Month Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of Month Year whale sightings.

August 31
This pod of orcas was spotted Thursday August 31 at about 8:15 AM headed South about 1/4 mile south of Brace Point, West Seattle. -Video by Richard Lunt, August 31, 2017
(Included in our previous Whale Report as T65As, T124A1 & T124D - ALB) Bigg's/Transient killer whales - South Puget Sound - Beautiful 15 year-old T137A...past Steilacom and to Nisqually Reach. They headed west passing Anderson Island. They were frantically active. Lots of breaching. Head stands. Tail slaps. Tail waves. Porpoising all over the place! Then they would go silent and take long dives. Such a gift to see them." -Photo by Kim Merriman, August 31, 2017
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August 31 - Saratoga Passage - Yes! Definitely the T100s. We found them again (after cruising Deception Pass) an hour later in the exact same spot but heading south in a resting line. (just north of Onamac, Camano Island). -Justine Buckmaster
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5:32 p.m. - In Saratoga Passage, 1 nautical mile west of Rocky Point. Four Orcas milling about. One big male, two females and a juvenile. Seagulls were enjoying salmon scraps floating in the water... (probably seal scraps). -Gail Greenwald
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4:23 p.m. - Chilkat Express is on scene (with T100s) just north of Onamac Point north bound closer to the Camano side but in line with the entrance of Penn Cove. Justine Buckmaster
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3:55 p.m. - straight across from Onamac on Camano, but on whidbey side! Could see large male and female with little one! -Desi Tracy
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3:05 p.m. - Whales heading north fast towards Hidden Beach. Probably more on Whidbey side. -Sandra Pollard
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3:00 p.m. - Pod has exited Holmes Harbor, and just passed beautiful Baby Island (which is teeming with seals and birds) and are continuing northbound up Saratoga. Female and calf in lead, male and juvie trailing short distance behind. Beautiful!
2:35 p.m. - pod definitely hunting on north side of Beverly Beach. A lot of surface activity in little bay between Beverly Beach and Saratoga Beach Community. Awesome! They are now steady northbound.
2:00 p.m. - we watched them move south out from Dines point where they then flipped, stalled and look to be on the hunt. We are moving back to east side of the harbor in hope to relocate them on that side. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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1:27 p.m. - These appear to be the T100s. Southbound still Dines Point. -Trevor Tillman
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1:20 p.m. - Saratoga pod booked it and has gone into Holmes Harbor. Steady southbound mid channel south of Greenbank north of Dines point. Bigg's/Transients - T100s actively pursuing someone in Holmes Harbor, Whidbey Island.
12:48 p.m. - the pod has flipped now angling NW directionally toward Baby Island/Holmes Harbor.
12:25 p.m. - The pod of 4? Including adult male grouped, steady southbound more Camano side just south of Cama Beach now. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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11:50 a.m. - Orcas in Saratoga Passage! Marilyn Armbruster spotted orcas in Saratoga still north Cama Beach State Park but south of Onamac Point, Camano Island...they are mid channel. We are watching from Baby Island Heights area they appear to be heading South, maybe angling towards Camano Island side.
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August 31 - Juan de Fuca - T109A - WOW! 5 minutes from our docks (Sooke) we were the first to find Transient / Biggs Killer Whales the T109a's (I think) Hunting and feasting on seals. Than we visited 3 Humpback whales that were minutes away, than a Gray Whale and numerous Sea Lions and our local Sea Otter...-Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 31, 2017
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August 31 - Commencement Bay to Case Inlet - T137s in Case Inlet this evening, just south of Herron Island around 7:30 pm, heading north toward Stretch Island at a steady pace. I counted at least 6. Dive times of 2-3 minutes with shorter surface intervals. Fair number of harbor seals and harbor porpoise in the area, just sort of watching them pass by; didn't totally clear out like they usually do when Orcas are present. -Dave Berliner
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6:50 p.m. - There's a pod of orcas going through Draytons Passage towards Vaughn, Wa just now! -Amanda Olmos
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6:30 p.m. - The South Sound orcas headed south past Steilacom and to Nisqually Reach. They headed west passing Anderson Island. They were VERY active at times. And then they would dive for long down times. Very little boat traffic and very calm waters. There was a fire boat on the water as well. It was stopped, as were we. All of a sudden we could see the whales travel across in front of the fire boat and then they started to vocalize - under and above water. At one point, one of the whale actually nudged in between the hull of the catamaran fire vessel and CONTINUED TO VOCALIZE! It sounded like an above water hydrophone. Fabulous. When we last saw them they were traveling west into Case Inlet. They were frantically active. Lots of breaching. Head stands. Tail slaps. Tail waves. Porpoising all over the place! Then they would go silent and take long dives. Such a gift to see them. T137 and T137D. T137A, T137B, and what looks to be T37A1. -Kim Merriman
(IDs by Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research)
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2:39 p.m. - 3 orcas heading south by Steilacoom right now! -Lisa Wiksten
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2:18 p.m. - At least 2 Orcas heading south past Fox Island. -Anita French
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2:00 p.m. - Report that roughly 6 are southbound in the Narrows approaching the bridge.
1:00 p.m. - Tacoma PD patrol boat reports orcas northbound toward Point Defiance from Owens Beach. 3 or 4 with a calf. -Durand Dace
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12:27 p.m. - Orcas (at least 4) off Ruston Way, Tacoma just north of CI Shenanigan's. This pod appeared while I was running on the path. About 20 minutes earlier I had seen at least 3 dolphins traveling north at Point Ruston but didn't get any photos. The dolphins passed by very quickly so I didn't see their faces, just the dorsal fins. I got a 2 minute video of the orcas which I will email you separately, as it would take a long time to upload here. -Leah Collister
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Orca in Commencement Bay, downtown Tacoma. Closer to about 12:00 as it took me a bit to get back to my boat farther down the dock. Trying to put this in the time line. Spoted a large male Orca broaching about 100 feet south of Marina at Browns Point, just off the old floats breakwater where hundreds of harbor seals hang out. Seals went nuts and headed for the inner marina area. Saw several other Orcas out in the bay. -Norval Cunningham
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I saw them off the ferry dock (south Vashon) this morning. There were at least 4 orcas, a rather small one with them. I took a bunch of photos, but won't be able to post them until Sunday evening. -Sandra Newby
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August 31 - 7:30 p.m. - 2 or 3 orcas traveling west about 100 yards off the south coast of Kingston. Traveled east past Jefferson Beach, then stayed in one area for a while. Various boats, including the Victoria Skipper, stopped to watch. -Gary Mager
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7:30 p.m. - At least 6, maybe even 8, just off Point Jefferson, Kingston. Looks like they came from the Port Madison area and as they went by here they headed to the middle of channel. Looked like they were going to be northbound then they turned and milled around for a bit. May have been feeding. -Chris Beamer Otterson
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7:11 p.m. - Spotted 6 Orcas headed north thru Agate Pass. -Michelle Randall
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Yes! We saw them traveling from Manzanita along Sandy Hook. They stayed for a bit in front of the casino and recently went through Agate Passage. It was incredible. We first saw them at a distance just south of Keyport at roughly 6:00 p.m. They traveled north along Sandy Hook and probably went under the Agate Pass Bridge around 6:45 p.m. Times are approximate, as we were so enthralled and in the moment that we weren't paying attention to anything but them. -Joni Derifield
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4:40 p.m. - Abby Love reports watching a pod of orcas in Rich Passage after having watched them pass Manchester Park. They are heading westbound through the passage. She counted at least 7 and one was noticeably smaller then the others. Too far for ID's.
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4:40 p.m. - They've' moved north towards Manchester on the Peninsula side. Just received a note from my parents who are on a state park buoy at Blake Island. At about 4:15 they watched a group of 5-6 orcas eating a seal. The group was mid-channel on the west side of Blake Island. They've since moved a bit north towards Manzanita, however they are still in the area and quite active. -Collin Long
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1300 - 7 or 8 orcas northbound at north end Colvos passage at 1300 on 8.31.17. We are just 1 mile south of the north end Vashon on the Kitsap side near Southworth/Fauntleroy ferry dock. The shots from my Iphone aren't as crisp as I had hoped, but we did observe one juvenile and at least one large male with several adult females. My dog Moby was so excited he announced their arrival to us then started swimming out to great them. T65As plus (ID'd earlier) exiting Colvos Passage. Northeast end of Vashon. -Cheers, Tim Ferris
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Saw 6 or 7 orca near shore Fragaria. Hunting then eating harbor seals, at least 2, in water around their lounging rock. Just before high tide. One harbor porpoise, acting injured or exhausted, came close to shore in front of house nearly beaching itself in shallow water. Possibly chased by orca and escaped? I have more photos but can only attach one to this report. All are pixelated due to iPad optics at distance of approx 200 yards. 47.4617 N, 122.5314 W. -Kyle Kennedy
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12:45 p.m. - Chilkat Leaving them heading northbound at Olalla 8knts.
11:57 a.m. - all groups heading north into Colvos passage.
11:31 a.m. - Now with T65As just west of Tacoma. Arrived to them making a kill and it was short lived. They're moving west toward another group.
11:08 a.m. - Humpback in Poverty Bay (Redondo Beach, Des Moines) heading towards Redondo. We also just spotted those KWs to the south! -Renee Beitzel
(Photos sent to Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research, confirmed T124A1 and T124D as the 2 others who were with the T65As in Colvos Passage - ALB)
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12:57 p.m. - Pod of about 5 orcas spotted RIGHT off of Point Ruston! Basically on the shore! -Jen Ferrell
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Still in area. Passed at least 3 about 11:30am heading south towards Point Defiance. We were heading from Gig Harbor to Des Moines. -Karen Doherty Cameron
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11:00 a.m. - Two orcas headed south Vashon/Maury island. Just spotted two orcas swimming in tandem south towards Tacoma off of Vashon, between Maury Island/Shore Acres and Dash Point. Moving at a good speed. -Mark Shortliffe
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9:19 a.m. - Orcas off Three Tree Point (south side) saw a couple large dorsal before they hid in the fog, now can hear them but can't tell direction of travel or just milling...cmon fog go away!! -Kim Rouse Baumgartner
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My husband just texted @ 7:22am that there are orcas on the Seattle/Vashon Passenger only boat run. The captain came over the loud speaker and stopped moving for 5 minutes. -Kelly Burns Keenan
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Saw a lone orca, maybe more, around Alki 0630 from the MV Kaleetan on the way to Bremerton. It's foggy out so I thought I'd say something. -Regards WSF employee, Jeremy James
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Humpback whales - August 31 - Juan de Fuca - WOW! 5 minutes from our docks (Sooke) we were the first to find Transient / Biggs Killer Whales the T109a's (I think) Hunting and feasting on seals. Then we visited 3 Humpback whales MMY0024 and BCYUnknown "Scratchy" off Sooke that were minutes away, then a Gray Whale and numerouse Sea Lions and our local Sea Otter...-Paul Pudwell
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August 31 - Puget Sound - 19:40 - Whale West side of Blake Island headed North towards Rich Passage. Species not known, possible Humpback. -Paul Lee
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6:50 p.m. - Single Humpback between Redondo and Point Robinson. Heading Southwest towards dash point. -Jacob Tyler
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1840 hrs - What a day. Had pod of orcas just a few hours ago. Now a Humpback about 1 mile south of Fauntleroy ferry heading north close to Kitsap side. -Photo by Tim Ferris, August 31, 2017
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2:35 p.m. - Looks like another humpback at Point Defiance. -Andew Potter Maul
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2:11 p.m. - A humpback just surfaced off of Ruston Point, Tacoma in front of the pizza place going east. -Rona Walters
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11:41 a.m. -Heading past the Vashon ferry terminal now toward Gig Harbor-ish .
11:08 Humpback in Poverty Bay (Redondo Beach, Des Moines) heading towards Redondo...Milling. Super lazy. Never saw flukes and longish down times. -Renee Beitzel
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August 31 - WA Coast - Camped at Kalaloch right now and there are a number of gray whales hanging out just off shore. -Photo by Peter Jancola, August 31, 2017

