west side of Blake). Now approaching Bainbridge right in Bremerton ferry lane
15:02 - Orca. There's a group out here (I've lost sight of the first group) and group on the backside of Blake island. Most likely 65As in Colvos with calf.
14:53 - Orca. North of Blake Island northbond, west side of channel 1 so far.
15:20 - Northbound males in first group. Keep in mind I am miles away on shore...passing Blakely Rock. Maybe 101s? (confirmed, back of camera photo by Kersti Muul, Apr 9, 2019 ) -Kersti Muul
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14:17 - I'm on southworth ferry. Pod of 5 swimming fast, to the north, just north of Fauntleroy dock. They are closer to west Seattle shoreline. Two very large dorsal fins!! -Photo by Kathleen Cage, Apr 9, 2019
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14:15 - Maija from WS Ferries called to report ~ 4 orcas northbound off Vashon head.
13:11 - Orca. Lost them about 50 yards from Three Tree Point (northbound). Been looking last 10 min. Seen nothing
12:41 - Orca. Definitely have one group heading north back to Three tree Point.
12:30 - Orca. 4 slowly moving north now towards Three Tree Point mid channel. -Sandhya Ballal
12:17 - Orca. Milling around mid point of Maury island. No clear direction. Mid channel. Still counting 3.
12:04 - Orca. southbound off of south Three Tree Point, Burien. Maury island in the background. Mid channel. Tracking 3.
~ 12:41 - Pod south of Three Tree now heading northbound now towards Three Tree Point. -Sandhya Ballal
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11:54 - Orcas. With binoculars from Point Robinson, I can see them heading south, mid channel. -Jake Conroy
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11:44 - Orca. 2 males quickly approaching mid-channel buoy off Three Tree Point. Appear East mid-channel. Trailing group following behind (unknown how many individuals) Traveling southbound quickly. -Christina Van Wolbeck Fenerty
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11:22 - At least 3 orcas headed south off Dilworth closer to Vashon side. -Lindsey Clark
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10:49 - Mike from WS Ferries just called to relay report from Capt of the MV Issaquah who reports 6 orcas just west of Fauntleroy ferry dock. Orcas appear to be transiting south.
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10:15 - Unidentifed female and male. From Constellation Park in West Seattle. Orcas were between Blake and Southworth. -Photos by Rob Sinner, Apr 9, 2019
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10:13 - Orca. From Charles Richey viewpoint they just passed Blake Island. Seem more west than they were earlier. Definitely a baby with them. Southbound. -Ray Shea
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10:12 - Orca. Mom with baby, very large male southbound just north of Blake Island. I'll bet that paddle boarder north of Blake is going to have a good story to tell! -Trevor MacLachlan
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09:59 - Orca. South of yellow buoy hading south around mid channel. Headed towards Blake Island. 3 sighted. Viewing from above Beach Drive just south of Spokane Street. -Douglas B Greenswag
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09:55- Orca. Steady southbound past alki, on east side channel, approaching yellow buoy. -Becca Tiger
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09:53 - Orca. (seeing ) from Charles Richey looking toward Bainbridge midchannel SB. -Ray SHea
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09:42 - Off south east point of bainbridge now. Long dives. -Ellie Szollosy Olsen
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08:50 - Orca. Passing West Point Lighthouse, southbound, well east of mid channel.
08:34 - About 5 orcas, now grouped up, steady southbound passing Shilshole.
08:15. - Orcas southbound, currently just north of Golden Gardens, east of midchannel. -Sue Larkin
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08:25 - Onboard the Victoria Clipper, we stopped to watch 5 or so orcas heading southbound at 8:25am. We were just passing by Shilshole area. -Amanda Hoffman
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07:15 - Tony Woelke, WSF called to report orcas seen from MV Spokane. At least 3 (female, male, little one) were ~one mile off Point Wells, Woodway (between Edmonds & Richmond Beach) heading southbound.
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Tue Apr 9 - Saratoga Pass - 07:30 - I saw a single Grey passing north in front of my house (midway between Cama State Park & Camano Island State Park), about 100 yds offshore at around 0730 this morning! Just saw his flipper surface like a sail as he was, apparently, turning on his side and diving. At least I think that's what I was seeing...not half of his tail. -Best, Janett Wingett
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Tue Apr 9 - Possession Sound - 12:43 - Gray whales. 4 Whales off Hat island, including 383, Patch (49) and Little Patch (53)! -Frame grab from video by Rheam Neas, Apr 9, 2019

April 8
SOUTHERN RESIDENTS - Mon Apr 8 - Hi Alisa! (I am sending additional photos in another email.) 4-8-19 Haro Strait SJI. Observed and photographed from the shore. Between 10 am and 1pm I observed 13-15 orca traveling between the farthest west edge of Hannah Hts and Edwards Point. They were moving slowly to the N/NW with one exception and that was J26, Mike. I was fortunate enough to watch J26 zig zag back and forth, very slowly, north to south and back again, for almost 2 hours. He dove for long periods of time; 2-3 minutes. He was stealthy and hardly made a splash. Sometimes I only saw his dorsal and he took a quick breath as he continued his hunt. J36 Alki off the west side San Juan Island...her older brother J26 Mike. J19 Shachi. J31 Tsuchi -Michelline Halliday, SJI. -Photos by Michelline Halliday, Apr 8, 2019
(IDs by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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14:20 - J17 and J44 just passed Lime Kiln heading north it looks like they're the last ones too.
13:55 - J27 Blackberry at Lime Kiln now.
13:11- J26 at Lime Kiln now, they're going against the current pretty slow. -Alex McIntire
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12:47 - J26 has remained in the same area since 1225 but still pointed north. Not showing signs of feeding, just surfacing. More whales spread out all over Haro, some are south of Land bank headed north.
12:26 - J26 passing Land Bank headed north at a slow pace. -Cassie Barclay
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13:21 - J calls still audible....
12:45 - Js still hanging out. Calls continues 2 hours now.
12:26 - Loud J calls still audible...12:28 - ship approaching.
12:13 - Just heard one loud percussive sound (breach?). Been hearing calls & echolocation consistently.
11:11 - So many different vocals...working on report so cannot concentrate on noting which specific calls.
10:49 - Lots of echolocation & calls, getting louder - J pod with some calls sound like Ks (no Ks confimed)
10:45 - Thanks to Monika Weiland Shields for heads up possible Js off West side, I opened Lime Kiln webcam & hydrophone...right there, orcas on my laptop both visually and audbily! -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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Mon Apr 8 - 20:00 - This evening, in front of Shilshole, Southbound. Pod of Orca. Many juveniles, so I'm guessing transients? -Margaret Pommert
(We believe this is the T65As. See framegrabs and video link below - alb)
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18:05 - Orca. Can only see the male now through binocs. Line of sight: from Marina Beach (Edmonds) looking toward Discovery Park (West Pt lighthouse). More mainland side. Likely near or south of Richmond Beach Saltwater Park now.
17:55 - Orca. Steady SB. Between Pt. Wells and Kingston. Long down times.
