February 2016 Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of February 2016 whale sightings.

February 29
29 February update - As of our last update on 25 February L95 and some of L pod were just north of the Columbia River heading north. When we relocated them on Friday morning they were north of the Columbia River heading south. The whales were very spread out and visibility was low due to fog and drizzle, making keeping track of then challenging as they were not vocalizing. In the early afternoon they started calling again and we heard K pod calls and observed some K pod whales in the area with L pod. We continued to monitor the whales into the evening acoustically. However, Friday morning was the last transmission we received from L95s tag such that when the whales stopped vocalizing early on the morning of the 26th we lost track of them. When we saw L95 the day before we did not detect a tag attachment issue and he was resighted on the 27th. We were able to relocate Ks and Ls on the 27th, again just north of the Columbia River and stayed with them well into the night until they stopped vocalizing near Tillamook Head. Seas were rough that day so we could not conduct small boat work but we could observe them from the Shimada and besides documenting the presence of all 3 of the L pod calves born this past year we also witnessed another episode of multiple breaches by numerous whales over a period of about 30 minutes, very similar to a bout of breaching we observed on the 2015 cruise. High winds and seas curtailed our efforts to conduct a broad search for K and L pods on the 28th, and with the extended forecast calling for continued high swell and winds we headed north and as of the 29th we are near the entrance ot the Strait of Juan de Fuca searching for J pod. -courtesy of Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFSC, NOAA-NWFS 2016 Southern Resident killer whale satellite tagging

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1:11 - Just next to Al's in Olalla.
10:00 am - Probable humpback heading South in Colvos Passage near Olalla. -Jack Chase

February 28
Ken Balcomb reports that J pod was headed south past Nanaimo BC Saturday afternoon, February 27. J pod was heard on Lime Kiln hydrophones at 10 AM February 28, and were headed west past Victoria at 3 PM.

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J38 off of Victoria's waterfront. J26 westbound off of Victoria late afternoon. -Mark Malleson

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2 PM - The Humpback whale is cruising around again. Headed south into Yukon Harbor from Manchester. Hard to see it through the waves. -Lance Norton

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2pm - Sharing from the Port Orchard FB group: "Between Manchester and Blake Island, two humpbacks spotted." -Brittany Gordon

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3 PM - Humpback in Nisqually Reach, roughly between Anderson Island and Sandy Point. Numerous dorsal and fluke sightings, and at least one full breach. Unfortunately, no photos. -Stephen Coker

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5:26 - Saw a solo blow northbound in Saratoga just south of Cama Beach. Watched for better ID but losing daylight. -Will Murphy

February 27
12:38 PM - Gray whale723 is southbound at Possession Point. -James Gresham

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12:05pm - Watching gray whale 531. Bottom of Admiralty. ID'd by John Calamokidis of Cascadia Research who is onboard with us. Earliest this whale has been observed in the area. Circling around mid channel.
11:13 - Got one. Mid channel, bottom of Admiralty. -James Gresham

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12:04pm - Seeing blows from Maxwelton, midchannel. -Steve Smith

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7:30 am - Clinton Mukilteo ferry reports one or two Gray whales headed south in Possession Sound. Watched from the ferry but only saw fog. -Susan Berta

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Saratoga Passage gray whale #723 at Possession Point this afternoon. -James Gresham

February 26
Small pod (2-3) of Transients spotted in the Salish Sea on the Nainamo bound BC ferry at 9:00 am. -Ie Mimz

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5:10pm - Just spotted a probable humpback by the Southworth ferry dock as our boat pulled away. Got to see a spout and flukes! -Leah Baker

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10:12 a.m. - Humpback whale heading east into Drayton Passage now. -Peace Corey

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9:15 a.m. - Good morning all! Actually, GREAT morning! I'm hanging with a humpback whale straight out from Andy's Marine park (SW Anderson Island, Nisqaully Reach, south Puget Sound), all the way across the water though. -Peace Corey

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7:00 a.m. - Just saw humpback whale jump in water and seems to be foraging right off dogwood beach in Nisqually Reach. Seems to be alone. -Denise Roswell

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5:00 a.m. - Humpback reported on Kitsap Orca Watch this morning off Manchester by Noelle Morris. Feeding behavior. Too dark for photos.