August 30
Transient Killer Whales T060's today on the hunt of a Sea Lion! Sometimes you are there at the right time...Thank You Nature! Beecher Bay to Sooke. -Paul Pudwell
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The T60s shared meal off Bentinck Island, near Race Rocks. T46Bs encountered in Juan de Fuca between Victoria and Port Angeles.-Photo by Peter & Inge Pijpelink, August 30, 2017
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August 30 - Admiralty Inlet - 20:21 - Just past Point No Point. Still south bound. -Ginny Sisk
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7:57 p.m. - milling with direction changes, an amazing double breach, tail lobbing and porpoising (mid channel off Point No Point)
7:47 p.m. - watching from Point No Point light house. 6-7 orca headed southbound, tail lobbing. Traveling in front of a blue/white fishing boat. -Brittany Gordon
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6:47 p.m. - Orcas are now off of Skunk Bay. -Susan Berta
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6:30 p.m. - orcas are coming upon mid channel buoy between Double Bluff and Foulweather Bluff. Steady southbound illuminated blows. Stunning. Humpback in same general area. -Alisa Lemire Brooks
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6:30 p.m. - They stopped and did some milling and direction changes, maybe hunting, but we're heading south north of Skunk Bay.
6:00 p.m. - Transients still heading south at a good pace in Admiralty Inlet. Foulweather bluff. -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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5:30 p.m.- For the past 45 minutes they drifted closer to mid channel yet made little progress south. They now have lined up nose to tail with a lot of tail lobbing, inverted swimming and are beginning to move south at a slow pace. Illuminated exhalations are gorgeous. They are directly out from Bush Point, now a bit inshore of mid channel.
4:45 p.m. - Very little progress southward. They have moved towards mid channel still just north of Bush Point. Super slow rest mode and still zig zagging.
4:09 p.m. - They have stalled north of Bush Point. Either hunting or deciding somethin? The are mostly still surfacing in a line abreast, now facing northbound but mostly just zig-zagging, slow progress south or so it appears.
3:55 p.m. - T65As & T137s Admiralty Inlet off Bush Point, Whidbey Island. Pods are lined up abreast in resting slowly southbound. Still just north of Bush Point. -Alisa Lemire Brooks
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Around 5:30 pm - South Marrowstone Island in background, taken from Bush Point. -Photo by Marilyn Armbruster, August 30, 2017
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At 4 p.m. the orcas that were sighted approaching Ft. Ebey at 1 p.m. are now on the north side of Bush Point. There is a boat with many people aboard watching them. The orcas are close to shore, near the restaurant. I haven't been able to count or ID. -Elsa Leavitt
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3:46 p.m. - Well south of Lagoon Point now. Large group followed by 2 trailers that looked to be males. -Patricia Prochaska
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2:26 p.m. - they're passing Fort Casey now, crossing Port Townsend/Keystone ferry lanes now southbound. -Rachel Haight
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2:38 p.m. - Still in freight lane between Forts Casey and Flagler heading SE.
2:25 p.m. - Yes they are headed east between Port Townsend and Fort Casey.
1:58 p.m. - Orca's off Ebey's landing now with whale watching boat. -Sandy Willoughby
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1:12 p.m. - They are quickly southbound at Partridge Point. (Ebey State Park). -Trevor Tillman
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1:08 p.m. - southbound past fort Ebey state park. Headed into Admiralty. Just heard their blows!
12:38 a.m - lots of breaches and crazy splashing. 5+ whales.
12:30 p.m. - Good news! They pushed west, then turned southeast. Headed back towards Whidbey. Nearing point Partridge marker.
11:59 a.m. - Looks like theyre headed west now.
11:51a.m. - orca off Hastie Lake boat launch on Whidbey. Likely on a kill, appear to be milling with lots of gulls above. Spotted adult male so far, need binos to see. -Rachel Haight
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A beautiful morning on the water headed towards a report of whales, when we find another group, the T65As! These guys grabbed a seal at Smith Island and then rocketed to go hang out with another group of Bigg's Killer whales, the T137s. Then yet another group in the distance joined up! Socializing and playing ensued! Breaching, tail lobs. What an awesome time on the water! -Western Prince WW (Video below by Traci Walter)
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What an amazing day we had with Transient/Bigg's orcas, T137s and T65As!! We caught up with them on the west side of Whidbey Island, after stopping at Smith and Minor Islands to see wonderful tufted puffins, which is always a treat. The whales were in full active mode, leaping out of the water, sideways breaching, massive tail slaps and cartwheels, and alternating between fast porpoising and slow resting mode. They were obviously on the hunt, though we didn't actually see the prey. One Steller Sea Lion on a buoy was probably relieved that they passed him by! We followed them south almost to Ft. Casey, and then turned north to see harbor seals on the spit between Smith and Minor Islands, and then headed home. A truly fantastic day with these beautiful whales! -Bonnie Gretz, volunteer naturalist.
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August 30 - Puget Sound - 7:20 p.m. - Orcas spotted halfway between Clinton and mukilteo, north of the ferry route. Three or more. They were more or less in the same spot for maybe a half hour? Then started creeping north again. A small one orca was with them. -Zachary Simonson-Bond
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My parents saw two orcas from Possession Point around 6 pm this evening. Headed north. -Toby Black
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7:00 p.m. - 2 whales (orcas), 1 large, 1 small off the entrance to Gig Harbor. -Sherri Desseau
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They came from Ruston way and headed down past Point Defiance. -Photo by Sammy Salmon, August 30, 2017
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6:05 p.m. - 3 orcas in Commencement Bay, heading towards the ferry between Point Defiance & Vashon. -Miste Durbin
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Saw 3 to 5 orcas straight out from Pt Ruston in Commencement Bay about 6:00 pm. Awesome surprise. -Barbara Ritter
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4:00 p.m. - 4 orcas - two mature females , 1 adolescent , 1 young calf - hunting - chasing salmon in Commencement Bay on 083017 - mid afternoon -- I have video but it was too large to upload here. -Ken O'Neal
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I saw 2 between Kingston and Eglon around 9am right close to the beach. (this would be a 3rd group- ALB) -Ern Steinman
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9:06 a.m. - San Juan Clipper just left them so that of Pt. Wells in the shipping lanes, looked like they were turning southwest. (2nd group). -Stephanie Raymond
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SECOND GROUP: I went to move and had to rescue some roaming rabble rousing chickens. now I need to leave. Last I saw trailing group was nearing Pt Jefferson at 9am east side of mid channel. Steady southbound. Pods are about 1 hour apart if they kept their courses. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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Email received (this would be 2nd group) 8:40 a.m. - 3 Non resident Orca's headed southbound- center channel just south of Edmonds. 2 miles south of Edmonds/ Kingston ferry route. -David Fitzgerald
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SECOND GROUP: 8:40am. Male is leading with others close behind. Some slow directional changes, but continuing southbound slow pace. I think this groups has 5 as well. Some Harbor porpoise around too. I'm viewing from Richmond Beach looks like 4 including that male and a calf. 8:33. Sight line Kayu Kayu Ac Park and Kingston ferry dock. Thanks Toby! -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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SECOND GROUP: 8:18 a.m. - More orcas headed south off Edmonds oil docks now. More midchannel but closer to Edmonds side. -Photo by Toby Black, August 30, 2017
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LEAD GROUP: 8:00 a.m - they were at Point Jefferson out from north end of Port Madison. Still southbound. Now there is hazy fog along their route making visibility poor at 8:10am.
7:52 a.m - pod of 5 ( 2 females, 1 juvie, and looks like 2 calves) Kitsap side (between mid channel and shore) mid way between Kingston and Point Jefferson/Indianola steady medium pace southbound. Grouped up. Morning seas calm with foggy conditions. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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7:24 am - 4-5 Orcas at Apple Tree Point heading south now in the ferry lane. They were milling close to Kingston side for about 15 minutes, now more mid channel. -Gina James Vigna
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August 30 - Admiralty Inlet - 6:38 p.m. - Seen blowing about 10 minutes ago from the end of Shore Meadow Rd. No sign now. -Linda Nightwood
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6:10 p.m. - Watching the humpback, s/he is mid channel out from Foulweather Bluff. Been seeing blows for about 10 minutes from Mutiny Bay, Whidbey. Slow southbound movement. -Alisa Lemire Brooks
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4:25 p.m. - Humpback whale about 1 mile south of Bush Pt heading south between shipping lanes. We were looking for the Transient pod but this came around the corner instead! Saw pec slapping and it just fluked and dove. -Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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August 30 - Puget Sound - 11:30 a m. - watching [humpback] from Rolling Bay on Bainbridge. Steadily trending north quickly. Surfaced a few times. Saw it fluke and then never saw it again...-Kimberly Sylvester-Malzahn
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6:48 a.m. - Small humpback headed south off Edmonds oil docks quarter to half mile off shore. -Toby Black August 30 - 2 small dolphins (white sided?) foraging off Pt. Robinson, Maury Island. Too far out to get on camera, but wonderful to watch them just the same. (Possibly the Common dolphins, been a long time since confirmed Lags - ALB) -Cheryl Richmond

August 29
Howe Sound - a pod of 11 Orcas, adults and young, swam up Howe Sound, presumably to the Squamish area, northbound around noon, southbound at 3:30. These sightings were in front of Furry Creek. -Sheila Dixon
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Rosario/Juan de Fuca - At least two, if not three, different groups of Ts spread out headed south down Whidbey. Per another report in whidbey island rocks, at 7pm, a group off West Beach road at Swan Lake. There should be another large group headed that way. They've been booking it south for a few hours now. I was out on IE5. T46s and others. We might have whales in the sound tomorrow! -Rachel Haight
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Juan de Fuca - We were around Oak Bay today with the T60's. Following the shoreline and they went west. -Photo by Kind regards, Peter & Inge Pijpelink, August 29, 2017

August 28
Inbound passed Sooke today were the T60's (+T2B), T90's and T109A (T12A was not with them). One more family yet to ID, possibly T73A's. So impressive seeing all 19? orcas inbound! -Photo by Marcus Bergstrom, Springtide WW, August 28, 2017
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August 28 - Juan de Fuca - WOW! We adventured out west to enjoy the Dozens of Humpback whales west of Sooke...and on route Cpt. Dan had some intel of possible Orca South of us...YOU BET way to go finding the T090's and T060's Hunting and Socializing off Jordan River! Being first on scene we had the pleasure of seeing these amazing killer whales in a some natural interaction than we visited and at least a 10+ Humpacks. ALWAYS GREAT TO SEA! -Paul Pudwell
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August 28 - Puget Sound - 10:00 a.m. - I just saw the humpback dive about 2.5- 3 miles south of Possession Point/ Cultus Bay and approx 3 miles due west of north Edmonds. Whale was pointed west. Probably just milling/ foraging in this general area. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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9:12 a.m. - Just spotted as well. Feeding. -Photo by Toby Black, August 28
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9:00 a.m. - San Juan Clipper crew spotted a Humpback Whale 1.3 miles south of Possession Point. Was pointed north on the last dive we observed, but was milling beforehand. -Justine Buckmaster

August 27
T060's passing through Race Rocks Ecological Reserve on the evening of August 27th. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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With no sign of the long, hot summer abating, Mystic Sea enjoyed pristine weather conditions from the moment we left the marina and headed towards Port Angeles where we encountered the T60 transient orca family hunting down a seal, the sound of their powerful exhalations carrying across the glassy calm waters. After a lot of tail-slapping and circling, the orcas still on scene rapidly changed gear to catch up with the other members of the pod, porpoising at speed in the shadow of the Olympic Peninsula.... -Sandra Pollard, Author/Naturalist
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August 27 - 7:00 p.m. - 5 Biggs, large male just milling together with lots of surface blows. Just north of Bellingham--Ketichkan ferry route. Middle of Strait of Georgia between Eastland on Orcas Island and Lummi Bay. Could be resting. 48 46N - 122 48W. -Carol Knight
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4:00 p.m. - 6 or more Orcas are west of Patos Island. In between Tumbo and Patos heading south. -Paul Sewell
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8:45 AM Aug 27 around Moresby Island. One hour tracking. So Peaceful, no whale watching boats. Sorry, no good pics. Hope you can identify these 5 transients. looks like maybe one subadult with mother. Fair number of seals plus harbour porpoises in immediate vicinity but no sign of making a kill. -Cheers Peter Mcallister
(ID notes by Dave Ellifrit, center for Whale Research: "It's the T65As at least.")
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August 27 - Juan de Fuca - What a Fluking awesome morning with 30-40 Humpback whales off Jordan River...Was able to get at least 16 different ID shots! BCZ0366 "Caspian," BCYuk2015#1 "Smiley," BCYUnknown"T'Souke", BCX0158 "Kappa," Humpback CS334. The Juan De Fuca Strait is ALIVE! -Paul Pudwell
(This and below ID's by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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August 27 - Salmon Bank - ...As if this breathtaking experience of nature was not enough, we were fortunate to spot a humpback whale near Salmon Bank on our return, and hope that whatever injury this whale sustained along the dorsal ridge has not impacted it's ability to survive. -Report by Sandra Pollard, Photo by Richard Snowberger, August 27