17:27 - Orca. Edmonds side of mid channel, southbound. The 1730 ferry will have a great view if they surface again. -Ariel Yseth
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14:48 - Orca. Observed from bluff just south of Bush Point. Grouped up traveling at a good speed southwest towards Point No Point. Closer to Whidbey side, but possibly trending towards Kitsap side. Appears they made a kill earlier, closer to Bush Point based on gull activity and some milling when first seen. Appeared one got left behind because he/she was doing some full body porpoising to catch up to the main group. Observed a couple of half breaches when reunited. -Connie Bickerton
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14:20 - Orca. Just saw them southbound at Mutiny Bay. I think T65As. -Christopher Lewman
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11:15 - Orca. Traveling into the bay (Port Townsend) when we last saw them but we have lost sight of them.
11:06 - Observing orcas in Port Townsend Bay from the S/V Carlyn! Two days in a row for us and our students. -Kelly Greenwood
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10:35 - We received a report (& video) from Cody Reddick showing pod of ~ 6 Transient orcas off Fort Worden, Port Townsend heading southbound just feet from shore!
(We thought they looked like the T65As and asked Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research to review the video...her notes: "The family has the same makeup of the T65As but the male almost looks too big. Definitely transients though.")
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Mon Apr 8 - 13:05 - Orcas. Three females it looks like. Canoe Pass buoy just west of Point Roberts. -Photo by Ryan Johnson, Apr 8, 2019
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Fri Mar 8 - Hi, We sighted four Orcas here at Port Angeles, WA during the Olympic Salmon Derby Friday March 8, 2019. They were observed on the outside of Ediz Hook just off the entrance to the U.S. Coast Guard Station and north of the Ediz Hook boat launch area. They were moving very fast and disappeared quickly. We didn't get to see them for only less than a minute and they were gone. Other fishermen in the area saw them too. My employees and I will try to report sightings when possible in the future. We sample fishermen at the boat launches and are always around the water from Sekiu to Port Townsend and down to upper Hood Canal through the year. -Larry Bennett, WDFW
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Mon Apr 8 - N Saratoga Pass - 14:15 - 2 or 3 greys off Rocky Point/Bayshore very near shore Camano Island. -Nancy Fryhling Sinnett
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Mon Apr 8 - C/S Saratoga Passage - 13:06 - At least 2 greys across from Langley on Camano side. -Eileen Burdick
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13:05 - Grays. I hadn't seen them for a bit but just spotted one mid channel headed south toward Langley. Moving pretty quickly and not staying at the surface much. Picture from my zoom camera lens on the west side of Camano.
11:35 - 2 greys feeding off Fox Spit off Whidbey very close to shore heading south. 1 whale watching boat. -Jennifer Feldman Spanton
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11:50 - 2 grays 21 & 22 just past Fox Spit heading southeast across Saratoga Pass towards Mabana. -Marilyn Armbruster
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Allison DuBois Schauble shared video in comments of 2 grays off Fox Spit this morning...one of who spyhopped.
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10:31 - They were still on the Camano side but I lost sight of them. They could be heading across towards Coupeville I just don't know. 09:37 - 3 grays feeding in Elger Bay right now! -Tami Fifield
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Mon Apr 8 - Possession Sound - Gray whale #53 Little Patch, south of Gedney Island. Taken aboard MV Saratoga. -Photo Ariel Yseth, Apr 8, 2019

April 7
SOUTHERN RESIDENTS - Sun Apr 7 - ...Long dives, changing directions, and brief no-saddle appearances at the surface were the pattern of the day for the whales for the next hour and a half - uneventful, except that a group that we found included J17, J44, J46, and J53, that I had hoped to see. J17 has improved and showed little sign of the "peanut-head" condition that had us very worried during an encounter with her on New Year's Eve. At 1538, J42 appeared in the vicinity of this group, and gradually more whales began to show up spread out and travelling very slowly up the Inlet toward Double Bluff. By 1608, most of J pod was in an area of about six square miles in the middle of Admiralty Inlet, with many whales at the southerly end of the assemblage engaging in social contact and occasionally (and lazily) lobtailing as they moved gradually up the Inlet. A half a mile or so up the Inlet a few whales were also lazily lobtailing at the surface as they gradually moved down the Inlet. The assemblage gradually coalesced and then headed back down the Inlet toward the Possession Bar....Full report and images at Center for Whale Research Encounter 25.
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Sun Apr 7 - Puget Sound - 20:28 - Orca. At least five passing Mukilteo a good ways out, heading East-Northeast towards Saratoga Passage... Looking North and 3 stories up (I'm on the Mukilteo side, so the contrast was pretty favorable. ). Got a little bit of light still and contrast against the water from here. Just about out of it now. -Derek Hanson
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20:02 - (J pod) in travel mode now. Heading north on the east side of whidbey.
19:54 - They (J pod) are all grouped together heading east north east. It's so calm you can here every blow.
19:49 - viewing from Possession Point. They (J pod) are south of whidbey north of the Edmonds ferry. Lots of surface activity. -Danielle Pennington
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19:16 - Quite a few milling about feeding just south of possession point. -Mike Ferdinandi
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17:43 - Orcas. Between scatchet head and possession point. Closer to whidbey side, leaders trending south
17:32 - spotted orcas from pilot point looking north. Halfway between Kitsap and whidbey, heading east. -Austin Iles
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16:51 - Looks like they definitely flipped. South bound, Kitsap side of Mid channel right off Point No Point near yellow buoy. Still foraging behavior. -Susan Marie Andersson
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16:50 - Orca. They headed south, out of view from Double Bluff. -Anya Vahlolo
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16:40 - since my last post here they have not moved any further north ...
16:05 - With Rachel hiked out southend Mutiny Bay...orcas spread across with some closer to Whidbey about i mile south of the northend of Double Bluff. Still heading north...Marilyn Armbruster
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16:30 - Aboard Glacier Spirit, we caught up with about 10 out from Useless Bay, just as they turned south. Off Useless Bay inland Puget Sound....Onyx, Cookie for sure...foraging and we had a hydrophone!!!! Yeah!!! -Bonnie Gretz
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J47 Notch is growing up too. (Taken from IA4 @15:38 in Puget Sound) -Photo by Kristina Trowbridge, Apr 7, 2019
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15:45 - So, looks like several (6?)woke up and are now off Double Bluff foraging? Lots of splashing and breaching. May be the same group inteported at 3:25. Looks like they may have turned around?