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The Island Explorer 4 has spotted her first gray whale of the season just off Camano Head! We left scene at around 1PM with the whale headed in the northbound direction. We do not have a positive ID on the animal, but we do know that it is not 723, Lucy! This means that there is more than one gray in the area! With the first trip departing Everett tomorrow, we hope to firm up an ID on this individual and find some more!

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1:00 p.m. - Shane from Island Adventures called the Langley Whale Center with a gray Whale Sighting. 1 gray Whale (not 723) seen between Whidbey Island and south Camano Island. -Wendy Berta Sines, Orca Network - LWC

February 25
Center for Whale Research researchers Dave Ellifrit and Deborah Giles met up with J pod in Haro Straite is their detailed report after finding all of J pod, including all the new J pod babies except the newest one, J55.

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On the previous update posted on the 24th L95 and likely most of L pod were off the Quinault Canyon on the evening of the 23rd, trending southeast. They continued south and we were with them most of the day on the 24th off the Grays Harbor area. The whales were extremely spread out such that we lost contact with them for a couple of hours due to reduced visibility and no vocalizing. By the afternoon we relocated them and were able to stay with them all night. This morning (the 25th) they were off the entrance to the Columbia River and after traveling a few miles south, they turned north and were just north of the shipping channel entering the Columbia River by this evening. Weather conditions in the afternoon were spectacular and we were able to conduct small boat operations with the whales. L72 Racer and the NOAA vessel Bell M. Shimada - Pacific Ocean. -Courtesy of Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFS 2016 Southern Resident killer whale satellite tagging - L95

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We were contacted this morning by Jeanne Hyde. She spoke those magical words you always want to hear, "J pod, including J2 Granny, is here. Now." We had a beautiful, sunny day with lots of whales. It feels like summer is just around the corner. -Maya's Legacy Whale Watch

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Today we have heard reports of J pod off west San Juan Island this morning heading north up into BC waters this afternoon ~ -Susan Berta, Orca Network

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Tim Anders reported a Humpback in Case Inlet, Puget Sound, sighted from the west side of the Longbranch Peninsula 100 yards off shore. Also sighted Saturday the 20th.

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Lots of porpoise just south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge today. We cut the engine and just watched them for a good half hour before we had to leave. There were quite a few of them! -Rachel Easton

February 24
8:20 p.m. - Sounds of whales - Sitting outside after dark at cottage near Sheringham point (Juan de Fuca Strait) lighthouse. We are hearing many whales passing by going east. Have been listening to them for half an hour but too dark to see anything. -Gwen Keith

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Research teams from the NWFSC, Cascadia Research Collective, and Biowaves Inc departed on Sunday 21 February aboard the NOAA vessel Bell M. Shimada from Newport, Oregon. We transited north to the area where the most recent signals from K33 had been obtained before the tag stopped transmitting on 17 February - between the Columbia River and Westport. After three sweeps through that area with no detections we headed up the Washington coast Monday night in the nearshore waters. As we neared LaPush this morning, with 25 knots of wind howling out of the east, we saw numerous small blows close to shore heading south. About an hour later we were able close on the whales and confirm that we were with members of L pod. The wind subsided about noon allowing us to launch our research boat from the Shimada. About 1400 we were able to deploy a tag on adult male L95 - (see attached photo). The whales have moved offshore this evening - near the head of the Quinault Canyon (see map). We are hoping for a tag attachment duration that allows us track L pod for the rest of the cruise to gain insights about not only their movements but also their behavior in their coastal winter range. -Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFS 2016 Southern Resident killer whale satellite tagging.