August 26
South side of Blakely Island. 5 orcas. Looked like 3-4 females and one male. Traveling east. 8:10pm 8/26/2017. They were Orcas. And 100% sure of what we saw. It was from the Washington state Ferry from Victoria to Anacortes, the Ferry crew even announced it on the intercom. Location of south Blakely Island verified on the GPS. -Jeffery Johansen
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A picture perfect windless day, we headed to Canada to see Transient/Biggs killer whales, the T34s, some T36s and T37s. A long trip but so worth it, we found the whales west of Tumbo Island, and were fortunate to watch them slowly trending NE towards Point Roberts. So many beautiful islands including Patos with the lighthouse, and we stopped to watch harbor seals by Sucia Island. Harbor porpoise were easy to spot in such calm conditions. A magnificent day, thank you Mystic Sea for going those extra miles. -Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist.
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California transients male CA20, and females CA54 and CA177, found off Jordan River around noon on Aug 26 by Sooke Whale Watching and identified by Eagle Wing Tours (also on scene) via Jared Towers (DFO) and Alisa Schulman-Janiger (California Killer Whale project. The CA Ts were with the T60s before the two groups abruptly parted company, with the CAs heading west toward Cape Flattery and the T60s heading east toward Victoria. The three CA transients are usually seen travelling together. -Photo by Val Shore, August 26, 2017
(California killer whales visit BC Saturday! Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours encountered a trio of "exotic" outer coastal Bigg's transient killer whales on 26 August - including three of our California killer whales: male CA20 and females CA54 and CA177, with inner coastal Bigg's transients T60s. They were in the Juan de Fuca Strait, several miles off Jordan River, Vancouver Island. Sooke Coastal Explorations first encountered them, and then Eagle Wing came on scene - including Captain Chris Bane and Naturalist Val Shore. They were likely feeding when Eagle Wing arrived, but the trio soon split off and quickly headed west toward Cape Flattery. Eagle Wing followed them for about 20 minutes before turning back to the T60s, who had headed east. This trio has been seen previously off BC. What an exciting update for our California Killer Whale Project: we have studied these whales for 30 years! -- Alisa Schulman- Janiger)
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WOW...What a beautiful day out west of Sooke today! With flat calm seas..we ventured out looking for our SRKW hopefully returning to the Salish Sea...not yet, but we were excited to find 2 Pods of Transient Killer Whales socializing & hunting with a few Humpback Whales feeding off Otter Point. Thank you Deanna Brett for letting me know you think you seen a "Whale", I said cool, that's what we are looking for! Our afternoon tour was excited to go see if the Transient Killer Whales we found in the morning were still heading our way...they sure were. Then we headed out west to off Jordan River to encounter 12+ Humpback whales. What a great Day! -Paul Pudwell
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Humpback whales - South Puget Sound - 12:54 p.m. - Whale changed direction and headed North East, last seen entering Commencement Bay at 12:54, still surface active.
12:37 p.m. - Adult Humpback Breaching and heading South West into Dalco Passage. Last seen between Vashon Island and Owen Beach. -Tony Collins & Desiree Sauve
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12:45 p.m. - Humpback whale spotted quarter mile south of Neil Point heading toward Tahlequah ferry dock. Breached multiple times. -Landon Newlin
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August 26 - North Puget Sound - 6:26 a.m. - Large humpback right off Edmonds dog park close to shore headed north.... re surfaced headed southwest towards Kingston. Unfortunately could not get ID. -Toby Black
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August 26 - Puget Sound - 7:00 pm - Two humpbacks are northbound at Point Robinson, Vashon mid channel.
6:06 p.m. - Just got a report of the whale near piner point on Maury island. -Amy Carey
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A friend and I were paddle boarding in Commencement Bay around 4:30 pm and we believe we saw the same two humpbacks (this in response to the 7pm report) there swimming around. We saw blowhole activity and then 2 tails up and down then nothing else. It was a cool sighting! -Stephanie Cheng-LaBoyne
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3:30 p.m. - Two humpbacks off Dash Point State Park. Two or more humpback whales, southbound. Frequent spouting, flukes sighted 6-8 times over a 45 minute period. Headed toward south Pt Ruston. We were under sail, they were initially headed due east toward Dash Point then headed south toward the southern end of the Point Ruston development. We sailed south with them but they easiy outran us. Last sighted about 4:20 p.m. and looked to be turning NW towards Point Defiance. 47 deg 19.38' X 122 deg 26.33'. -Michael Johnson
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12:45 p.m. - Humpback whale spotted quarter mile south of Neil Point heading toward Tahlequah ferry dock. Breached multiple times. -Landon Newlin
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I was not expecting to see a Humpback. The water was crazy busy with boats, kayaks and jet skis. When I looked out over the water ... I could see it was My Beautiful Humpback Breaching!!! West into Dalco Passage between Vashon and Owen Beach 12:45p.m . -Desiree Sauve
(I am calling this whale "Eclipse" for now since s/he keeps showing up. This whale was off Dungeness Spit, noon on the 27th...see above - ALB)
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August 26 - Juan de Fuca - Our afternoon tour was excited to go sea if the Transient Killer Whales we found in the morning were still heading our way...they sure were. Then we headed out west to off Jordan River to encounter 12+ Humpback whales. Afternoon: Humpback BCY Unknown "Entropy" off the Jordan River. BCX0158 Kappa with a few humpback whales feeding off Otter Point.. What a great Day! -Paul Pudwell

August 25
Another lovely day with T34s and T37s off Waldron and Spieden Islands. Lots of boats, watching them hunt, and seeing some of the youngsters getting some lessons. -Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 25
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Bigg's/Transient killer whales - This is what we mean when we say the whales are "on the rocks" - which the T34s, T36As, T37, and T37Bs were this afternoon at Reuben Tarte County Park on San Juan Island! We had a great shore-based encounter with more than 10 transients this afternoon! Here from top to bottom is T36A1, T37, and new little calf T34B. These whales made their way down San Juan Channel this afternoon, then came back up towards Spieden Island this evening when we got to see them again by boat. -Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, August 25
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Puget Sound - 3:28 p.m. - A humpback just crossed the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry lane headed north toward Hat Island. -Reports compliments of Rex Mikler. August 25 - Juan de Fuca - BCY0532 "Graze" - Another great day around Sooke with multiple Humpback whales, Sea Lions, Seals and our local Sea Otter...-Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 25, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network)
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Humpback BCX Unknown "Hemlock" around Sooke, BC today. -Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 25, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)

August 24
Always GREAT to sea the Transient Killer Whales / Biggs - T011 and T011a around Race Rocks today. These Transient (mammal eating) Killer Whales are a mother and son team. T011 is a 56 year old female and her son, T11A is 40 years old and is one of lagest Male Orca in our area! Seems they are regulars now around the Salish Sea. -Paul Pudwell
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We were at Sooke with T11 and T11A - nothing happend, just travel from Race Rocks in the back to Sooke...-Photo by Peter & Inge Pijpelink, August 24
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Coastal killer whales - Saw single orca fin from about 60 feet in the surf 5 miles north of Bandon, Oregon. Was kite boarding when fin was seen. Appeared to be traveling north. Very large black fin. August 24, 2017. -Morgan Garman
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August 24 - Puget Sound - Chilkat Expess left him/her just north of the Kingston/Edmonds ferry lane, mid channel, headed north at 4:05 pm. We first met up with this whale near Shilshole. It's been moving steadily north at about 5 knots since, pointed at Possession Point. We identified this individual as "Aerie" (BCYukKeta2015#1). (Not positive it's the same individual. (as 12:26 p.m. report) -Justine Buckmaster
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About 330/4 pm saw a humpback headed north past Edmonds (mid channel). -Toby Black
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12:26 p.m. - Just spotted humpback off the south side of Three Tree Point (Burien) near the white sailboat race buoy headed north. It surfaced and blew right before I was able to get the video going...it was so quiet it was totally spiritual to hear and see. -Kim Rouse Baumgartner

August 23
Last night (Aug 23) was pretty good! T137s doing their thing. T137A hunting along the shore of Galiano. -Photo by Gary Sutton
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T46B1 in hot pursuit of a Dall's porpoise near Hein Bank on Aug. 23. After some desperate zigging and zagging by the porpoise, the whales succeeded in having Dall's for lunch. -Photo by Val Shore, August 23, 2017
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13:01 - Northwest of Dungeness Spit. We were with the T46 B's today, they killed a Dall's and were feeding for some time. -Photo by Peter & Inge Pijpelink, August 23
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August 23 - Central Puget Sound - My son and his friend (see Ross Degrow photos below) were out kayak fishing in Rich Passage near the net pens this evening when a small humpback surfaced less than 100 yards off their kayaks. -Connie Bickerton
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A humpback surface in the golden waters of Rich Passage this evening. -Photo by Ross Degrow, August 23, 2017
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August 23 - North Puget Sound - 6:00pm - Looks to be a very large Humpback whale near North Edmonds shoreline! Hoping it's stays close by for a sunset portrait! -Stu Davidson
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5:15 p.m. - Humpback off the north shore of Hat Island. -Photo by Susan Wade, August 23, 2017
(This BCY Unknown matches the whale that was breaching her/his way southbound Admiralty Inlet August 19th as included in our last report w/additional photos in this section further down - ALB)

August 22
North Puget Sound - 5:12 pm - another humpback report: Single humpback midway between Scatchet Head on Whidbey and Apple Cove Point on the Kitsap Peninsula. Kind of going in circles. One or two breaths, then a deep dive for several minutes. No drama, but nice flukes. No money shots - keeping our distance. Not bad for Day 1. -Marjiann Moss and Marty Loken
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Five minutes off the dock passengers spotted a humpback which was doing wide circles between Possesion, Point No Point and Edmonds. She did some cartwheels, backwards tail lobs and then when we caught up to her on our way back, she did some lunge feeding in a bird pile! An unusual look at both her dorsal and rostrum while Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot" lunge feeds. -Janine Harles
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Ok saw a humpback once more today off the shipwreck south of Mukilteo this morning about 830 am. Midchannel milling about. I suspect "Two Spot" again it cannot confirm this morning. -Toby Black
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Eastern Juan de Fuca - Tues August 22nd trip report - an incredibly beautiful day with mill-pond conditions, we set out towards Protection Island to find a humpback whale, but en route had several "glimpses" of a minke whale! On by Smith/Minor Islands we were rewarded by seeing some Tufted Puffins, then onward to locate the humpback between Protection Island and Point Wilson. We had some great views of this whale, but he didn't show his fluke (tail) so no confirmed ID. Homeward bound we saw several harbor porpoise, and many harbor seals. Beauty everywhere. -Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist.
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Gray whales - August 22 - Oregon Coast - On highway 101 Gayle Swigart and I were wending our way north along the Oregon Coast. One of our stops was Hug Point, south of downtown Cannon Beach. There but 3 minutes when we spot the unmistakable heart-shaped blows of a gray whale just outside the the breaking waves! 4:35-5:25pm we watched her/him cruising back and forth foraging just on the outer edges of the rolling surf. We spread the word and with complete enthusiasm each person (eventually growing into a crowd from babies to elders) stopped to take in this majestic whale moving about in the sparkly surf of the Pacific Ocean. Stunning & profound two-day Solar Eclipse Totality adventure which included time with this whale. In talking with a couple on the beach we learned the whale had been around since at least 3:30 as they had watched the whale for an hour before we arrived further south. As we spread the word, a nice group gathered to watch the whale. People from babies to elders, from many countries around the world, watched in awe. Smiles abound. Hug Point, Cannon Beach. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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Minke whales - August 22 - 08:30 PM - Saw a minke whale out at the Mukilteo ferry dock between Whidbey Island and Hat Island. There was one minke whale seen. The Minke whale just appeared to be traveling at a slow pace and did not to be traveling with any rush out to Hat Island. I did not get the best look at the whale but I did see the dorsal fin for a quick sec and it seemed that the dorsal fin was very small and looked like a Minke whale but I can't be certain. -Austin King
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Unidentified whales - August 22 - Holmes Harbor/Saratoge Passage - A call came in at 7:52PM reporting a whale in Holmes Harbor, Whidbey island, heading south. The caller said it was a small whale with a dorsal fin. Possibly a minke or a humpback.
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At 7:40pm today, we saw 1 large whale spout and tail splash off of Beverly Beach, in Holmes Harbor, Whidbey Island. Gray or humpback whale. -Jill Kennedy
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Kathy Fritts relayed a report of whales off Hidden Beach/North Bluff area of Greenbank on Whidbey Island at 6:18 pm. They weren't sure of species, only reported seeing spouts, and that they were heading south in Saratoga Passage.