15:25 - 5-6 orcas (including 2 males) grouped up between Useless Bay and Point No Point and lazily continued north passed the lighthouse and into Admiralty. So nice to see J pod on this beautiful, breezy spring day. -Susan Marie Andersson
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15:20 - Orca. Between Double Bluff and Point No Point. Just off shore of Point No Point. -Anya Vahlolo
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15:10 - Point No Point / Hansville folk - 2 males & 2 mid-sized(one fairly small), spread out / diving more towards Whidbey side. Binoculars - 1 male towards Double bluff. 1 bigger male (of the two) towards Possession Point. 2 mid sized orcas in front of Maxwelton. Males spread out / 2 mid-sized diving together. And Mid-sized breached a few times - hopefully the pod's all finding/feasting on Chinnok! -Andrew Muehling
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What a great day - on our annual Sound Water Stewards' fundraiser cruise to see gray whales - we saw members of J-pod too! So humbling to see these endangered whales - very spread out - foraging for salmon. They were south west of Possession Point, foraging, northbound, then southbound. All photos zoomed and heavily cropped. Thanks to Melisa Pinnow for the ID's. J39 Mako swimming around Puget Sound SW of Possession Point looking for salmon with the rest of his family and other J pod members. -Photo by Jill Hein, Apr 7, 2019
(Id by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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14:37 - at Double Bluff. Just spotted one orca far across the channel. From my view point, the orca was headed west. The Space Needle was in the background. -Becky Livingston
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14:28 - J pod. Viewing from Point no Point at least two off Useless Bay including large male. Mid channel and northbound. -Susan Marie Andersson
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14:27 - J pod. Lots of whales passing by Island Adventures boat near Scatchet Head, steadily headed out Admiralty it appears. -Steve Smith
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14:13 - J pod. Seeing multiple whales making directional changes by Eglon closer to the Kitsap side...they seemed to be moving north (toward Admiralty). -Danielle Pennington
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13:20 - Just saw some spouts a few minutes ago looking towards Hansville from Haines Wharf heading north. -Em Ily
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13:15 - Js were still extremely widely spread between N Edmonds, South Whidbey, and Kitsap. All actively foraging mostly in singles, with some pairs, mom and youngster etc. They are foraging amongst the dozens of fishing boats apparently catching Chinook salmon ( Blackmouth). We witnessed some breaches, tail lobs, etc but mostly many directional changes while foraging (and hopefully consuming) out in the wide expanse. J pod going in all directions! A couple of the most northerly females looked to be heading NW bound with more intention. -Alisa Lemire Brooks
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The day started 3 minutes off the dock, surrounded by members of J Pod, Southern Resident Orcas! We got a good look at J26 Mike, J16 Slick and J42 Echo as they went by us...We the moved on to SE Gedney Island where we saw 3 gray whales #49 Patch, #383 and #531! Talk about close passes, these guys came right over to us more than once! At one point, #383 fluked just feet off of the bow!! (No, I did not get that shot...)...As we headed back to Edmonds we stopped at the Possession Buoy to see the Steller Sea Lions, while we were doing that I saw a blow in the distance...it was gray whale #53 Little Patch!! Within minutes of leaving him we were again distantly surrounded by J Pod which was busy foraging, spread out across the channel from Edmonds to Eglon...we got some good looks at J31, the rest were very far away, but we sat for awhile with the engines off just taking it all in..thank you Captain Brian McGinn for a GREAT day!! All photos zoomed and cropped for details! All Whale Watch guidelines followed. On the way back to port J16 Slick was seen again still foraging out from Edmonds and south Possession Point. -Janine Harles
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~13:00 - we were aboard the Chilkat and surrounded by J pod (ID'd by crew as J16 & J36 & others). Probably 15-20 whales total. Hopefully, all of J pod swimming, hunting together. Trending north. Spread across the entire channel from south of Point No Point (approx Eglon) to South tip of Whidbey. Saw one breach, tail slaps & general foraging. Traveling. Visible along Kitsap shore across to Useless Bay. Lots of fishing boats in the same area. Commendable info and respectful viewing from Puget Sound Express Captain, Trevor & 1st mate/Naturalist Wendi. Cut engines and dropped the hydrophone but they were too far away. Nice day on the water and for shoreside viewing. Guessing they may be visible from Port Townsend & Fort Warden Park soon (3:30-4pm). Happy watching and wish this family well..Kimberly Sylvester
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11:3 - J pod. Two males in this trailing group, approaching Edmonds ferry dock. -Kate Stovel
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11:30 - More approaching Edmonds pier from the south - incl J22s and J27. After all these years, it was my first time seeing Southern Residents in Puget Sound today! I saw about 8 members of J-Pod off the Edmonds pier (they were all there, just very spread). On one hand it's surprising it's taken so long, but on the other hand, I don't usually like to leave San Juan Island very often. -Monika Wieland Shields
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11:24 - We just saw one lone male going North of the ferry lanes Kingston side...Two females just past the diving park boundary in Edmonds in close as viewed from Sunset (Ave, north of Edmonds ferry). -Kendall Holmes Berry
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10:56 - J pod. Several still at Pt Wells. -John SLomicki
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11:20 - J pod. Group of at least 4 spread out with 2 males on Kitsap side. Well past the ferry. At this time trending to PNP/Admiralty
10:50 - J pod. Seeing spread out from Edmonds marina south to tank farm. Mid channel, some foraging NB. -Sara Frey
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10:50 - J pod is spread out off Edmonds with J16s closest to Edmonds shore. Others spread wide across channel. Still active foraging, directional changes with slow trend north. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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10:45 - 11:20 - J pod. They were too far out from Apple Tree Pt for good pics but we watched 2 pairs cruising steadily N/NW midchannel from S of Edmonds towards Possession Pt, ending w/ sightline approaching Doublebluff, at least two males. -Photo by Donna Green Van Renselaar, Apr 7, 2019
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Another double-header on Saratoga today! This time with J Pod of the Southern Resident Killer Whales!! Most of our closer looks were at the J16 matriline which includes J16 Slick, her adult son J26 Mike, and her two daughters (not pictured). These endangered orcas were actively feeding on spring Blackmouth (Chinook/King salmon) just off of Edmonds for much of the morning and into the afternoon. We also encountered 4 Gray Whales in Possession Sound. We got great close looks at #49 Patch, #383, and #531 SE of Gedney Island and then #53 Little Patch near some Steller Sea Lions on the Possession Point buoy. J16 Slick made one more appearance along with several other members of J Pod off in the distance before we returned to the dock. J26 Mike off Edmonds, foraging for salmon with the rest of his family & pod. -Justine Buckmaster, Puget Sound Express
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10:45 - there are 2 small whales mid channel heading towards fishing pier in Edmonds. -Brittany Mason
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10:45 - Orcas, just south of Edmond pier! -Matthew Shea
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10:30 - Orca. J27 Blackberry is a lovely presence in Puget Sound. J22 Oreo. Saw 2 circling just south of Point Wells and one was driving the prey towards them. -Back of camera photos by Thomas Blair, Apr 7, 2019
(IDs by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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10:30 - Currently watching 2 orcas off Point Wells, Richmond Beach, slowly heading north. -Joni Barnes Pollino
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10:15 - Orca. Just south of Point Wells heading towards shore- scattered. Js. -Jason Mihok
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10:06 - Orca. They are spread out approaching a line from Pt Wells to Kingston. Still north bound. -John Slomnicki
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~ 09:45 - Saw a large dorsal fin crest near the yellow bouy mid channel, from the Kingston Ferry, with binoculars. -Desha Wood
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09:44 - We have Residents!!! J26 foraging off Kayu Kayu Ac park,Richmond Beach, Shoreline. -Video frame grab by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network, Apr 7, 2019
09:40 - Orcas are spread mid channel to either side across channel from Richmond Beach to Kitsap. All still trending northbound while still south of yellow mid channel buoy off Kayu Kayu/President Point. Slow northbound progression with a lot of slow directional changes. Like when residents are looking for salmon. Still not sure who we have. One male close to my side angling closer to this side while foraging.
09:26 - See more orcas, now at least 10 spread across slowly heading north, but picking up some speed out from Richmond Beach, Shoreline & east of Jefferson Head, Kitsap.
At 09:08 I wrote friends to say I had reasons to believe I was watching residents. It was based on behavior, so many rounded dorsals, # of males, but distance & lighting prohibited visual on open saddles at that time... and we've had so many Ts lately. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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9:07 - Orcas straight out from Carkeek! They're moving slightly northbound. -Photo by Matt Leaman, Apr 7, 2019 at ~ 9:30.