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Reposting from Kitsap Orca Watch page by Noelle Morris this morning: Humpback sighting by our neighbor Lydia Henke Trunnell at 5:15 am seems to be hanging around Manchester dock by barges. -Susan Marie Andersson

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Whale in Port Angeles Harbor: Large whale sighted close to downtown waterfront in Port Angeles Harbor, second hand siting, was told to me by a reliable source who observed whale. Much larger than orcas, not sure what kind. Whale surfaced briefly, and at least three people saw enough to know it was quite large. -Eric Neurath

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4:23 p.m. - Small whale headed north toward Zittles Marina in south sound- JOHNSON Point. We think maybe Minke? -- solo, moving slowly. (Good chance it's a humpback that has been seen for several days around the Nisqually Reach area). -Robin Matthews

February 23
5:19 p.m. - Small pod of orcas (maybe 7 of them) off of Mukilteo Park, just south of the ferries, mid channel heading south. -Holly C Cook

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3:45 p.m. - long down times and now they've gone all stealthy on me.
3:30 p.m. - do appear to be on a kill. Many directional changes in same general area 1-2 miles south of Possession Point maybe 2+ miles from north Edmonds
3:10 p.m. - found them south of Cultus Bay/Posession Point east of the green buoy off Scatchet Head. Lunging and gull activity suggests a kill. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

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2:20 p.m. - 6-8 orcas within 200 yards of Maxwelton Beach, Whidbey Island, heading toward Possession Point. -Gary Stubbs

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12:25 p.m. - They are off Useless Bay, active, just north of green bouy channel marker. Susan counts at least 8 or 10. Maybe others have joined them. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network

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11:50 a.m. - Mutiny Bay, Whidbey Island. In the right place at the right time today (doesn't always happen that way). Five (at least) transient orca heading south in Admiralty Inlet at speed on this beautiful day, maybe a brief stop to feed. - Sandra Pollard

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10:50 a.m. - Thanks to a call from Elsa Leavitt, Howard just found a pod of about 4 - 5 Bigg's/Transient orcas heading SE in Admiralty Inlet, just south of Bush Pt. at 10:50 am! -Howard Garrett, Orca Network

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9:30 am - Saw large whale off Manchester coastline west of Blake Island. Large fin we suspect it is not an Orca, maybe gray whale. Blowing, slapping, breaching. -Melaine Coulter

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8:15 a.m. - Spotted whale between Manchester and Blake Island... lots of breaches, playful slapping of water. Hard to identify what kind. -Rita McKendrick

February 22
...We were 5 miles south of Jordan River when we finally spotted blows at 1615. The first whales observed were L72 and L105 west bound. The rest were spread to the south and were doing long dives. L118 with Jellyfish - Strait of Juan de Fuca. L95, L103 and L123 (born November 2015) west bound in the Juan de Fuca...See full summary and photos at Center for Whale Research Encounter 13. -Mark Malleson

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On our previous update on 16 February, K33 and likely the rest of K pod were off the Columbia River, having just turned north. They traveled about half way up the the Long Beach Peninsula by that afternoon before turning south. On the morning of the 17th they were off the Columbia River again. Unfortunately, we received our last transmission about noon that day. We suspect that the tag detached as the battery levels were still good and this deployment of about 50 days was very similar to what we obtained for J27 last year. We are putting all the location data from K25, L84, and K33 to use as we attempt to locate the whales from the NOAA vessel Bell. M Shimada. -Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFS 2016 Southern Resident killer whale satellite tagging

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Washington State Ferries has relayed a report of a small Gray whale just south of Blake Island about 3 pm today, just "hanging around"

February 21
1:25 p.m. - A sighting of very small fluke of what looks to be whale at Devils Head - South Sound (Anderson Island/Key Peninsula) Looked like it was alone. We could not see it going toward Johnson Point, so guessing it went back toward north side of Anderson Island. Very eye catching activity of water disruption and then fluke - over and over. -Robin Matthews
(unconfirmed species, but we've had several humpback sightings in the south Sound the past weeks)

February 20
4:00 p.m. - T18s - heading up President's Channel, west side of Orcas Island. -Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Legacy Charters