August 21
WOW...What a KILLER DAY! We were excited to sea multiple Pods of Transient / Biggs Orca hunting together around Sooke and Race Rocks on both our tours! The T11's and T18/19's with (T030 or T037's?) was just AMAZING! T19B glides by Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. -Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 21, 2017
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Henry Island, Saw a pod of at least 4 several times between 3-4 pm between Henry Island, Stuart Island and Sidney Island. Playing. Saw a large school of salmon finning. -Daren Anderson
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Active Pass - Humpback duo: around 6:30. Seen from the shore of Galiano Island in Active Pass, on a peaceful, sunny evening. Humpback BCZ0004 "Stripe" - Active Pass. -Photo by Karoline Cullen, August 21, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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August 21 - Admiralty Inlet - Approx. 3:40pm. Humpback travelling South/Southwest in Admiralty. Whidbey side of channel near Lagoon Point. -Margaret Marshall
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August 21 - North Puget Sound - 3:52 p.m. - Humpback in same spot as yesterday right now. East possession feeding in the current line. -Toby Black
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August 21 - Admiralty Inlet - Saw a whale off Ft Casey near the ferry around 2:00. -Vicki Frerichs
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August 21 - Penn Cove - Judy Lynn of Coupeville saw some spouts in Penn Cove at 10:45 am, between San de Fuca and the Wharf, heading in towards the end of the cove. She did not see them well enough to ID species

August 20
T124A1 hunting seals in the Three Islets, south east corner of Cortez Island, on the afternoon of August 20th. -Photo taken under permit #MML-001 by Mark Malleson, 2017
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Once again we were lucky to leave the dock on another bright, sunny morning in search of wildlife. Today we traversed more open water and slightly confused seas towards the Olympic Peninsula, where the T30 transient orca family were heading. With a young calf swimming in Mom's slipstream (the area of least resistance) we watched as the whales made steady progress towards Dungeness Spit. Our return journey was via Smith and Minor Island Aquatic Reserve, where we lucked out with sightings of a colorful Puffin (now listed as endangered in Washington State), and Golden and Bald Eagles keeping vigil for tasty morsels among the resting Pacific Harbor seals. Variety is, indeed, the spice of life. -Sandra Pollard, Author/Naturalist (Photos Richard Snowberger, Crew, using 300 mm + lens).
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August 20 - Saw 4-6 transients inside Echo Bay around noon today, we were pulling anchor when suddenly saw a bunch of whale boats outside Sucia Island. The whales came into Echo bay, circles along shore one of the finger shaped private islands and headed over to Matis Island. -Hans Loland
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August 20 - Haro Strait - 11:37 a.m. - Just arriving at Lime Kiln.
11:18 a.m. - Slowly moving north towards Lime Kiln. Long deep dives, big spouts.
11:16 a.m. - South of Lime Kiln, north of False Bay, 2 humpback whales. -Aena Burrell
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August 20 - North Puget Sound - 3:56 p.m. - South west of green can on east side of Possession bar about a half mile at most.
3:08 p.m. - Humpback off SE Possession. (southeast Whidbey). -Toby Black
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August 20 - WA Coast - 8:47 p.m Sara called back: Still watching whales and unsure of species - watching 10 whale spouts, then a few closer whales. Wondering if orca or humpback?
8:29 p.m. - Received a message from Sara Blair who reported a pod of orcas on the coast. Location: They are between Beach 4 and Kalaloch lodge (can see Destruction Island to the right). Seeing in the range of 7-10 whales, spouts milling around in circle with obvious black dorsal fins. 1 male 1 female. Looks like hunting, looks like traveling together, then circling in circle. While leaving a message there was much excitement: "a large adult male right in front of us really close to shore." -Sarah Blair
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August 20 - North Puget Sound - Don Rosie called with a night time report of hearing multiple blows, sounding like several orcas, off the south end of Camano Island from 9:30 to 11 pm.

August 19
T34 and new calf T34B off San Juan Island on the evening of August 19th. A simply beautiful night out on the water this evening between Waldron and San Juan Islands! We saw the T36As, T37, and T46s in one group and then the T34s and T37Bs in another. -Photo by Monika Wieland Shields
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T34's in the most incredible light. Saturday evening at Spieden Island. Thanks to Capt Shane of Island Adventures for the set up. Just minimal editing other than cropping. The light was amazing. -Photo by James Gresham, August 19
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T46's and T37's north of John's Island in San Juan Islands. We left them at about 2:30 and they were heading east. -Shelly Richer Edwards
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On August 19, 2017 I was with another paddle boarder and a friend mine who was in a kayak. We were approximately 500 meters off my property on the North East side of Gabriola Island (we face the Sunshine Coast & we have a property on Queequeg Turnabout). Approximately 200 meters further out, we saw multiple dorsal fins rising out of the water - we new they were Orcas. I fell in the water off my paddle board - we're not sure if this is what precipitated the next set of events, but the whales progressively got closer to us. The other paddle boarder and I made our way back to my property. The kayaker made his way back at a more leisurely pace. However, it was clear that the whales were now following him & he made his way back to a section off the shore (about 20 meters) that was too shallow for the whales to get into to. The whales then proceeded to rise (not jump, just surface) multiple times approximately 50 feet away from the kayaker. This show went on for about 10 minutes. After this they proceeded south down the straight. We would be grateful for any insights into what this behaviour could signify (were we prey or were they simply curious). -Kurt Wipp
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Bigg's/Transient killer whales - 1:12 p.m. - Spotted a very large pod of Orcas just outside of the entry point into Wescott Bay on San Juan Island. Probably 8-10 Orcas, one with a huge fin. Lots of whale boats around now. They just took a dive. They seem to be traveling north. (T46's, 37B's and maybe others. per James Gresham). -Jess Whitsitt
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Humpback whale BCY Uknown endearing those on shore at Bush Point and other places along the way. She/he was very active breaching and pec slapping her/his way down Admiralty Inlet this afternoon. -Photo by Gregory Roeben, August 19
(Included in previous reports, this whale was photographed near Clinton ferry dock July 22, 2017 and July 10th in Rosario Strait by Cypress & Blakley Islands)
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August 19 - Puget Sound (at least two whales) - 5:51 p.m. - Humpback whale CS631 "Two Spot" Northbound at Point No Point. -Bart Rulon, Chilkat Express
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6:35 p.m. - 10 mins ago there was poss a humpback that breached and was headed south. Between Mukilteo/Clinton Ferry. -Melissa Simmons
(Presumably Admiralty BCY Uknown -ALB)
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Between 5 and 5:30 today I spotted a humpback traveling from Edmonds Sunset Bay north passing Picnic Point & heading up the channel with Whidbey on the west side. Spotted him or her 3 separate times heading that path. -Lorraine Wilmoth
(Presumably Admiralty BCY Uknown - ALB)
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At about 1:25 p.m. - we saw a breach further south, off so. Mutiny Bay or Double Bluff. It was quite a distance from where we'd last seen the humpback we'd been watching breach, so not sure if it was the same whale or a 2nd.
1:10 p.m. - humpback nearing Point no Point near Hansville, still breaching, pec slapping and cartwheeling or tail lobbing with its entire body! -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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12:52 p.m. - Lots of activity in front of Mutiny Bay, possible humpback whale. Feeding. -Caron Mccune
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Dave and Karen Anderson called at 12:35, they think there are several humpbacks, breaching and pec slapping, seen between Windmill heights and Mats Mats Bay.
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Jan Bell called at 12:30, saying humpback is still traveling south from Bush pt and still breaching!
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12:27p.m. - Humpback BCY Unknown between Bush Pt. and Hansville. BCY Unknown had a great time heading down Admiralty today. It was slap, slap, slap, breach, breach, fluke, rinse and repeat all the way from at least Bush Point to Point No Point. Pectoral flippers were flying. -Photo by Howard Garrett, Orca Network, August 19
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We spotted what appeared to be a humpback whale from the beach in Mutiny Bay. It was traveling south. First spotted it closer to Bush Point and lost sight of it near Double Bluff. It was far from shore but we witnessed several breaches and huge splashes. Using binoculars, we could see it slapping the water with giant pectoral fins which is why I'm pretty sure it was a humpback. There were several boats very near it and I'm sure those guys got an amazing show. It was too far for us to photograph. It was within our sight for 30 minutes +. Very cool! I'd be interested to hear if you've had other reports. Feeding and playing. Several breaches (whole body except tail) and slapping the water with large pectoral fins. We first saw it a little before noon and lost sight of it around 1230 if I recall correctly. -Lindsey Goheen
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12:21 p.m. - Humpback just passed Bush Point headed south. -Photo by Gregory Rueben, August 19
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12:15 p.m.- Small humpback traveling south at Bush Point. Lots of activity and breaches. -Bill Pippine
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The Scotts reported a humpback between Lagoon pt and Bush Point at 12:07 p.m, breaching and very active, then at 12:12 p.m. reported it had passed Bush pt and was headed so. toward Mutiny Bay.
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8:15 a.m. - humpback? off President point, south of Kingston, Kitsap side. heading south. -Joanne Graves
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7:25 a.m. - Saw humpback from ferry, Kingston side just north of ferry. Saw a few blows and a dive. Heading east slowly. -Michelle Goll
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August 19 - North Puget Sound - I saw this whale at Point No Point on the 19th at Point No Point in the late afternoon 5 ish pm. From other postings I think it could be Humpback whale, CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot" but I am not sure. Attached 3 pictures. Anyone knows, where are the Two Spots that give her her name ?It was a joy to watch even if briefly as she disappeared after a couple of breathings on the surface. I am from Spain (physical oceanographer from the UW) and this is the first time I am able to report a sighting. Very cool!...All the best and keep it up ! Thank you for a job well done. -Alan Cantos
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Admiralty Inlet - (Included below are 2 more photos of this BCY Uknown from August 19th who was included in our last report (with ID fluke image). As noted above, this whale is a match to the humpback of August 23rd off the north side of Hat Island. And as noted in our previous report s/he is the same whale who was in Rosario Strait south of Pea Pod Rocks on July 10th and in Possession Sound near the Clinton ferry dock on July 22nd - ALB)
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BCYUnk left pectoral flipper (underside) Bush Point. -Photo by Greg Goeben, August 19, 2017
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August 19 - WA Coast - Saturday we watched grey whales feeding close to shore. There was a smelt run, apparently. We are 99% sure we saw a humpback mixed in, off and on. We watched them for about 3 hours close to Kalaloch. Leslie Cummings
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Juan de Fuca - ...yesterday, (Aug 19) I planted myself at around the same time as the previous viewing and saw whale activity around a little point at the east end of Bullman Beach. (Sekiu) I immediately grabbed my camera and headed to the beach. Within minutes there were whales, two this time; an adult and a young one. Seemed there were "lessons" being taught, about stirring up the bottom with their fins. I followed them down the beach for over 100 yards, shooting as I went. They seemed then to hit a place along the bottom that was not to their liking and they headed out into deeper water. -Scott Hartman

August 18
At 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning we saw three orcas heading northwesterly at the north end of Matia Island. -Sarah Lauby Brouwer
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2 reports today from WSF:
1) 7:58 a.m. - 3 orcas off Upright Channel heading N, reported by ferry Tilikum;
2) 8:15 - ferry Yakima reports a larger pod joined with those 3 going up Upright, headed either through Peavine Pass or toward Eastsound.
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Puget Sound - 6:22 p.m. - Humpback whale "Two Spot" CS631/CRC16017, just west of Possession Point, looks to be feeding but trending south. Humpback whale, CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot", was back in Puget Sound...She is a regular visitor and seems to prefer the areas between Possession Point and Point No Point, for the most part. -Photo by Renee Beitzel, August 18
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August 18 - WA Coast - Gray whale live strands off Washington Coast. Late Friday night a dramatic rescue effort by members of NOAA Fisheries' West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network freed a young gray whale that had been stranded on a remote beach at Olympic National Park (pictured here Friday morning) for about three days. Successful rescues of stranded large whales are rare, and we're grateful to the many marine mammal experts, National Park Service staff, volunteers and others who dropped everything and hurried to the scene in hopes of saving this whale. A pulley system rigged up in the nick of time helped the team to maneuver the whale into the surf at high tide at 10:19 p.m. and then, suddenly, the whale was gone! "The mission at one point seemed like it was failing with little progress made and the whale not seeming to be able to help and even appearing to turn back toward shore," said John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research Collective. "Then, at the last possible moment, with the whale in about four feet of water in the surf and the harness released, the whale started to swim." "A cheer went up in the darkness and the assembled team stood shining lights into the darkness and mist, stunned at the apparent turn of events and success," Calambokidis recalled. -NOAA Fisheries West Coast - Science & Management