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08:52 - I've now see up to at least 8 orcas inc. at least 3 males if not 4. Same general area as 08:45 update still spread across, now more in a line mid channel and east of.
08:45 - I've seen at least 6 orcas, including 2 males (poss. 3) & a calf/young one. Loosely spread out from Carkeek, mid channel and east of. Males each coming up on the outsides. Some directional changes while slow trend northbound. From Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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08:30 - orcas northbound spread out just south of Carkeek, one large male in group. Seen from1/4 south of Fay Bainbridge Park, Bainbridge. -Sue Larkin
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8:18 - at least 5 orcas heading north from North Beach (just south of Carkeek). About mid-channel. -Sir Winston
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Sun Apr 7 - BIGG'S TRANSIENT KILLER WHALES - A record setting day yesterday (Apr 7)! A long haul to follow up on a report in the Strait of Georgia led to us finding a very large group of Biggs killer whales. It started with the T036As, T036Bs, T100s, T099s and T101s but as they continued west at high speed, they met up with the T124As (all of them), T090s, T124Ds and T086As around Halibut Bank! A LOT of socializing ensued with tons of spyhops and vocals. I managed to capture the majority of them on camera and a few visual IDs. If all members were present (the only ones I couldn't confirm for sure were T124D, T124D1, T036B2, T036A3, T124A4 and T090D), the total is 41 animals! The previously known record group size per Jared Towers is 38 so this potentially the largest aggregation of Biggs on record! T086A, T124A2 T124A2A, T124A2B, T090C. T124A2 spyhops in the Strait of Georgia on the day of "potentially the largest aggregation of Biggs on record!" -Photo by Gary Sutton
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Sun Apr 7 - T65As traveling north of Sinclair Island (5 miles north of Anacortes near the north end of Cypress Island). - Taken aboard Spirit of Orca. -Photo by Ariel Yseth, Apr 7, 2019
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GRAY WHALES - Sun Apr 7 - 4 grey whales in Saratoga passage off Camano. 2 came from the south together and are feeding heading north stopping just south of Mabana. Other 2 are separate and further away. -Jennifer Feldman Spanton
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Sun Apr 7 - 12:30 - On the way back south stopped to see steller sea lions on the green can off Possession Point and saw blows just to the south of it....we moved in that direction and watched several blows then finally gray 53 Little Patch arched showing his distinct little white patch...he was foraging around South of Cultus Bay, South Whidbey while J pod was foraging themselves just a short distance away.
11:40 - Gray whales Possession Sound: 49, 383, 531 milling around the Delta between Hat Island and Everett. All 3 together when first on scene, then 49 circle NE on his own and 383 and 531 headed SW then began wide circles sticking close together. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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Hello Alisa and friends, We went out on the Glacier Spirit this morning at 11am with Chris and Bart and had an amazing time. We saw 3-4 Grays and spent a lot of time with them. Left side of 49 Patch - Possession Sound, Gray whale 531 - Possession Sound, 531 goes on a dive - Possession Sound, 383 dives alongside 531 in Possession Sound SE of Hat Island. They put on a nice show with plenty of flukes, a few spy hops and just hanging out....Great times!!! See you all next week at the event! -David and Meliss Haeckel
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Hein Bank - Here is the picture of the Gray Whale we encountered NW of Hein Bank heading east towards Salmon Bank - April 7th, 2019. -Photo by Andrew Lees, Five Star WW, Apr 7, 2019

April 6
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES - Sat Apr 6 - 18:15 - Orca. Now at Point No Point (Kitsap). -Jason Mihok
(No confirmed IDs, but presumably incoming J pod who showed up early morning coming from central Puget Sound - alb)
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16:15 - Orcas passing by Lagoon Point, seem to be hugging Marrowstone shoreline, southbound. Too far away for photos. Report from Lagoon Point. -Jill Hein
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15:17 - WS Ferries Ops just called to relay crew on MV Kennewick (Port Townsend/Keystone, Coupeville run) reports 6-8 orcas southbound in Admiralty Inlet in the traffic lane.
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15:15 - Orca north of Marrowstone Point. -Trevor Tillman
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Sat Apr 6 - Haro Strait - 18:20 - Just saw a grey whale in front of cabin. Blew twice dark grey body. -Back of camera photo by Kersti Muul, Apr 6, 2019
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Sat Apr 6 - Blustery, windy, rock and roll day out with #21 Shackleton and #22 Earhart gray whales, and glimpses of #49 Patch, #53 Little Patch, and #383, off Camano and then out toward Everett ~12:30. -Bonnie Gretz
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11:45 am - gray whales 21 and 22 swimming southward near shore about a mile north of Camano Head. -Bart Rulon, from Glacier Spirit
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12:41 - looks like 2 greys mid channel between hat island and Everett heading slowly east with whale watch boat. Seen from Clinton ferry.
11:22 - viewing blows across from Langley park closer to Camano shore. Between two whale watch boats. Heading south slowly. -Andra Repine Van Cleve
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08:42 - 2 greys currently feeding in Elger Bay. Camano...Heading south toward Saratoga Passage now. -Dave Davenport

April 5
Fri Apr 5 - San Juans - 16:59 - Group of orcas just went by our house on Orcas through Harney Channel heading towards the Orcas ferry dock (westbound), probably there now. One large Male, 2 females and one young one. -Mariann Carrasco SJWW
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12:50 northbound Jones Island, transient killer whales, seen from Reuben Tarte (This was the T18s! Thanks for the head's up Lee!)
11:45 - Reportedly northbound near Shaw -Monika Wieland Shields
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11:18 - Orca just off turn rock, from Sealth...off the stern, one male headed toward pear point, there were more, he's all I saw. -Lee Connally
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Fri Apr 5 - Puget Sound - (Sara Hysong-Shimazu ID notes reviewing dozens of photos by Kelly Keenan: "I see the T36As, T36Bs, T36, T100s, T124As, and T99s in your photos. Including sometimes dispersed T124A1" . Sara also ID'd T124Ds from Rachel Haight's photos)
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20:12 - Orcas passing under the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (northbound). -Ashley Whitman
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19:50 - Orca. Spotted some here just now 7:50pm thrashing about probably headed toward Narrows (pin drop approx: -47.215826, -122.622121). -Ryan Sheridan
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19:45 - 5-7 orcas headed north along east side of Fox Island toward Narrows Bridge. -George Holzer
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19:53 - Transients headed north past fox island fishing pier towards Narrows Bridge (not sure which group yet). -Jami Cantrell
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..here's my picture of the lil baby I got tonight at the Fox Island fishing pier! -Photos by Jami Cantrell, Apr 5, 2019
(That is T124A with T124A6. T36A1 is to the right. - Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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19:34 - Orca. Just passed the end of McNeil heading toward Fox Islan. -Joann Dinkel-Holzer
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19:07 - Orca. Seeing them heading back north in front of McNeil Island. -Kari Anne
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19:06 - Orca. From Longbranch looking dead on to the dock pilings on McNeil, seeing multiple blows between McNeil and Anderson...They have moved a bit North, but Steilacoom has front row seats. -Julia Long
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18:57 - They are in between Eagle Island and McNeil (Balch Passage)...Looks to be at least 7. They have been in that area for the last hour or so....just milling around in the middle ! I'm watching from my deck (Steilacoom) with binoculars! They seem to just be staying in the area. -Laura Heger Whelan
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17:10 - Orca. Pod going thru Balch passage, heading west just past Eagle Island. -Todd Billett
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16:30 - Orca. Just saw group near ferry that is crossing by west end of McNeil-heading south. Seeing them from mid Fox Island south shore. -Charlene Welty
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16:20 - Orca. We we're watching a group way off in the distance near McNeil island. We were watching from the south west end of Fox Island. It looks to be five or more and seemed to be heading towards Anderson Island. -Julie Gonsalves
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16:14 - Orca. Staying east of Eagle Island into ferry lane.