February 19
4:13 p.m. - Humpback traveling north in Colvos passage mid-channel off Prospect Point, Olalla. -Clif Alferness

February 18
11:00 a.m. - Our homeschool group thinks we saw a humpback from Owen Beach at Point Defiance/south Vashon around 11am this morning! Definitely saw a tail and maybe it's back. -Jess Bennett Hogan

February 17
"Sarataoga" grays have arrived. Here is the underside flukeof #723 while on a dive just off Possession Point, south Whidbey Island in the afternoon. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

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UPDATE -- we heard back that the possibly entangled humpback was traveling NORTH - so those of you onshore north of Edmonds & in the Mukilteo/Clinton area please keep your eyes on the water for a whale trailing an orange buoy. (Humpback not seen again, see Intro summary for more details)

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10:38 a.m. - Taking train south from Edmonds. Looks like a humpback close to shore dragging what looks like a crab pot bouy. Wednesday 2/17 10:30am. Can anyone assist? -Paula 'Skippy' Purcell

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10:35 a.m. - Whale fouled in crab pot. Just offshore between Edmonds and Mukilteo. Looks like it is caught up in crab pot gear with orange buoy. -Richard Purcell

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Approx 2:00 p.m. - Stu and I launched from Edmonds marina to search for the reported entangled humpback. We decided to check out the blows we had seen earlier off Scatchet Head to rule out that whale. We reached the spot of the last blow with no luck so headed northwest towards Useless Bay and could not find the whale. We doubled back and just as we were off Cultus Bay about 2:50 p.m. I spotted a whale off Possession Point. We slowly made our way over to confirm it was a gray whale. We watched it surface and fluke several times back and forth. By 3:30 the gray was northbound just east of Possession . Pt. Buoy Whidbey. This whale was not entangled and from video and Stu's photos confirmed this as one of the returning grays, #723. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

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1:18 p.m. - the whale blows I'm seeing are just west of the long row of waterfront homes on South East Scatchet. 1:16 p.m. - just spotted a blow just off of Scatchet Head Whidbey island. -Stu Davidson
Gray whale #723

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9:45 a.m. - Lynn Malecki called to report either a gray whale or a humpback off Columbia Beach, near the Clinton ferry dock on Whidbey Island, in mid-channel, heading south.

February 16
Southern Residents - 16 February update - As of the last update on the morning of 9 February K33 and the rest of K pod were near La Push on the outer Washington coast heading south. By the evening of the 10th they were off the entrance to the Columbia River, where they turned north. They gradually continued north reaching the Quinault Canyon area off the Washington coast on the 13th. Here they turned south again such that by the morning of the 15th they were off Willipa Bay. As of this morning (16th) they were off the mouth of the Columbia River. We are hopeful that K33's tag continues to remain attached into the near future as the NWFSC cruise on the NOAA vessel Bell M. Shimada to locate and follow the whales during their winter coastal movements is scheduled to get underway 20 February. -Courtesy of Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFS, NOAA-NWFS 2016 Southern Resident killer whale satellite tagging

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Amy Carey just relayed a report of a Humpback whale spotted by Aimee Demarest near Dilworth, Vashon Island, heading north, then turning south at a little after 3 pm.

February 15
...Orca got on scene at 1142 about a half mile southeast of Turn Island mid-strait just a little closer to the SJI side than the Lopez Island side. The whales were the T60's and T2B again. T2B, T60, and T60F were actively engaged in the attack on a harbor seal who was trying to take refuge by a stray piece of kelp....The whales exited Cattle Pass and headed southeast in a loose group. Orca ended the encounter at 1452 about three quarters of mile east of the Salmon bank buoy. Read full CWR Encounter #11 report. -Dave Ellifrit , Center for Whale Research