August 17
Sighting on West side of Cypress Island (8/17 at 3:00pm). I was on a boat cruise and we sighted these 3-4 Orcas (Transients, I presume) on the West side of Cypress Island, close to shore. Looked like they were hunting. -Photo by Joe Little, August 17, 2017
(ID notes by Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research based on this and other photos: " I see T36B in there")
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Great to SEA the Transient Killer Whales (T11 & T11a) "Rainy" and "Wakana" east of Sooke hunting close to shore at Williams Head, Pedder Bay & Albert Head on our nautical afternoon tour...Mother and son team. T11 is a 54 year old female and her son, T11A is 39 years old. Although this pair looks almost identical to a Southern Resident Killer Whale, there are many differences. Residents are fish eaters (feeding mainly on Salmon in our waters), Transients are mammal eaters feeding on seals, porpoise, birds, sea lions and young baleen whales. -Paul Pudwell
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5:30 PM - WS Ferries reports the ferry Yakima delayed leaving the Orcas Island ferry terminal due to a pod of orcas surrounding the ferry landing. No numbers or direction of travel given. (That was the T36Bs! - Traci Walter)
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While there continue to be lots of transient orcas around the Salish Sea, it has been pretty slim pickings for those of us trying to watch whales from the shores of San Juan Island over the last couple weeks. Today I did manage to catch the T30s as they headed south through Cattle Pass. -Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, August 17
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Yes this was the T30's - we were on scene and stayed with them as they explored Griffin Bay and exited Cattle Pass approx 6pm. 6 animals. -Barbara Howitt
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Saw pod of 5-6 go by Spencer Spit about 3:30 pm. Came in through Thatcher Pass and were headed toward north end of Upright Channel. -Sheila Guard
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Another lovely day with Ts/Biggs orcas...this time the T30 group, who I hadn't seen before. Caught up with them at MacArthur Bank a little before noon, and they slowly moved east into Rosario Strait, then turned north up Thatcher Pass where we left them at around 2:30. (stopped for a sightseeing tour in-between watching this group)Lots of close swimming, surfacing together, and the new baby (7-8 months old or so) is adorable, little T30B2, hanging out with her/his uncles and sibling. -Bonnie Gretz
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August 17 - Juan de Fuca - On our morning tour we decided to adventure out west of Sooke always hoping to find our SRKW returning to the Salish Sea...Not yet...But as always were excited to encounter over 20 Humpback whales feeding in some nice calm water with a smooth swell. -Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 17
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Unidentified whales - August 17 - 11:13 a.m. - surfaced again. (in Cattle Pass, between Cattle Point and Goose Island last surface directionally NNE bound San Juan Channel)
10:38 a.m. - About three spaced out breaths of a single moving blow hole, with a peak of (smelly!) baleen cetacean (tail fin) and then nothing. From Cattle Point Beach shore! If anyone in the area sees anything let us know. Minke? Humpback? -Mana Rahl

August 16
We saw 3-4 orcas (transients) in Buck Bay near Olga on Orcas Island about 6 pm on Wednesday 8/16/17, traveling south toward Obstruction Pass. I have never seen them here before! -Photo by Jackie Derksen Chester, August 16, 2017
(T137s were who entered Eastbound this day per previous report)
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T11A Rainy. What a great day! 20+ Humpback whales off Jordan River in the morning and Transient Killer Whales South West of Race Rocks in the afternoon...WOW! -Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 16, 2017
(reported as T11&11a w/tT36b's, but T11s were wi/T46Bs earlier. We are working on confirming who was w/T11s in afternoon - ALB)
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Spent the morning with T11A and T46Bs 2 miles east of race rocks. They were heading west. Here are some photos of the encounter. More photos in the comments. There were more orcas in the distance so I can only assume one was her (T11). It looked like T11A was trying to mate. -Danielle Pennington
(ID Confirmation by Melisa Pinnow, CWR)
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The T137's are back in town! We just love this incredible family group of 4 orcas. We haven't seen them for quite a while, so who knows where they have been! They ventured all the way into Eastsound on Orcas island too! These images were taken on the Western Explorer PM trip on August 16th. We got to see so much wonderful behavior in a short time. We caught up with them as they were traveling, then they took a turn and a stop at Olga for a family seal snack and some socializing! A beautiful evening on the water here for sure! -Western Prince WW
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Saw 5 today in East Sound headed toward Rosario. Was told they were transients. Amazing sight. -Tami Stukey
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12:35 p.m. - Pod of 3-4 orcas rounding the North West side of Shaw island headed east. Gary Peterson
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T137A close Spieden Channel off the north end of San Juan Island. -Photo by Peggy Mauro, August 16
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8:46 a.m. - T137s, past San Juan County Park now. -Monika Wieland Shields
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August 16 - Juan de Fuca - BCYUnknown "Atlas". What a great day! 20+ Humpback whales off Jordan River in the morning...-Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 16
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(August 16th reports from Liberty Bay and Suquamish MAY include 2 different whales of which one is a probable gray. The only documentation received is video from later in the afternoon that we shared with staff at Cascadia Research, John Calambokids replied: "I think gray whale from lack of dorsal fin but hard to confirm without seeing coloration.")
- Central Puget Sound - I just spotted in Miller Bay - quick up for air and down! Its staying down for long. long stretches. I only saw a brief blow between 7:45-7:50 pm w/ no fluke. -Donna Green Van Renselaar
- Whale at Suquamish dock 6:30. -Jen Matchem
Friends JUST got here about 4:30pm They thought I was just joking when I pointed and screamed "whale". I ran and grabbed the kayaks and we jumped in the water.. Paddled out Manzanita Bay and this is who we found (see video) In all of the excitement, I thought it was a humpback as I paddled with one there last year. But this whale took quick short breaths and 2-3 minute dives. NEVER saw a fluke. Sorry the video isn't better but we were respectfully a good distance away and this is from my cell phone all zoomed in to the max. We paddled with it from along shore as it traveled north to the Agate Pass Bridge (6:00pm) What an amazing experience. Hearing it was a Minke? Feel free to share this video with those who can help us id this guy. -Kimberly Sylvester-Malzahn
(ID notes by John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research: ""I think gray whale from lack of dorsal fin but hard to confirm without seeing coloration.")
(John Nesby was the first to report this whale, here are his comments after viewing Kim's video: "The motion of this breach looks exactly like what we saw. I'm pretty convinced now that I did not see a dorsal fin, but rather just a raised back followed by the tail (I think in the excitement I assumed all whales have dorsal fins). This sighting was a first for me, in front of my house. But this video very much looks like what we saw. It's hard to compare size from the video but it is certainly similar. I feel like this animal in the video "could" be larger than what I saw. Lastly the one thing we are both certain of are the white spots. We saw them clearly on the second sighting that was so close to shore. I can't tell from the video if there are spots. That rolling motion from the video is definitely what we saw yesterday though")
1:24 p.m. - I'm watching it. It pops just its back up for a moment then takes long dive times. Can't confirm species. No direction of travel. It's been in the same place roughly for the last 20 mins. He/she was too quick. So far no surface behaviors. -Melinda Barajas
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12:31 p.m. - they were heading into the bay and I haven't seen them leave yet. A research boat just came in a few minutes ago
11:48 a.m. - Heads up! Whales swimming into Liberty Bay (Poulsbo) right now! Not Orcas, more of a grey looking whale. I'm not an expert at all on whales. I was fishing on Lemolo Point and my son saw them. I thought he was mistaken and saw a seal. Then BOOM! Big show about 75 yards off shore across from Keyport. It was really special to see. We saw an exhale but it wasn't big like I see on TV, it was subtle. They were close enough to the shore (Poulsbo side across from keyport) that we could hear it. They sort of rolled like a wave and yes I think they had a dorsal fin. We saw the backs of them not really the head. My super untrained eye would guess an animal of around 20 feet or so. Also it appeared to have a few white spots on the otherwise grey skin. Almost like big barnacles. We think we saw 2 animals. They went from Lemolo then went out into the wide part of the channel at the mouth of Liberty Bay under the Big Power Lines that cross the bay. (see John's comments above under Kim Malzhan's video). -John Nesby
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Aug 14-16 - We watched many Grays, morning, noon and night off Kalaloch Aug 14, 15, & 16 (Heaven!). Rolling very close to shore, etc. We didn't see many Weds afternoon after the youngster stranded. I saw no Orcas. -Susan Oseth

August 15
The T46s (including T122) Strait of Georgia. Left to right, T122, T46 (front), T46E (back), T46F (front), and T46D (back). -Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, August 15, 2017
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We are really amazed at the hunting style of the Transient Killer Whales (T60s) They really know how to "hug" the shore line and push through Kelp beds to find their prey! We were fortunate enough to witness at least one quick chomp of a harbour seal that was shared by all the pod...Lost them in the fog south west bound from Beachy Head. -Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 15
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At least 3 orcas spotted on a BC ferry leaving Mayne Island today at 5:45pm! They we're pretty close to Mayne, the ferry had only been moving for a few minutes. They must have been heading in the opposite direction of us and back towards Mayne because after they went under and disappeared the whale watch boat that was watching them continued on in the direction we had just come from. I think it was a whale watch boat from Orcas Island? Very exciting to see! -Erin Campbell
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Haro Strait - The mamas T99 and T65A. T65As & T99s passed SJ County Park NB at 9am today. They covered some serious ground the last two days. T65A4 has something in his/her mouth. T65A2 (I call him "Chaser" because he's still fine tuning his hunting skills) showing off the chip in his tail flukes. -Photo by Ariel Yseth, August 15
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Coastal killer whales - August 15 - Washington Coast - 10:00 a.m. - David Kamper called in a report of 3 orcas off Hobuck, south of Neah Bay, heading north.
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August 15 - California Coast - Forwarded by Scott Mercer: "First time Sighting sender, 3 decades of reading. Thank you for this column! 8/15/17 @ about 4:30 from Moat Creek Bluff. Confirmed two. Large and very fast moving parallel to shore with all black dorsal fins showing at times. A few minutes before the sighting there were a few individual sea lions moving quickly in same direction. You know how it goes. A few quick seconds of pure magic." (moat Creek is at Pt Arena in Mendocino County) -Jeff and Anna Springer
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August 15 - Juan de Fuca - We found this humpback near Hein Bank today, it had long down times, breached when we first got there, then barely broke the surface after that. -Photo by Janine Harles, August 15, 2017