15:56 - Orcas, SE side of McNeil Island toward Steilacoom ferry lane. This should be group 1. -Karen Marie Leetch
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15:55 - Orca. A few popped up right in front of the Fox Island pier at about 3:55. Came up on the surface once and never saw them after that. There is definitely a baby in the bunch. -Steve Pearson
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I was trapped in terrible traffic for 3 hours as I drove south, always one step behind the whales. With word they had rounded Pt. Defiance southbound, I raced to the Tacoma Narrows Park and hoped for the best. They came under the bridge fast, spread out, far away, long down times. But then, a group turned my way and the breaching began! At least 3 individuals joined in on the fun. Then they disappeared into thick heavy rain. T100C, T124D breach alongside T36B1. -Rachel Haight
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15:28 - (Orca, trailing group) Second Group is passed Salmon Beach heading towards Narrows Bridge. -Lucas Dambergs
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15:10 - (Orca, trailing group) It looks like they're heading south through narrows too
15:08 - (Orca, trailing group) Another group of orcas right off Owen Beach... I think maybe three including a baby. -Lauren Burket
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15:15 - Orca. Just went under the Narrows Bridge, heading southbound. -Andrea Reubel Walker
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14:55 - Orca. Group (maybe 10 animals?) heading south just passed Salmon Beach Tacoma side. Viewing from Gig Harbor light house. -Dianan Frick
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14:55 - Orca. Large group slightly spread out, 3-4 in front followed by at least 6 more, headed south, moving quickly, on Tacoma side towards Narrows Bridge. -Sarah Cardinal
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14:51 - Orca. Just passed Gig Harbor Viewpoint into Narrows, closer to Tacoma side Southbound. Large group. -Melissa Burks
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1st group pass at Pt.Defiance Gig harbor viewpoint, entering the Narrows. -Photos by Melissa Burks, Apr 5, 2019
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14:45 - At least 5 (orcas) off tip of Point Defiance heading south (down the Tacoma Narrows). Long dives. -Karen Marie Leetch
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14:37 - A great breach! Orcas heading south towards the Narrows Bridge, moving fast.
14:20 - Orca's between Owen Beach and Vashon heading west, close to Vashon Island. -Bill Clogston
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14:32 - One orca off the Lobster Shop on Ruston Way, heading south. -Beth Selthofer
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14:37 - Heading south near Gig Harbor side.
14:31 - Orca. Milling Southwest side of Vashon Island can't tell if going to head north of south. -Karen Marie Leetch
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~14:15 - Orcas southbound off "Gig Harbor Viewpoint" in the Park (Pt Defiance). Approx 12 individuals with only one male visible. -Mark Kucinic
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14:13 - They are about to cross the Point Defiance ferry lane. Mid channel. -Brynn Lewis
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13:57 - I just spotted orcas off Dash Point! Between Dash Pt and Maury Is following Tote freighter. -Kristen Folster Pringle
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13:20 - Orcas passing Maury Marine Park overlook. Still heading south.
13:02 - Orcas passed Point Robinson still heading south. T99B and T99C, T36B1, T100C, T100, and I'm not quite sure who the little one is. T36B3 and T36B - newest member of the T36As.... Research boat left. -Kelly Keenan
(ID's by Sara Hysong-Shimazu)
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So awesome to see the transient pods that visited the south sound yesterday! Here are some pics from their visit as they swam past Point Robinson. Right as they rounded the Point, the sky opened up with a torrential downpour which made for some very challenging viewing and picture taking, albeit making it a pretty memorable encounter. Hearing their exhalations with the sound of rain bouncing off the water was magic. Worth it to be soaked to the bone to see them and their sweet young babies which are just about the cutest lil' munchkins ever! ~Marla Smith
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12:45 - Orca at point Robinson, research boat with them, mid channel but closer to Vashon side. -Photos by Marla Smith, Apr 5, 2019
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12:27 - Orca visible from Pt Robinson with binoculars. -Jen Huntley
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12:37 Orca. Still heading south, approaching Robinson Point, Vashon (using binoculars from Burien). Research boat still behind.
12:13 - Orca. about halfway through Maury Island. Heading towards Robinson point from Burien. Closer to Vashon. Research still with them.
11:43 - Orca. Spotted south side of Three Tree Point, moving south, closer to Vashon side. Research boat with them. -Sandhya Ballal
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10:58 - Orcas southbound along Vashon east shore about equal to the Arroyos, West Seattle. Nerdy disappointed to see two people in tiny boat tailing them and then moving in among whales. Probably the same five. Lots of splashing. -Carolyn Duncan
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~10:50 - Surface activity by some of the Bigg's off Dilworth, Vashon this morning and one of the males ahead of the research boat...Photos by Caroline Martin Matter, Apr 5, 2019
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10:44 - Orca. one just breached in front of research boat (viewing from Colman pool West Seattle). -Mary Hartman
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10:35 - They (orca) are moving slowly paralleling the Vashon-Fauntleroy ferry line. Some of the morning commuters got some great looks....The research vessel is trailing them now. -Margery Spears
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10:23 - Orca. At least 8-10 (ncluding a calf. Lots of tail slapping) southbound passed Vashon/Fauntleroy ferry line. Closer to Vashon side. -Lindsey Clark
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9:26 - Orca. Lowman Beach - 10-12 passing Blake and cruising towards Vashon ferry terminal. -Justin Roberson
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09:26 - Transients (there is a calf and includes T100s). Passing on East side of Blake island. Large group southbound. West side of channel. -Kersti Muul
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9:20 - Orca. Looks like about 6 heading south about to cross Vashon ferry line. Closer to Vashon side. -Chris Ramirez
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Taken at ~9:00 from Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook with Bainbridge Island in background.
8:57 - Orca. At least 10-12, large males and a little one included. Southbound, closer to Alki side of mid-channel. -Photo by Brittany Noelle, Apr 5, 2019
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08:30 - Seeing them (orca) between Blake and Alki lighthouse right now lots of them! -Heidi Skrzypek
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(pods split in two groups -alb)
08:30 - Orca. At least three, possibly four or five, currently milling about just north of the Alki Point, maybe 300 yards offshore. They were up and down a lot and I didn't have binoculars. -Patrick Hutchins
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08:04 - 4-5 whales (incl at least one big male) off Alki headed southwest.. Seen from Bremerton-Seattle ferry. -Laurne ELi Oldfiled-Rich
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08:03 - Orca. Pod of about 6 off of Alki Point. -Carlos Marentes
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08:02 - Donna from WS Ferries called to report the crew from the Hyak on the Bremerton/Seattle run observed 5 orcas heading southbound in the traffic lanes heading towards Alki Point.