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- Steady rain but at 9:00 AM news of a pod of Orcas off of Eagle Pt., headed toward America's Camp. We had scheduled a 10:00 AM trip, rather than the usual 1:00 departure, thankfully. By 2:30 we had searched down to the southern tip of Lopez Island, with no luck. Figuring that we had either passed them, or that they had turned up San Juan Ch., we turned around. Twenty minutes later I spotted the T60s near Whale Rocks, heading east. They must have turned up the channel, into an ebb tide, and decided to go into the quiet waters off of South Lopez. Shortly after spotting them they made a kill, and we were so fortunate to be able to watch them as they fed off the kill. I would guess perhaps a couple of seals were on the menu. Here are a few images from the day. -Capt Jim Maya, Maya's Legacy Charters

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12:51 p.m. - We saw it (a humpback whale) again. Today out front Johnson point. In Case Inlet. -Beth Vendehey
(confirmed via short video unable to include - SB)

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9:37 a.m. - Spouts off Marina Beach in Edmonds. We think it's a humpback. Very exciting! It seemed to be headed north, but now from Sunset Ave we saw a whale seemingly headed south. -Tara Bergin

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A friend suggested I let you know about a whale sighting I had from the Edmonds pier in Edmonds, WA, even though it's been a couple of weeks since I saw the whale. While I was bird-watching from the pier on Feb 15 during a steady rain, at 8:52am a Humpback Whale surfaced about 150-200 yards directly out from the pier. It was facing north. It dove about a minute later and stayed down for 20 minutes. When it re-surfaced, it was facing south and still in the same general area. After another minute, it dove again, and when it came up again after 27 minutes, it was in the same area and facing north again. It soon dove for the third time, at 9:43am, and I did not see it again. I left the pier at 11am. Is it possible to identify this particular humpback from the pattern on its fluke? -Joe Sweeney, NE Seattle

February 14
9:18 a.m. - Just saw what looked like a humpback from the ferry heading to Fauntleroy. Mid channel, right next to the ferry, on the north side, closer to Lincoln park than Vashon. -Anna Tucker Sander

February 13
1:45 p.m. - A humpback is frolicking in Case Inlet. Leslie Demich called while watching a large whale playing with fins held high, between Johnson Point and Anderson Island, about even with Mill Bight.

February 12


February 11
Heard multiple blows this evening in Yukon Harbor. Walking along SE Cornell Road about 18:45 we heard sound of whale blowing and traveling Northwards between Blake Island and the road. I am hoping its the same Orca seen by Sam Wempe on the 6th in the same area. I will keep a close eye out tomorrow. -Paul Lee

February 10


February 9
A majestic and iconic Pacific Northwest scene - the T060's northbound in Rosario Strait. -Mark Malleson

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9 February update - On our last update on 31 January, K33 and likely the rest of K pod were off the entrance to the Columbia River. Over the next five days they made several north--south excursions in the coastal waters between Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor. On the morning of 6 February they began a dedicated trip north and on the morning of the 7th were in the west entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The whales spent about a day in the central Strait of Juan de Fuca before heading back to the west. As of this morning (9 February) they were near La Push on the outer Washington coast. -Map courtesy of Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFS, NOAA-NWFS 2016 Southern Resident killer whale satellite tagging

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T060's and T002B passing by Bird Rocks. A pair of Steller sealions taking a look at T060C as he passes by Bird Rocks - Rosario Strait. -Mark Malleson,

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After receiving reports from Sandy Buckley and others of a small group of whales moving down the west side of San Juan Island in the morning, Dave, Giles, and Cindy met at Snug Harbor and left aboard Orca at 1020. Orca headed down to Salmon Bank and stopped to scan with binoculars. We turned off the engine and immediately heard a blow and soon found the whales just a little southeast of the Salmon Bank buoy....and on the north end of Long Island (south end of Lopez Island). The T60's along with T2B were feeding on something that they had killed prior to our arrival.... -Excerpted from Center for Whale Research Encounter no. 10.

February 8
Gray whale reported by Veronica von Allworden, sighted from the Mukilteo-Clinton Ferry at 2:35 pm, the whale was heading north toward Everett.