August 14
Juan de Fuca - T55 and her son T55A - Another amazing day with the Transient / Biggs Killer Whales T055's & T37's around Sooke today. In the morning we encountered them from Race Rocks Lighthouse to Sooke than in the afternoon we visited them from Sooke Harbour to Otter Point...Always Great to sea! -Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 14
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August 14 - 6:07 p.m. - they've split. Some are heading north along whidbey shore while the others continue to mill in the same spot.
5:43 p.m. - The encounter at Ebeys Landing even more amazing. They made a kill close to shore. Some breaches and cartwheels and tail lobs. Still milling just off Ebeys Landing.
5:15 p.m. - viewing from Ebeys Landing northbound, further offshore than ft Casey but still easy to see without binos.
4:40 p.m. - Omg they just passed ft Casey insanely close to shore. You could see them under the water swimming. I was shrieking so loud, wow. 4:50 they are pushing NW offshore. Members of the T65As and T99s spend time close to shore off Fort Casey as they were exiting Admiralty Inlet. With the report of whales headed past Lagoon Pt, I rushed over to Ft Casey and made my way to the bluff. You could see the whales headed straight our way. But when they surfaced RIGHT there just offshore, I was freaking out! They were so close to shore, you could see them swimming underwater, their breaths shockingly loud. Then, I headed to Ebey's Landing. The whales weren't far off shore, but not as close as they had been. They went down, when suddenly some went porpoising back south, a few more porpoising from another direction, and yet more from another - the hunt was on! Whatever they went after appeared to dash for shore, as the whales started rapidly heading in towards shore. The water appeared to turn red and the gulls gathered above - the hunt over as quickly as it began. -Rachel Haight
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On our last day in Vancouver we took a Sunset BC Whale Tour out of Victoria, and encountered the T65As around 7:30-7:45p.m. off of Whidbey Island on the Strait of Juan de Fuca close to the Naval Station. It appeared they were eating, their behavior was active. -Patricia Villamill
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6:17 p.m. - Orcas of off Ebey. 3~5 of them. Most likely transients. It looks like the are just milling or some possible feeding. -Mac Kelly
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We saw 2 pods near fort Casey around 5pm. It was a dream come true to spend time with these clans! -Photo by Amanda Hughes, August 14, 2017
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4:40 p.m. - Approaching Fort Casey now.
3:53 p.m. - Whales are currently still northbound just south of Ebeys Landing. -Renee Beitzel
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4:25 p.m. - James Davis called from Seacrest Lane, which is way inside the bay east of the Keystone ferry landing. About 4-5 orcas were about 1/2 mile from the beach for about an hour. Then they went west and have probably rounded Ft. Casey by now heading north.
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At about 2:50, 3 Orcas passed Lagoon Point very close to Whidbey Island. Appeared to be two adults and one juvenile. Heading quickly north. -Margaret Marshall
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T65As and T99s passed Point No Point headed North around 12:45pm. They were moving fairly quickly, but when they got due north of the north side of the point they appeared to stop and hunt. There were a series of breaches, followed by several whales heading back south briefly. I couldn't determine if the hunt was successful or not. I never saw any gulls gathering, and there were many in the area. After this brief break, the matrilines continued their northward travel. -Connie Bickerton
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A member of either the T65As or T99s breaching off Point No Point, Kitsap. -Photo by Cindy Harley, August 14, 2017
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Bigg's/Transient killer whales - August 14 - Sooke Harbor - 1:22 p.m. - Transient Killer Whale T55's came right into Sooke Harbour for the last half hour and are now leaving past Whiffin Wpit...-Paul Pudwell
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August 14 - Puget Sound - At about 2:50 p.m. - 3 Orcas passed Lagoon Point very close to Whidbey Island. Appeared to be two adults and one juvenile. Heading quickly north. -Margaret Marshall
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1:15 p.m. - After making their way up Puget Sound (and killing a couple of smaller cetaceans) they spent time hunting again about 1/2 mile off Point No Point, Hansville, Kitsap. Some breaching, tail lobbing, headstand, and directional changes. When we left about 1:15pm, they seemed pretty committed to steady northbound travels up Admiralty Inlet, loosely grouped just north of Hanseville still very much on Kitsap side of channel.
12:45 p.m. - we just go back to just south if Point No Point cut engines and they hauled really fast right past us northbound towards Point No Point about 1/2-1 mile offshore. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
Video of the T65As & T99s who were traveling, socializing, hunting & engaging in all manner of behaviors together in Puget Sound earlier this month. (Encounter reports already included in previous Wahle Sighting reports) -Video by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network August 14
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12:45 p.m. - Came past Eglon going north and headed towards Whidbey side. I'm now at Point No Point keeping an eye out for them. -Tracie Jenkins
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11:45 a.m. - Pods spread drifting while prey sharing. They are still south of the boat launch at Eglon in glassy calm waters. Circling, logging, spy hops, lazy tail lobs. Super close passes to idle boats. We left at 11:50 they were still drifting northbound.
11:15 a.m. - Now on the hunt, a lot of churning water, lots of surface activity, breaching... groups have come together and are on a harbor porpoise kill south of Eglon, Kitsap.
11:05 a.m. - pods have split. T65As steady northbound approaching Eglon T99s turned inshore, now cruising shoreline about a mile trailing.
10:45 a.m. - passing Apple Cove Point, Kingston steady northbound in travel mode, grouped tight. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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10:50 a.m. - passed Apple Tree Point Kingston, steady northbound towards Point No Point. -Sara Frey
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10:00 a.m. - Just passed President point on the Kitsap side, heading north toward Kingston. whale watching boat following so easy to find. -Joanne Graves
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10:08 a.m. - meandering northbound still close to Kitsap just south of and on approach to Kingston ferry. Some long dives. Some surface activity. T65As s and confirmed T99s. Thanks to Renee Beitzel, Chilkat for confirming Justine's ID's.
9:50 a.m. - We just relocated them just north of Point Jefferson heading north still close to Kitsap side. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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9:00 a.m. - San Juan Clipper viewed them south of Point Jefferson heading north close to shore on the Kitsap Peninsula side. T65As and T99s traveling together. -Justine Buckmaster
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8:25 a.m. - headed back north toward Fay State Park. They are near shore. -Michelle Savoie
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Approaching Fay Bainbridge this morning...8:15am. The orcas were pretty close to shore, and as they approached Fay Bainbridge they made a slow steady turn NE toward mid-channel! 13-year-old male T65A2. -Photo by Sue Larkin, August 14
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7:30 a.m. - watching them in Rolling Bay from Skiff Point. They were in some pretty shallow water there for awhile--right where stuff gets exposed at low tide. Saw a few good breaches and tail slaps. They moved into deeper water now but are still milling about. Slowing trending northwards. -Lynn Batson
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7:15 a.m. - They are currently milling just South of Fay State Park. Looks like they just got some breakfast. -Michelle Savoie
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WA State Ferries called to relay a report from the ferry Wenatchee, of five orcas northbound near their WSF maintenance facility at Eagle Harbor, Bainbridge Island at 5:50 am.
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August 14 - Central Puget Sound - 5:54 p.m. - sailing off Shilshole. Just saw a whale (not orca) crossing the shipping lanes headed from West Point to Port Madison in direction. We definitely saw a small dorsal. It was swimming at a good pace but surfaced and spouted multiple times as it crossed our bow path. We got a great view of its tail also as it dove. We all thought it looked like a humpback tail (and dorsal), but I wasn't certain as I hadn't heard any recent reports of humpbacks in Puget Sound. -Jan Lewis-Newby
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August 14 - North Puget Sound - Posted at 4:35 p.m. - We just saw a whale about 5 minutes ago-we both saw blows and Harley saw its back-he thinks it was a gray but we aren't sure. It was pretty close to shore just north of Mukilteo ferry dock and right after ferry left. Wow-totally unexpected-it has been a most interesting day on the water, for sure! -Harley Clark

August 13
Juan de Fuca - Another great adventure around Sooke with multiple pods of Transient / Biggs Killer Whales today! We encountered the first pod 5 minutes from our docks at Salty Towers and were able to see them hunting very close to shore east bound all the way to Race Rocks and than had the pleasure with another Pod just South West of Race travelling west...Seen a Breaching Humpback from the distance and of course Sea Lions and our local Sea otter...What another great day! -Paul Pudwell
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August 13 - Rosario Strait - Exhilarating sea conditions and a blustery breeze welcomed Mystic Sea's foray into Rosario Strait today where we encountered the T65A transient orca family, heading southbound and with purpose for Colville Island, off Lopez, a favored spot for Pacific harbor seals and maybe lunch! With a further report of another transient pod in the area, Mystic Sea navigated the narrow channel past Peapod Rocks, where half-a-dozen Bald Eagles kept vigil for an easy meal. -Sandra Pollard, Author/Naturalist
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T65A's in Thatcher Pass. -Photo by James Gresham, August 13, 2017
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Orca at West Beach on Sunday AM 9-9:30 AM. I did get some pics (not close) from West Beach, Oak Harbor of about 5 Orca going north in Strait of Juan de Fuca. -Teri Wise
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Dorothy Layer on West Beach Rd., Whidbey, just south of the Naval Air Station and Joseph Whidbey State Park, witnessed at least 3 orcas at 9AM this morning, apparently slapping and biting an adult seal that apparently got away in the high surf or somehow arrived on her beach, quite dead but without any obvious major wounds. No photos or direction was given.

August 12
Haro Strait - 7:45 p.m. - Killer whales in Haro Strait around Smuggler's Cove: On Saturday August 12th we went sunset kayaking out of Snug Harbor with Crystal Seas Kayaking, and paddled south hugging the coast. When we reached the Smugglers Cove we saw a Bold Eagle hunting about 200 yards from the coast, we also saw birds circling the area. A few minutes after few spouts were seen and sure enough a group of about 4-5 Killer Whales (probably Transients were moving slowly north, probably through Mosquito Bay when we lost sight of them. A few people also saw them from homes around Smugglers Cove. We were the only ones out there. It was so awesome! traveling slowly northbound. -Patricia Villamill
(T60s were ID'd in our last report dated August 14th. This group may have included the T10s who have been traveling with them earlier in the day and days prior. - ALB)
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Orca Network Staff, On August 12th at about 6 PM, about 4-800 yards into Ludlow Bay, just off Tala Point, in as little as 12 feet of water (by sonar readout), we were surprised by some Orcas while pulling our crab pots. There was a small group of four Orcas, including what appeared to be a Mother, an adolescent, a younger adolescent/older calf and a calf. When I was younger, I worked with Dr. John Lilly for 1 week in Palo Alto; a full summer in Florida and a bit of time at UC Santa Cruz with Dr. Randy S. Wells; and 1 month with Dr. Lewis Herman in Hawaii on their projects. My family has had a condo on the water in Port Ludlow for more than 18 years, and we have never once seen Orcas in the bay. I have seen Gray whales once for about 4 days, porpoises fairly frequently, seals fairly frequently, a sea lion once in a while, and sea otters often. I believe I have correctly IDed the Mother, due to her larger size, but small dorsal fin. We were stopped pulling our pots when we heard the blows and saw them coming at us. They stayed around us anywhere from a couple of hundred yards to as close as 8-10 feet away. They swam around us, and headed away and then back at us several times. The younger adolescent seemed to enjoy approaching us, and did so several times near the end of their time in the bay. Initially, within about 1 - 2 minutes of first seeing them, either the mother or the larger adolescent came abruptly out of the water throwing a seal 10-15 feet into the air, to our great surprise. There was then some roiling of the water in a bit of a frenzy and we never see the seal again.
All three of the younger Orca appeared to be playing and tail slapping the water relatively gently, with one breaching with it's body fully out of the water, but not jumping way up and out, essentially it skimmed across the surface fully out of the water. At one point either the Mother or the adolescent stuck it's head far out of the water, nearly to it's pectoral fins, and seemed to be taking a look at us. The younger adolescent seemed to enjoy swimming near us, and did so, including a small, 1/2 submerged breach behind us. At least three times we thought they were headed back out of the bay, then, we would see them come back our way. We were not sure if they were chasing fish, or just having a good time, or something else entirely. When the Mother, the adolescent and smallest calf finally headed out of the bay permanently the younger adolescent continued to stay and swim around us for several more minutes, and then finally disappeared, and apparently headed out to join the rest on their way out of the bay. When they were a good 1/2 mile away from us and did not seem to be turning around again to come back our way, we finished dealing with our crab pots and headed back to the marina to go home.
This entire event lasted between 35 - 60 minutes, but we were not keeping track of time because we were so amazed they were there at all! I am waiting to receive the videos and photos of them, as sadly, I did not even have my cell phone with me in order to take photos of the mugs, saddle patches nor dorsal fins, which I would have been happy to have done. But, if there are good images when I get them from the others, I will send them along for your database and identification. Of course, I would love to know who we saw if you have them ID, and I suspect you do.
Sincerely, Greg C. Brown, M.S., ISA AM.
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Juan de Fuca/Haro Strait - 7:45 p.m. - T60C among 5 or 6 others that just passed SJ County Park. Northbound 1945. -Ariel Yseth
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Our Naturalist Katie found Orcas near Trial Island this afternoon around 2.20pm. They were identified as the T60's & T10's and travelled north along Trial then into Oak Bay and then around the Chain Islets. The Orcas were observed making several kills. -Andrew Lees
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August 12 - Admiralty Inlet - 6:00 p.m. - T37As southbound very slowly at south of Marrowstone Island at Oak Bay, Olele Point. -Bart Rulon, Chilkat
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August 12 - San Juan Channel - 3:33pm - 5 Orcas now, as well. San Juan Channel, heading north (northend). -Anna Stevens
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August 12 - Saratoga Passage - 8:20 p.m. - 2 Humpbacks (1 small) just went by our place on Whidbey, Saratoga passage headed towards Holmes Harbor. -Photo by Aaron Gill, August 12, 2017
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August 12 - Admiralty Inlet - 5:29 p.m. - Humpback whale off of Bush Point. Middle Channel. Heading inland. It only surfaced once. It looked like there was a whale watching boat following it toward mutiny bay. -Kristi Amrine
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August 12 - San Juan Channel - 1:42 p.m. - Just south of Spieden Island in the San Juan Channel - humpback playing around. -Anna Stevens
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Minke whales - August 12 - 2:10 p.m. - Spotted one Minke whale, just south of Useless Bay off Whidbey, a quick surfacing before a dive. Feeding. -Caryn Taylor
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August 12 - Spieden Channel - We headed west via the San Juan Islands to escape the fog, and what a treat to find sunshine! Pretty quiet "out there" today but we found a humpback whale - zig-zagging his/her way close to Spieden Island. We had some good views of this whale before circumventing Spieden Island, where we found many harbor seals hauled out, several bald eagles, ravens and turkey vultures arguing over a carcass. We returned to port under sunny and clear skies, great to have our good weather back! -Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist.