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Hello! We saw about 4 orca whales on the Bremerton-Seattle state ferry route this morning at about 8:00 am, Friday 4/5. They crossed ahead of the ferry and we saw them off the starboard side. They were heading south off of Alki Beach. I attached a video to help identify the whales. Exciting news! As I was writing this email on my evening commute home I saw a porpoise off of Point Glover near Manchester. It was heading toward Port Orchard/Bremerton. That was at about 6:15 pm. What a day for whale watching! -Kristen Althizer
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Fri Apr 5 - N Saratoga - 16:50 - Single gray heading north 50yds off Onamac Pt. Camano Island. -Steve Boskovich
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~09:30 - What appeared to be 2-3 grays headed west toward Polnell Point/Maple Grove from Utsalady Point. Closer to Whidbey. -Pat Sebelsky
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At 0850 hours this morning spotted a gray whale 1/4 mile south of beach at Polness Shores and 1/4 mile east of Polnell Point (east side of Whidbey Island). -Steve Rothboeck
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Fri Apr 5 - C/S Saratoga Passage - Allie Hudec pointed out to us Gray whale 531 with another gray south of East Point, Fox Spit milling around in choppy seas and slight drizzle.
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11:55- 12:15 - Saratoga has located two more grays now mid channel southbound off of Langley. #21 Shackleton and #22 Earhart. We left them eastbound toward Camano at 12:15.
11:30 - Saratoga has #531 angling toward Fox Spit from mid channel and we've seen the blow of a second gray much closer to the Whidbey shore to the south. -Justine Buckmaster
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09:25 - 2 gray whales mid channel between Bell's Beach, Whidbey and Mabana, Camano Island. No direction discernible on last dive. -Marilyn Ambruster
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Gray whale #56 west end Penn Cove. 2019 Newbie CRC 2249 left side dorsal - Penn Cove. A 2019 Newbie! CRC2249 traveling west with 56 west end Penn Cove.
17:30 - after milling in the bay for nearly two hours, gray 56 finally headed east, passing Snakelum Point and just south of the Green can. Not sure where the 2nd Penn Cove whale ever went, we were busy watching 56 and did not see her/him exit the cove.
16:12 - Gray #56 is just milling back and forth in very calm bay between Long Point and Snakelum Point. Lovely guy.
15:45 - Gray #56 was heading eastbound out of Penn Cove mid channelish then turned south facing us at the point on the last surface. He bypasses us on the point on long dive surfacing a bit to the east and continued south into the bay on east side of Long Point.
15:24 - Grays are still in Penn Cove. Both eastbound...one mid channel ahead nearing Long Point, the other is still on north side maybe around Monroe Landing
14:40 - both grays now eastbound; one east of Penn Cove rafts on Coupeville town side of mid channel, 2nd whale is now east of pier down from Three Sisters.
14:25 - grays have split momentarily; 1 continues westbound north side of Cove, other flipped now eastbound more mid Chan.
14:10 - Two gray whales are still westbound west of pier down from Threes Sisters. Not much further they can go. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
(ID note by Alie Perez, Cascadia Research:"Yes those grabs are indeed of CRC2249." Alie also confirmed left side as 2249)
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13:53 - 2 grays in Penn Cove just off the West end of Penn Cove Rd. Heading west. -Jim N Brenda Jordan
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13:50 - Michelle Krieter reports two gray whales in Penn Cove heading West at west end of Cove by Three Sisters
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HUMPBACK WHALES - On April 5th we encountered the first confirmed Humpback sighting of the season, Heather (BCY0160) south of Becher Bay heading East. As usual with Heather she was being very playful during our encounter with lots of tail & pectoral waves. -Andrew David

April 4
Thu Apr 4 - Gulf Islands - Amazing day with Biggs killer whales in the Gulf Islands. We spent time with two matrilines known as the T018s and the T049As. LOTS of socializing and surface active behaviour! On our way home from the whales, we found another family of Biggs! The T123s with their little one (under a year old), T123D was a bonus on an, already, fantastic day. -Ocean EcoVentures WW
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T049A5 came rushing back to the group after being separated on it's own for a bit. Once joining back up, mom seemed either excited? Or reprimanding the little one for taking off and being too far away. Shot is a bit soft but a really interesting moment today with the T049As and T018s. -Photo by Gary Sutton, Apr 4, 2019
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Thu Apr 4 - Puget Sound - 17:25 - Orcas exited Port Susan a bit ago and are hugging the shoreline on the mainland side, currently north of Tulalip Bay heading southeast, keeping to Tulalip. (they continued passing Tulalip Bay short time later still hugging shore). -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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... Orca pod that was in the Port Susan sound...Here are my poor, sun in the face photos I got of them around Kayak Point. There appeared to be about 4 of them. Photo by Cindi Lien, Apr 4, 2019
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14:00 - Hi Susan or other Orcanetwork person - A note from Camano Island. I was delivering a telescope to a friend yesterday at about 2:00pm and found them on their deck watching Orcas along the west side of Port Susan Bay in the Country Club area. More specifically in the Crestview Drive area between Crest Place and S. Fairway Drive. He reported seeing a total of 7 Orcas including a "smaller one". I think they must have been visible for an hour or so. Apparently about half the group headed south while three remained in the area for awhile. A small boat was seen following the whales. That's about all I can tell you. I wonder if these were Biggs or Residents? -John Custer
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13:57 - Amazing encounter with appx 12 orca hunting porpoise close to shore along Beach Drive, Camano, just south of Cavelero, Port Susan. Every behavior on display: slow patrols, tail slaps, spyhops, breaches, lunging/surfing. They've moved to mid channel and are now heading south. Lots of pictures. Will post when I get home. -Krista Paulino
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1:30 - Glacier Spirit left them slowly northbound in Port Susan. T86s close to Camano shore and T124s parallel to them mid channel. Today was another beautiful one on the Glacier Spirit. Even before we left the dock, we were able to see the blows of two Gray Whales heading toward us and once we got underway, we identified them as #53 Little Patch and #383 moving slowly north up Saratoga Passage. We then made our way into Port Susan to view two families of Transient Killer Whales, the T86As and the T124As. Both pods were travelling stealthily at a leisurely pace, likely looking for prey. As we rounded Camano Head on our way back to Langley, we stumbled upon Gray Whales #21 Shackleton and #22 Earhart! -Justine Buckmaster Justine Buckmaster
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Orca Sighting in Port Susan. A pod of Orcas were in Port Susan bay off the east shore of Camano Island last Thursday afternoon. There were at least 7 or 8 whales incuding a couple of small calfs. They stayed around for about two hours, including breaching several times before heading south out of the bay. I do have a video as well. -T. Jenkins
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Today, April 4th at 1:30pm 5 Orcas were seen in Port Susan off Camano Island approx 150-200 yards off shore just north of Beach 2 of the Country Club Beach . They continued in that area for an hour gradually heading south. -Karen and Steve Morton, Country Club Drive, Camano
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This afternoon (4/4/18) around 1:00pm 6-8 Orca Whales in Port Susan between Stanwood and Country Club subdivision on Camano Island. Looked like there was a juvenile or young orca whale with them. Moving back down south. -Nancy McCarthy
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11:53 - this group headed east and is now northbound up Port Susan, east side Camano Head. I think the other group had already gone up there. 11:46 - at least some, if not all, of the orcas are off Camano Head in Saratoga Pass, milling making directional changes. -Alisa Lemire brooks
(IDd earlier as T86As and T124As by Renee Beitzel)
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11:33 - We just left....86As and 124As again :) feeding, but we left them slowly northwest bound at Camano Head. -Renee Beitzel
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11:27 - orcas directly across from Sandy Point. Heading north toward Saratoga. -Dori Dace
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11:15 - Orcas are hanging around NW side of Hat Island in glassy calm seas making slow directional changes. Split in two groups of several each trend N. -Alisa Lemire Brooks
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09:50 - Orca. I've got distinct surface activity between Clinton ferry and Hat Island. Partially obscured by trees from home but they're definitely there. -Debbie Stewart
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09:40 - WSF Ops called to report one of their Captains observed at least 2-3 orcas 1 mile east of Clinton just hanging out, but possibly trending in southerly direction.