February 7
T124A and T124A4 - We came across the T124A's west bound in Race Pass early afternoon. -Mark Malleson

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This afternoon at 3:30 I saw two orcas (a male and a female) off the Amphitrite Lighthouse in Ucluelet. Frustratingly, despite scanning for half an hour, they only surfaced ONCE! -Monika Wieland

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Around 10-30 this morning, we watched the whales (at least 3 different ones.) off of Neskowin Beach Oregon. They where fairly close to the shore. Guessing grays and possibly an orca as it was darker (looked black) and had a fin on it's back. -Vicki Huges-Stanton

February 6
A short distant video - approx. 7-8 unidentified Bigg's on their morning southbound travels through Puget Sound. Passing Golden Gardens Park/Shilshole Marina (north Seattle) around 10:45 a.m. -Video by Alisa Lemire Brooks

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Saw one [orca] breaching and moving slowly at 11:30 pm Saturday night. About 100 yards from the shore in Yukon harbour and west of Blake island. Snuck up on us while we were having a fire near the beach! Neighbors on both sides of us called us after they saw it too. Large dorsal was clearly visible. -Sam Wempe

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4:30 p.m. - Watching a pod of orcas in Saratoga Passage today = happy! There seemed to be four whales (one big one, two medium sized and a smaller one). They hung out in the area between Greenbank and Penn Cove for a couple of hours, seemed to be fishing. We last saw them heading south quickly around 4:30pm. The water was totally smooth so we had great viewing! -Fran Farley Kendall

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About 1:30-1:45 p.m. Sunny day, air temp 70s, water 57-59. Manhattan or Hermosa Beach, CA: seen to the north of my position at 22nd St., Hermosa Beach, not far outside the surf swell. Single whale, traveling north parallel to beach, surfaced twice, several minutes apart. Black, arched back and tall black dorsal fin, slow-moving, no display of tail flukes. Moving north toward a small group of surfers. Based on videos and photos, I would say the one I saw in Manhattan/Hermosa Beach was a female orca. -David Olson, MD

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10:45 a.m. - Hi, we saw a gray whale near Alki Beach today. It was at 10:45 am and it was heading south towards the Alki lighthouse. We saw it's backside come out of the water with lots of barnacles and then we saw it come up twice more to spout before we lost it in the distance. -Jennifer Tudor

February 5
1420 - by Duwamish Head marker. -Adella Mae Boyar

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1417 - they are in Elliot bay near the ferry terminal! -Alicia Toney

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3:00 p.m. - Orca whale sighting off of the Fauntleroy ferry dock. Four orca traveling southbound in a determined manner. -John Rogstad WSF

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3:00 p.m. - Pod of orcas in Elliott Bay today. Heading north from the grain elevator about 200 yards from shore. -Shelly Richer Edwards

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2:30 p.m. - Bainbridge to Seattle ferry. -Katie Flynn

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2:11 p.m. - 4 orcas in Elliott Bay right now on the south side of the bay, a couple hundred yards east of the floating barge. -Joey Duwe

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1:53 p.m. - 4 orcas in Elliot Bay right now!!! (Office says, two are babies?!) -Colleen McDevitt

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1:45 p.m. - DJ Mar at Eco-Elements near Pike Place Mkt reports customers just saw four orcas only 100 yds from the ferris wheel, next to the Seattle Aquarium, in Elliot Bay, breaching, etc.

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1:30 p.m. - a friend of mine reported seeing 5 or so orcas off Alki. She was on the BI ferry east bound, orcas were west bound. I'm looking from Rockaway, but not seeing them. -Susan Marie Andersson

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12:25 p.m. -An orca spyhops near Discovery Park. I saw them...in the bay south of Discovery light, followed by small red boat which has now headed north. There were at least 7 in the pod that passed by the South Bluff Trail. -Steve Smith

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Noon hour- While walking Discovery Park myself and several others saw a good sized pod (at least 6)with babies halfway between Discovery Park and Bainbridge Island in the Sound. They seemed to be playing and feeding, active then quiet as a whale watching boat came nearer. They resumed play and then circled a speed boat, surrounding it, jumping, and spouting. -Adrienne Villa-Stanley