August 11
T060C during a seal hunt at the mouth of Victoria harbour on the afternoon of August 11th. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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August 11 - Saratoga Passage - We have no photos of the morning sighting near Freeland, but heard the distinctive blowing and saw (obscured somewhat by waves and sunset lighting), a humpback cruising by, 300 feet offshore, 1/2 mile of Beverly Beach on the east side of Homes Harbor at 8:30 PM last night, Aug.11. -Bruce Schwager
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Saw a blow from Fox Spit looking like mid channel between Bells Beach (Whidbey) and Camano 7:45 pm heading south. -Marilyn Armbruster
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Saw a couple blows off Fox Spit (Saratoga Passage) this evening around 7:25pm. Headed Southeast. -Ann Brockenbrough
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7:10 p.m. - The San Juan Clipper crew spotted a blow off of Saratoga (North of Langley). Never saw it resurface but it appeared to be headed south along the Whidbey shoreline. -Justine Buckmaster
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5:22 p.m. - Just saw one large whale, possibly humpback, directly in front of Madrona Beach on Camano heading south. -Lise Place
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2:00 p.m. - Just saw a humpback (guessing) in Penn Cove by Three Sisters Market. 2:00. Went down and haven't seen since. Looked to be heading east. -Katie Davis Watkins
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7:30 to 8:00 AM - One, possibly two humpback whales rolling and spouting, cruising back and forth approx. 300' offshore of Freeland Park in Holmes Harbor on South Whidbey. Feeding, cruising east and west. -Bruce Schwager
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Dolphins - August 11 - We saw a Pacific white-sided dolphin just north of us on the 2:30 Kingston to Edmonds ferry crossing. I didn't get pictures, but I've seen common dolphins before. This dolphin jumped up, so I saw it clearly and it wasn't a common dolphin. I looked up pictures when I got home, and the markings and size were consistent with the Pacific white-sided dolphins. It was pretty cool to see! -SJ Siff (email)

August 10
After hearing reports of the T10s and T60s near the Chain Islets, Dave and Michael headed down to the boat and left Snug Harbor around 1020. We finally arrived on scene about four miles south of Discovery Island at about 1100. The whales were in a fairly tight group pointed east at first but soon turned south. The whales zig-zagged quite a bit but generally headed south or southeast. T10C and T60C often dropped behind the others to socialize with one another...T10B was not present during this encounter. We only know of a few T10 encounters in 2017 but T10B has not been seen since 2016...Also, T60C appears to have had someone or something bite him near the top of his dorsal fin... -Full encounter report & photos at Center for Whale Research Encounter 61.
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Another lovely day with Transients! Caught up with the T10 and T60 group south of Hein Bank. T10 matriarch (center w/notch, 1963 est. birth year) travels with her family & the T60s. The two big males, T60, who apparently has a new scar and back slanted tip of his dorsal fin, and I believe T10C were mostly staying close together. The matriarch, T60 was there as well as a fairly young calf. -Bonnie Gretz
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I was fortunate to spend time with a beautiful group of transient/Biggs killer whales, the T10s and T60s, T60C sporting a fairly fresh injury on the back top edge of his dorsal fin. Sea lion bite maybe? , they look so plump and healthy! T10C and T60C spent a lot of time together, with T60C sporting a fairly fresh injury on the back top edge of his dorsal fin. Sea lion bite maybe? -Jill Hein
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August 10 - We had an epic day - minke whale at Salmon Bank, HB south of Beaumont Shoal, and caught up with the T10's and T60's at Smith Island - and saw 4 tufted puffins (the seas were very big, rolley and difficult to take photos). Never seen Smith Island up close and it was as cool as I thought it would be. T60D with T60F doing a spy hop at Smith Island. Lots of seals on a long sandy spit with crashing waves and Ts beside them. Some dilapidated light house on top. Lots of birds nestled in this huge Kelp forest along the island. Puffins flying here or there. Dreamland! -Barbara Howitt, All Aboard Sailing
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T060C and gang east bound along the south shoreline of Discovery Island on the morning of August 10th. -Photo by Mark Malleson
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The T060's and T010's skulking around the Chain Islands on the morning of August 10th. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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We went the extra mile today catching up with Transient / Biggs Killer Whales T10's and (T60s) South East of Victoria...Fog and some Nautical Seas didn't stop us... it was a real adventure and smiles all around! What will tomorrow bring? - Paul Pudwell
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August 10 - Sleepy Humpback Whale south of Beaumont Shoal. -Photo by Barbara Howitt, August 10, 2017
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Minke whale feeding at Salmon Bank off the south end of San Juan Island. -Photo by Barbara Howitt, August 10, 2017
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Unidentified whales - August 10 - West Seattle Blog (WSB) reader reported a whale passing by Lincoln Park northbound. Another commenter on WSB had the whale passing Alki at 5:00pm, thought to look like a gray whale and by the photo that looks possible.

August 9
It had been a long several days since we had last seen some of our favorite black and whites but tonight it all changed as the T18s thinned out the local harbor seal population a bit. Here's T19B "Galiano" tail slapping this evening at Flattop Island. -Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, August 9
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T019C at Chatham Island on August 9th. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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T019C hunting seals in the Chain Islands on the afternoon of August 9th. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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T019B startles a feeding pigeon guillemot as he skulks through the Chain Islands on the afternoon of August 9th. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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Another great day in the Salish Sea! We were excited to catch up to the T018's of the Transient / Biggs Killer Whales off of the Victoria Waterfront...-Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 9 ...visited a few of the many humpback whales around Race Rocks Lighthouse... -Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 9, 2017

August 8
Humpback whales everywhere from Sooke to Race Rocks to Victoria the last couple days! Even with FOGGY conditions we are able to find clearing skies here and there and with the cooperation with other vessel operators we are always welcome to encounter these gentle giants. Humpback whale MMY0024 off Race Rock Ecological Reserve... -Paul Pudwell

August 7


August 6
Dolphins - August 6 - 12:19 p.m. - Matt Graham reports 4 Common dolphins SW side of Fox island, circling, completely jumping out of the water doing barrel rolls. (12:35 p.m. These ones came right up to my boat (turned motor off).
(Facebook video confirms Common - ALB)
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After working our way through a spot of fog, Mystic Sea meandered between the San Juan islands and out through San Juan channel into the bigger swells of open water, where we encountered one of our regular Minke whales, 'Nick Jagger', near Salmon Bank. No need to ask why this Minke came by the name, although how Nick got 'the nick' is a mystery. Minkes are known to be rather shy and elusive, but today we were fortunate to see plenty of surface action including the streamlined, tapered head. While some of the growling Steller sea-lions posed and vied for the best position on Whale Rocks, others were content to doze in the hazy sunshine. Bald eagles and basking Pacific harbor seals with pups heightened our already rich wildlife viewing itinerary as we sailed past Lopez on our return to Anacortes. -Sandra Pollard, Author/Naturalist
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My wife and I were kayaking at 9:30 just north of Treasure Island, Case Inlet this evening, heard and saw 2 that sounded just like this 40 feet away. One breached vertically completely out of the water. It was pretty dark out, but still spectacular. Our best guess is that it was the same as these. -Eric Johnson

August 5
Bigg's/Transient killer whales - Everyday, you never know. We started the morning off with a couple Humpback Whales off shore of east Sooke. Then the fog / Lighting conditions improved and Spring Tide / Eagle Wing Whale Watching Company from Victoria found some Orca just South of Race Rocks. Great to sea these Transient Killer Whales again within a few days - T018's were Hunting around the Juan De Fuca Strait today! -Paul Pudwell
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Coastal killer whales - August 5 - WA Coast - Sightings Grays Harbor August 5th @ 0932. Several pictures of a pod we see underway that appeared to have two calves. -Photo by Jacob Hylkema, August 5, 2017
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Humpback whales - Everyday...you never know. We started the morning off with a couple Humpback Whales off shore of east Sooke... Paul Pudwell

August 4
Southern Residents - 12:43 p.m. - WOW...What a GREAT DAY! We had a feeling we would sea the Southern Resident Killer Whales around Sooke today after hearing some of our local fisherman catching many 30-40+ pound Chinook Salmon yesterday...Sure enough L Pod - L72 Racer and othersspent most of the day in Sooke waters on a feeding frenzy! -Paul Pudwell
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We listened to blows of L pod moving north and then south on the westside of San Juan Island. Our encounter ended as they moved south, with percussive behavior and above water vocalizations. They were first heard around 12:04am, and ended around 12:45am. -Connie Bickerton
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August 4 - Admiralty Inlet - Renee Beitzel reports a humpback off Marrowstone around 2:00 p.m. - And 1 humpback traveling south, central Admiralty, into the Sound. Lost track south of Marrowstone light. 12:20. -Frances Robertson (at Fort Casey)
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August 4 - Puget Sound - 1:30 p.m. - Humpback just south of Kingston, traveling northeast. Traveling pretty quick but showed off some flukes for us. visibility's so bad today with the smoke that it was only in sight for 10-15 minutes. -Reilly Hannigan
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12:30 p.m. - Husband reports watching that humpback breach 15+ times in the last hour, looking north from Skiff Pt with good binocs. Reports that it has moved on at this time, but didn't give direction. -Lynn Batson
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12:20 p.m. - They are still quite active with awesome tail slaps. There is a tour boat to the south of them watching.
12:15 p.m. - Currently watching a humpback in Port Madison about 1/2 mile off shore from the NE corner of Bainbridge Island. They were doing a lot of out of water lunges and fin slapping! They are trending northwards toward Kingston. This is a pic taken of the humpback whale that cruised north just off shore of Bainbridge Island at midday. Taken just north of Fay Bainbridge Island looking toward the ferry lane between Kingston and Edmonds in Port Madison bay. We saw lots of lunges, fin/tail slapping and tail bobbing. What a whale show off! -Tim Cuddy
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12:00 p.m. - My son is reporting a humpback off Fay Bainbridge, Bainbridge Island, right now at noon. Tail slaps and breached twice! -Photo courtesy of Lorraine Doer, August 4, 2017
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Emailed received 10:07 a.m. - Humpback whale spotted heading north on west side of Blake island. -Malone Steverson
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Secondhand report from neighbor that Humpback again heading north at northwest end of Colvos at 830 on 8.4.17. Described as very large so I suspect it was this same one that went by Wednesday evening. It must have circumnavigated Vashon clockwise. -Tim Ferris
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Humpback just South of Narrows Bridge at 5:47 am, no direction evident yet. -Karen Caldwell
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Minke whales - August 4 - 3:35 p.m. - Found a Minke whale, Foulweather Bluff southbound. -Renee Beitzel
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No joke. Another minke (the same?) sighted pointed south Admiralty Inlet closer to Whidbey ~10:50. -Frances Robertson, SMRU Consulting and NE Pacific Minke Whale Project. (As well as sharing with Orca Network for inclusion in our Whale Sighting Reports, please send Frances any photos you get of minke whales. She can be reached through the NE Pacific Minke Whale Project website)