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Orca. Several very close to Hat Island side - can see from 930 Clinton to Mukilteo sailing. -Holly Ihrig
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09:00 - Melissa Koch called to report a pod of orcas (at least 4), north of Clinton ferry dock between Whidbey and Hat Island. It appears they are on a meal as they have been there for a while.
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Thu Apr 4 - Juan de Fuca - 4:40 p.m. ... I headed up the Ebey's Landing / Ebey's Bluff Trail. When I got some "altitude" on the trail... I noticed a couple watching ''something'' in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I stopped & asked them what they were watching.... they replied... "A BIG Gray... who we've seen blow- twice!" Sooo...I decided to stay & see what I can see ! Within the next 15 - 20 minutes I was lucky / blessed to be able to watch that Gray - blow about ( 6 ) times ...and semi-breach... as it made its way South. Twaz a thrill! (thought there was no dorsal, just a smooth back). -Wayne Flaaten
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Thu Apr 4 - Penn Cove - 08:30 - Gray whale deep in Penn Cove at the northwest end, no direction. -2nd hand Relayed by Bonnie Gretz
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Thu Apr 4 - N Saratoga Passage - 09:00 - Gray whale doing circles off Snakelum Point, Whidbey. Spotted a gray at Snakelum Point at 8:55. Spouted a few times, swam in circles for about 5 minutes then disappeared! Don't know if it was into or out of Penn Cove. It didn't disappear. It's still there. Rich feeding ground. -Lee Fritsch
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Thu Apr 4 - Central/South Saratoga Passage
19:30 - As we head out and the sun hangs low in the west...gray 531 is still circling feeding Saratoga side of Sandy Point.
18:25 - one still feeding same place the other took off eastbound exiting Saratoga Pass now just east of between Sandy Point and Camano Head.
18:10 - 2 grays off north side of Sandy Point, Whidbey: One feeding close in shore to the north of the beach houses, 2nd whale just offshore going on deeper dives. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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12:55 - Spotted two grays mid channel off Fox Spit closer to Whidbey side. -Donna George
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12:15 - Renee Beitzel reports grays 383 and 53 together (south of Fox Spit) heading northbound directionally towards entrance to Holmes Harbor.
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10:15 - 2 greys northwest bound between Langley and Camano Head. -Trevor Tillman
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08:30 - Gray whale off Baby Island heading towards Fox Spit. -Marilyn Armbruster
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Thu Apr 4 - Possession Sound - Today was another beautiful one on the Glacier Spirit. Even before we left the dock, we were able to see the blows of two Gray Whales heading toward us and once we got underway, we identified them as #53 Little Patch and #383 moving slowly north up Saratoga Passage. We then made our way into Port Susan to view two families of Transient Killer Whales, the T86As and the T124As. Both pods were travelling stealthily at a leisurely pace, likely looking for prey. As we rounded Camano Head on our way back to Langley, we stumbled upon Gray Whales #21 Shackleton and #22 Earhart! -Justine Buckmaster
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1:40 - on our way back to the dock Glacier Spirit spotted #21 Shackleton and #22 Earhart just south of Camano Head slowly southbound toward Hat Island. -Photos by Justine Buckmaster, Apr 4, 2019
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Thu Apr 4 - on the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles we saw a humpback breach in the Strait of Juan de Fuca 2/3 of the way to Port Angeles. We saw one whale around 5pm. It's possible from a distance we saw an orca in the same vicinity but it could have been the pectoral fin from the humpback. -Ben Kaufman
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UNCONFIRMED WHALES (humpack or gray) - Tue Apr 4 - 17:10 - gray or humpback whale slowly moving southbound, spotted 1/4 mile south of Fay Bainbridge Park, very close to shore. -Sue Larkin
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08:40 - Tony Woelke, WS Ferries called to report 2 whales (possible grays based on blows) off Apple Cove Point traveling northbound in no hurry. He reports it took 30 minutes for them to travel from Kingston ferry dock to Apple Cove Point.
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08:30 - Several spouts off Apple Tree Point, Kingston. Baleen whale, looked northbound. -Christopher Hanke

April 3
Wed Apr 3 - 17:00 - Just saw photos of a group of 3 orcas seen traveling north past Friday Harbor about 5 pm today. -Breck Tyler
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Wed Apr 3 - Penn Cove/ N Saratoga - A lucky photo of Sounder #56 when the weather had calmed down. Taken from the bluff by Long Point (north end of Saratoga Passage), around 5 pm Weds. -Photo by Jill Hein, Apr 3, 2019
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UNCONFIRMED SPECIES - Wed Mar 3 - My daughter reports from the 11:30 a.m. Fauntleroy ferry: "Headed north(?) like to the left as we were coming towards Fauntleroy. We didn't see any white on them. Just their fins and right below. They were about a little more than half way to Fauntleroy. They were not breaching and I don't know if the captain said anything bc we were in the car." I wonder if Dall's or the real deal?! -Bev McCullough

April 2
Tue Apr 2 - Was a really nice encounter with the T49As today. We mostly sat in one spot watching them enjoy their meal. We saw several spyhops, tail lobs, and backward surfacing! (south of Cattle Point, SJI). -Photo by Traci Walter, Western Prince, Apr 2, 2019
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Tue Apr 2 - Puget Sound - 19:00 - Orca. Group just past southbound fairly near Pt Robinson our a 100 yds or so...Caroline Martin Matter
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18:04 - Resurfaced heading south mid channel deep dives only seeing one now
18:02- Orcas. 4 spotted mid channel south side of Three Tree Point, but disappeared. -Sandhya Ballal
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17:42 - Orca. Southbound slowly about 4 dorsal fins south of Eagle Landing Park (just south of Seahurst Park, Burien). -Cindy Eckes Waddington
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17:30 - Orca. Southbound closer to Vashon side approaching Dilworth. -Lindsey Clark
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17:05 - Maia from WS Ferries called to report dozen orcas southbound ~1.5 miles off Fauntleroy.
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17:05 - Passing east side of Vashon north end. About 10 just now. Visible from Vashon Ferry from Fauntleroy. -Terry Warnock
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17:02 - Orca. One group of 5-6 closer to mid-channel then what looks like 2 adult females and 2 younger teens/babies closer to Vashon.