August 3
Email received 2:13 p.m. - My brothers, mom and aunt all saw 3 orca whales. They were in village bay Mayne island, right beside where the ferry terminal is located. From what I could see there were 2 young ones and an adult. -Madison
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They were actually already past Race Rocks and heading easterly when we encountered the trailing group at 1222. This group consisted of L90, L91 and her son L122, L92, L72 and her son L105, L83 and her son L110, L47 and her son L115. After a quick inventory of whales, we left the whales and headed toward the leaders that were then off Trial Island. This group was the L4s in a group, but they soon spread apart off Seabird Discovery Island and headed toward False Bay San Juan Island... Full encounter report and photos at Center for Whale Research Encounter 60.
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SRKW- L55 Nugget, as she surfaces to breathe and slips back into the depths in search of salmon off the west side of San Juan Island today. -Photo by Renee Beitzel, August 3, 2017
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You never know! Within 10 minutes from our docks we were excited to encounter L POD of the Southern Resident Killer Whales passing Sooke east bound this morning and than caught up to them again South of Victoria in the afternoon with a few Humpbacks around Race Rocks....Always Great To SEA! Paul Pudwell
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T46B1A and T46B1 northbound eastern Juan de Fuca Strait off West Whidbey Island. Look at that stunning eye patch. -Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 3, 2017
(ID by Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research)
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We found T120, T46B, and T117 at Minor Island, followed them to West Beach on Whidbey, two went into Burrows Bay! then followed them up to Burrows Island Lighthouse. Amazing day! -Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 3
(ID by Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research)
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West Beach Orca (8+) Traveling North. After watching them from our backyard around 11:00a.m. (we're about 260' up on a bluff looking right down the middle of Juan de Fuca) we then drove North to Rocky Point, then spotted them a third time off Deception Pass State park. -Photo by Grant Thompson, August 3
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Around 2:00p.m. - We saw the pod from the West Beach at Deception Pass State Park thanks to this post. Thanks! They were headed North towards Allan Island. -Michael L Stolfi
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At 1330 they were still headed north. From NAS to Deception pass. We stationed on the bridge to see if they would enter but the tide would have been fighting them. We left before we saw we're they ended up.
12:30 p.m. - Just off the coast of NAS Whidbey. -Nicklis Emery Christopher Richardson
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11:22 a.m. - Patricia Becker, a Whidbey Island resident near Minor Is. saying a small pod is heading north with 3-4 boats.
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10:40 a.m. - T46Bs and T117s east of Minor Island heading east toward Whidbey Island!! -Bart Rulon, on Glacier Spirit
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Hi there, The SJI NWR survey crew observed 4 Orca off Smith Island on 8/3/17 at ~10 am. There were two males, one female/immature male, and one small Orca ~3/4 the size of the female. We spotted them at ~ 48.325358 -122.843935 and they were traveling north. -Sue Thomas, Wildlife Biologist, Washington Maritime NWRC
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August 3 - Juan de Fuca - South of Victoria in the afternoon with a few Humpbacks around Race Rocks....Always Great To SEA! Humpback BCX Unknown "Hemlock". -Paul Pudwell
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network)
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August 3 - Puget Sound - 8:25 p.m. - Hung out in front of our house (at the Dalco wall), for a while and has since headed up Colvos.
7:38 p.m. - What looks like a small humpback in the ferry lanes between pt Defiance and Tallequah. Closer to Vashon. Was on the 7:25 ferry. -Sarah Bradford Honeywell
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2:42 p.m. - Someone brought us in phone pictures of a humpback whale about 20 minutes ago and said they saw it at the end of Redondo Beach going toward Dash Point. -Highline MAST Aquarium at Redondo staff
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10:55 a.m. - I saw it again about 10 minutes ago. It went down for a deep dive. This time I saw it slightly farther north, closer to Salt Water. It appears to be hanging out in this area with no definite direction at this point. The whale's head was facing away from me so I didn't get a good look at the dorsal fin, only the fluke on the deep dive. What I can confidently say is that this was a much bigger whale than the juvenile humpbacks that have been near Tacoma. ...It was amazingly close to Redondo when I saw it this morning. I've never seen a humpback there. It certainly looked like a humpback to me.
10:24 a.m. - I am at Saltwater state park right now and I just saw a large whale (humpback?) surface twice farther south towards Poverty Bay. Visibility is poor but there are also numerous porpoises or common dolphins close to the salt water shore. -Heidi Vincent
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August 3 - 10:20 a.m. - 1 minke traveling into Sound. (Fort Casey- Admiralty Head) -Frankie Robertson
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We saw them last Thursday morning as we were heading north towards the Narrows Bridge from our boat. -Virginia Anderson

August 2
Hallo, As a tourist I was traveling the SE coast of Galiano Island and I encountered orcas at 7:50PM. SE coast of Galiano slowly traveling towards SE. They were calm, maybe playing and slowly moving towards SE. -Marco Venturi
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San Juans - Small group of orcas passing eastern shore of Waldron Island 8 pm. Larger matriarch leading but not captured in video. Northern shore of Orcas Island in background...at dusk headed east around SE corner of island turning north around the bend. -David Rhine
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Puget Sound - Son T46E and mom T46 - 4:45 pm Chilkat Express left them on a kill at Double Bluff trending north while feeding. We left to view a bald eagle and have been unable to resight them in the haze. -Photo by Justine Buckmaster, August 2
(T46, now a great-grandmother, was among the last orcas captured during the 10-year capture era, in Budd Inlet in 1976. She was released after a few days of headlines about the captures and a lot of legal wrangling that resulted in freeing all the captives and ending all orca captures in Washington. - HG)
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12:35 p.m. - passing Glendale. When we left at 12:45 pm they were still mid-channel heading towards Possession at a steady pace. Then, who knows?
12.10 p.m. - whales close to ferry lanes (Clinton/Muliteo) southbound mid channel. -Sandy Pollard
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Same orcas, T46s, that were in Saratoga Passage yesterday 8/1/2017 heading south today out of the passage and into Possession Sound this morning. Watched with a new orca friend Phee, it was great! A few of us so excited and screaming LOL. loved it...orca's can sure bring people together. Watched, first from the bluff at Sandy Point looking east towards northern tip of Hat Island and Everett in the background behind the smoky haze, very washed out, so washed out and hazy, when I had first seen the orcas this morning (thanks Alisa and Orca Network) high above Sandy Point looking westerly, cannot see Everett at all. When Phee and I first saw them from the Brighton Beach area, they were west of Hat Island and east of Whidbey Island. Orcas continued traveling south towards Clinton/Mukilteo ferry lanes..orcas were more near us or no further mid channel vs closer to Hat Island. Then watched from Glendale across towards Mukilteo, as orcas continued mid channel southbound. -Marilyn Armbruster
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11:05 a.m. - from Cascade Ave on the bluff above Langley Marina, I first saw one male surfacing mid channel steady southbound between the marina and Camano Head. I then spotted at least one female and younger one up ahead to the south a short distance. The pod was loosely spread as they all continued heading towards Sandy Point, Whidbey at steady pace southbound. Blues skies enveloped by smokey haze from Canada's wildfires. Seas flat calm. Nice to catch a glimpse before our staff meeting at Langely Whale Center. What timing! -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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10:50 a.m. - We're straight out from Langley right now! We're coming up on Langley now with the T46s! I'm on the Chilkat. -Justine Buckmaster
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10:12 a.m. - Stephanie Raymond aboard the Victoria Clipper just saw the T46 matriline in Saratoga Passage, just south of Holmes Harbor, heading south and highly active, with tail slaps and breaches.
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August 2 - Juan de Fuca - We headed out on reports of Transient Killer Whales Passing Sooke this morning and we excited to find the T019/18's (?) near Race Rocks Light House....Than double Humpback whales mugging our boat on our way home...Amazing Day! -Paul Pudwell
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August 2 - Puget Sound - Sighted a Humpback whale just off First Landing, Gig Harbor 6.30 pm today. -Mariska and Robin Blankenbijl
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August 2 - 9:50 a.m. - 1 minke traveling into Sound. (Fort Casey- Admiralty Head). -Frankie Robertson
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August 2 - Sighted 2 dolphins between Vashon and Port Richmond. Mother and calf around 1pm today. -Mariska and Robin Blankenbijl
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Yes! I am guessing these are the guys [dolphins] we saw in the same area around 7/2. So fun, they were very playful and curious around our boat as well. -Brenna Sowder
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1:00 p.m. - More gray whale activity here around the corner from Neah Bay - I live on Bullman Beach. After a relatively slow three weeks or so, they seem to be back more consistently in the past two weeks or so. A number of them, as the attached photo attests to, coming in really close. Where this whale was photographed, I was walking earlier in the morning at low tide. It stayed in front of Room #5 at our Inn for over two hours. -Scott Hartman

August 1
An orca came and swam with me on the first day of my 86km history making swim around Saltspring Island. The encounter happened around 3:ooPM on August 1st. There were 4 or 5 orcas, and one came and swam with me for a while, while I sang it a First Nations Whale Song. It came within a mere inches and approached from different directions hanging out with me for a couple of minutes. Never touched me but came so close as if inviting my touch. The song was as much connection as I could muster. But it was a very beautiful experience. Here is a LINK to a video of what we caught of the encounter. -Rama DelaRosa
Screen grab from video. By Rama Delarosa, August 1, 2017 (ID notes by Melisa Pinnow, CWR: "This is T37B1 I believe.")
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Around 8:50 p.m. - Look how close they were from shore. really not that far out. they were under for at least a mile when we last saw they out from Bells Beach from Fox Spit. Very long down times! First seeing them around 5:30 pm across from Hidden Beach towards Onimac Pt (Camano Island) followed them as they came south mid channel Fox Spit and watched them from Langley where they milled for about an hr 2 miles north of Langley on the Whidbey side (guessing near Saratoga Woods area) and this is where they decided to turn back north again and watched them from Fox Spit around 9 pm until it became too dark. Last we saw them they were over near Camano State Park and heading north westerly towards Hidden Beach, Greenbank. -Marilyn Armbruster
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8:34 p.m. - Heading north, right at the south end of Bells (beach) now! -Emily Wandres
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8:28 p.m. - I really think they are heading north again...they now are near Bells Beach but out 1/4 channel or so and heading northerly.
8:00 p.m. - they have been milling in one area south of Bells Beach now for quite awhile. Still 2 miles or so from Langley. Must have found good food!
7:30 p.m. - Im in Langley below the Dog House orcas are still about 2 miles north Whidbey Island side. They are with a whale watching boat...slowly trending south.
6:45 p.m. - Passing Fox Spit (Whidbey Island) and Elger Bay (Camano Island) heading south towards Langley, mid channel
6:30 p.m. - Im at Fox Spit and I see at least one large male out from Cama Beach milling a bit. I think still trending south? -Marilyn Armbruster
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6:50 p.m. - The T46's southbound, after spending most of the day in Crescent Harbor (Oak Harbor). -Jill Hein
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6:15 p.m. - T-46s mid straight off of North Bluff, Whidbey Island. Southbound at about 4kts. -Scott Jacobson
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Chilkat is leaving 5:52pm, left them at Camano Island, split up but looks like they are getting a little bit closer together. Really long down times! Heading South still, IE is still with them. -Janine Harles
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5:45 p.m. - Kathy Fritts just relayed a report from a friend that orcas were off Hidden Beach, Greenbank, heading south in Saratoga Passage at about 5:45 pm. Also reports of them in Crescent Harbor near Oak Harbor earlier in the day.
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Headed south towards Onomac and Greenbank at 5:15pm. At least 4 dorsals breaking the water. -Jane Wells
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August is here and our trip today took us on a totally different route - via Deception Pass to Saratoga Passage and south to Crescent Harbor - by the Navy's old Seaplane base in Oak Harbor. We found a family of transient/Biggs killer whales, 5 of them - Matriarch T46 (est. born 1964), T46D (born 2000), T46E (born 2003)..., checking out the harbor. We had great views of this family (T46s) before turning for home, via another fun route, the Swinomish Channel through LaConner! Great sightseeing, with an osprey, bald eagles, herons, seals, and much more before reaching home port. You never quite know which direction the Mystic Sea will take - but it's always a fun day. -Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist.
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16:20 - Polnell Heights - Three possibly four orca between Whidbey and Camano. One male and two females. Maybe a fourth smaller one. For about two hours or more. Several boats in the area. -Warren Brown
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We witnessed not one, but two seal hunts on August 1st on board the Chilkat Express! Both happened in northern Saratoga Passage near Oak Harbor. One in the morning, one in the evening. The morning one was complete with celebratory breaching! -Photo by Justine Buckmaster, August 1
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Pod of three orcas off Harrington Lagoon, Whidbey Island around 1:00 pm. Headed NNW toward Penn Cove. -Photo by Erik Anderson, August 1
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About noon, distant look at some breaching east of Penn Cove. Island Explorer plus other boat with them heading away from Penn Cove. -Bonnie Gretz
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10:44 a.m. - 5 animals; milling then heading north close to shore, south of the Penn Cove entrance. -Taylor Barkee
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7:32 a.m. - 3 Orca's traveling North off Sandy Point near Langley, WA....I was on land and the 3 whales were mid channel. For sure then 1 large male no question. The other 2 dorsal were smaller so I am not sure. -David Fitzgerald
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August 1 - Juan de Fuca - You just never know! A few minutes from our docks we encountered two of our first Humpback whales right out front of Sooke than we were EXCITED to find the a Friendly Humpback "Nike" ..or at least I thought but now I am not so sure...BUT WHAT AMAZING ENCOUNTER with a Mugging that was GREAT. Humpback BCZ0004 "Stripe" -Paul Pudwell
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network)
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August 1 - Puget Sound - 4:42 p.m. - Humpback around 500 yards off of pier 67 in Ellliot Bay. Spotted from sailing vessel Obsession. -Joey LaMarche
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4:00 p.m. - Whale Tail slapping occurring south of Bainbridge ferry route off Alki. Could not see fin or direction of travel. -Daniel Lapinski
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August 1 - WSF announcement: Minke whale in Possession Sound this morning. Right off Clinton dock - seen from 7 am ferry. I actually didn't see it so I guess I can't confirm, but the captain announced it and some people did see it. No direction provided. -Dori Dace
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Unidentified whales - August 1 - Kate Jacobson sent in this report from 3:30 pm, with a distant video, that looks like a breaching humpback: Just had a beautiful (possibly gray) whale sighting southwest of Restoration Point (on Bainbridge Island) heading east.
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WA State Ferries reported an unidentified whale spouting near Bainbridge Island at 12:50 pm, heading south.