16:52 - Orca. 5 passing southbound by Blake island. -Robyn Dally
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17:00 - Orcas right off Vashon on the East side of the island. Maybe 3. -Kristen Cirullo
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16:06 - Pod sighted in central Puget Sound. On 3:55PM Kitsap Transit Fast Ferry westbound to Bremerton. Pod appeared to be traveling southbound. closer to Bainbridge but still open water. Map estimate is approximate and not based on any real scientific wayfinding method (pin drop estimation : 47.584357, -122.453207) -Kelli Reinhardt Gracia
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10:52 - Christopher Lewman on Chilkat, found a large group of KWs near Point No Point (Kitsap) they just made a kill... T86As and need to confirm other group.( There was a little one in the mix and about 9 animals so I'm leaning toward 124As). Update: T124As confirmed! I've got a photo of T124A4. -Renee Beitzel, MV Saratoga
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10:49 - Orca south bound Admiralty. Appear to be off Double Bluff, closer to Whidbey side. At least 3 dorsals. -Connie Bickerton
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Peek-a-boo! My favorite behavior = SPYHOPPING!! This is one of the T124A or T86A ladies They were spyhopping a lot after they made a kill today and whatever it was, it was large! There was a huge oil slick and that sweet (?) smell of cucumber wafting through the air as we were down wind. I almost missed this opportunity as there were whales everywhere we looked at one point and I didn't know where to point my camera, lol. -Renee Beitzel
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Tue Apr 2 - 13:30 - T49As milling a couple miles south of Cattle Point. -Monika Wieland Shields
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11:55 - They're a ways out but you can see them with binoculars from the pull out past south Beach. -Alex McIntire
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11:29 - Orcas south of Salmon Bank. 4 or 5. -Breck Tyler
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Tue Apr 2 - (CORRECTION: This is the image that should have accompanied this report by Renee in our last Whale Report - alb) Peek-a-boo! My favorite behavior = SPYHOPPING!! This is one of the T124A or T86A ladies They were spyhopping a lot after they made a kill today and whatever it was, it was large! There was a huge oil slick and that sweet (?) smell of cucumber wafting through the air as we were down wind . I almost missed this opportunity as there were whales everywhere we looked at one point and I didn't know where to point my camera, lol. Good problem to have, I guess! If you look closely, you can see her eye. -Renee Beitzel
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Apr 2 - North Saratoga Passage/Skagit Bay - 19:00 - Wed. 2 greys in Saratoga Passage south bound off Rocky Point, Camano. -Nancy Fryhling Sinnett
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19:00 - Gray's still milling about Utsalady point. -Chris Wardzala
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08:00 - Three Grays this morning off Utsalady Point in Skagit Bay. A pair that seem to be together, and a single that stays a ways away. They've been here for a couple of days now. -Dean Kayler
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Apr 2 - South Saratoga Passage - ~ 09:30-10:00 - 3 grays were close in at East Point, Fox Spit and have moved off shore a bit and to the south. As of 10:30 they are mid channel between Fox Spit/Bells Beach, Whidbey and Mabana, Camano. Possible IDs to come. -Marilyn Armbruster
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08:19 - Just saw 2 grays heading north up Saratoga Passage past East Point (Fox Spit). Too far away from Camano for us to photograph...Janett Wingett
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There were 2 grays in Elger Bay this morning then they headed north. Same thing yesterday morning. -Tami Fifield
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Tue Apr 2 - Possession Sound - Today, Saratoga also had 4 grays between Everett and Gedney. Confirmed #49 and 531 who were together but we didn't get a good enough look at 3rd who was nearby and 4th far in on delta. None of them ever fluked! -Renee Beitzel
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12:05 - from aboard the westbound Suquamish Ferry currently see blows (gray whale) off SE side of Hat/Gedney Island. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON
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Tue Apr 2 - Puget Sound - I spotted a gray today that came to the surface just northeast of West Point Lighthouse then headed towards 4 Mile Rock off Magnolia. A flashing CG fast patrol boat headed north flew by past the whale about 20' away as it rose to the surface (Rob wasn't certain if gray or humpback). -Rob Casey
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Hi, I'm sending this message to report that I was at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park and I saw a gray whale while I was on the beach around 1pm of today: 4/2/19. At first, I saw a blow cloud come out of the water and then I saw its back and it went right back underwater quickly. -Benjamin Wright
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Tue Apr 2 - 13:10 - Watching for Orcas but see a humpback instead! Just off Pt. Jefferson, Kingston heading south. Definitely a humpback. The hump, big flukes. -Chris Beamer Otterson

April 1
Mon Apr 1 - Spyhop (with teeth showing!) from J42 Echo on Monday night in San Juan Channel. She was among the many highly social and active whales on this memorable evening encounter. -Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, Apr 1, 2019
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Mon Apr 1 - 22:24 - Have you heard j pod in the dark? Get to Ruben tarte (north side of San Juan Island) in the next 30 min and listen up. Magical serenade. The trailing group is passing mineral point. Leaders past 45 minutes ago. -Alan Niles
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I'm on the 1945 hrs ferry from FH to Anacortes and saw a pod.. it was almost dark, so I couldn't get photos.... at least five orcas... very active! -Dena Royal
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19:20 - J Pod westbound in Upright Channel. -Monika Wieland Shields
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18:30-45 - 4-8 orcas, Feeding, Leaping, breaching, feeling. Headed south from channel to West of Jones island. Sighted from Sunset Cove Orcas island. -Amy Starkovich
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...They eventually decided to head back west through Upright Channel, but amazingly they hugged the Shaw Island shoreline so close they went inside of Canoe Island and right into Indian Cove, a channel not only narrow, but according to the chart on board only 13 feet deep on high tide! It was time to head in, but we had to stay long enough to see if they were actually going to go all the way through there....they did!...Excerpt from latest blog post which includes 2 encounter reports & many images at: March 26 and April 1 with J-Pod. J27 Blackberry in front of Friday Harbor this evening. A "rainblow" from L87 Onyx in Upright Channel on Monday evening.. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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While I don't get to see the close in-the-kelp passes like at Lime Kiln, there is something so special and exciting about being able to run down the hill from my house and see J Pod in San Juan Channel. I still can't believe I live in a place where that's even possible. I'm a lucky girl. -Cindy Hanson, Orca Network (all of J pod was present per Sara Hysong-Shimazu - alb)
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GRAY WHALES - 15:19 - Will called to report a gray whale (or 2) right off the breakwater at Shilshole Marina. He added the whale is not entangled.
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Mon Apr 1 - Juan de Fuca - 15:40 - I am watching two gray whales about 6 miles west of Sekiu. They have been feeding for about 30 minutes. I have no idea how to guess how far out they are but it's not very far. The seals on the rocks are not upset. -Maxine Clark
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Mon Apr 1 - upper Admiralty - 08:30 - Watched a Gray Being feeding at Ebey's - where the trails meet...West side, where trail from parking area/ Cemetery Rd meets the bluff trail. at 8:30 in the morning April 1st. Very close to shore. -Cherri Forrest
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Mon Apr 1 - Gray whale feeding behavior and a stroll down the Whidbey promenade with #21 Shackleton and #22 Earhart (fluke). -Photos by Renee Beitzel, Apr 1, 2019
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Mon Apr 1 - ~17:20 - Two greys hanging out at Mckees Beach next to Kayak Point this evening....stayed for almost a half an hour. -Sarah Kortekaas