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12:05 p.m. - Just spotted a pod of orcas of the Discovery park south bluff trail, Heading south. 500m from shore. South of the lighthouse. Traveling fast when we last saw... An Argosy cruise ship was heading towards them. -Pwint Htun

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1030 - Faye Bainbridge S. Medium travel...coast guard boat behind them. -Bethany Ryals

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10:55 a.m. - I gotta go. Last seen transect Golden Gardens/Shilshole and Faye Bainbridge park...still southbound steady clip east of mid channel.
10:40 a.m. - they are haulin. Now approaching Golden Gardens/Shilshole. I cannot keep up.
10:15 a.m. - they are powering along southbound. Carkeek would be next..soon. They are just east of mid channel in choppy seas.
10:00 a.m. - quick glimpse too far for IDs..they are out from Richmond beach transect approaching Jefferson Head, Indianola. Southbound good clip. Adult male in group. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

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9:12 a.m. - line of sight to the Pod is between north Edmonds and north of Kingston.
9:04 a.m. - looks to be a baby with this Pod...Definitely a small one and unique the way it surfaces.
8:53 a.m. - looks more like 5 or 6 orcas.. Still heading south, still just north of Edmonds / Kingston ferry route.
8:47 a.m. - several + orcas closest to Edmonds side.. Just north of Edmonds / Kingston ferry run. They are heading south at a quick pace!! -Stu Davidson

February 4
3:30 - 5:30 PM. - Juan de Fuca - Orca Pod hunting sea lion east of Sequim - A pod of five orcas was hunting a sea lion at Diamond Point. This family had two full grown adults and three smaller juveniles. They seemed to be teaching the little ones to hunt. The whole grouping slowly drifted west from Diamond Point to Thompson Spit from The sea lion seemed to escape into the shallow waters and the orcas didn't follow it onshore into the shelf area. It got dark, so we don't know if the sea lion finally escaped or not. They were hunting a large sea lion. Breaching, heading, spy hopping, and pouncing. They hunt like cats! -Megan Black

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5:09 p.m. - They have now past Camano State Park still heading north......seemed to me like 3 females and one baby. (Notes by Melisa Pinnow, Center for Whale Research: These ones are probably the T100Bs and T124A1 . They were up at San Juan on Jan 29th.) -Marilyn Arbruster

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3:58 p.m. - Pod of 4, traveling steadily northbound up Saratoga Passage mid channel - Camano State Park in background. Passing in front of Dog House, downtown Langely, Whidbey Island - now mid channel. -Marilyn Armbruster
3:50 p.m. - They have just passed marina and just this side of Langley east. They are moving somewhat slow...at a leisurely pace.
3:35 p.m. - Sitting above Langley Marina...here they come at Sandy Point just east of Langley, saw one blow. Four Bigg's (Transient) killer whales traveling northbound in Saratoga Passage, passing the seaside town of Langley, Whidbey Island, home of our Langley Whale Center. -Marilyn Armbruster. -Marilyn Armbruster

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2:43 p.m. - 4 orcas near the Clinton ferry terminal on Whidbey. Just saw them on the crossing. initially headed west. Can't tell if they were going north into Saratoga Passage or south into Possession Sound...First had them right in front of the boat headed west when we were mid channel. then they went under and found them again just out from the Whidbey dock. ...on the way home the ferry captain announced orcas just off the bow. We had a super close and headed straight on pop up within about 5 feet of the stopped ferry then they dove under and didn't come back up. -Amy Carey

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Gray whale also reported by the WS Ferries at 4:15 outside Eagle Harbor, headed west.

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4:15 p.m. - Gray whale seen from Bainbridge ferry at mouth of Eagle Harbor, near ferry marker bouys south end. -Daniel Lipinski

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One of the monitors spotted a Gray Whale between Vashon and Fauntleroy at 12:55 today. It was closer to Fauntleroy. It surfaced twice and showed it's fluke before diving. We have completed pile driving for the day. No pile driving is planned tomorrow or this weekend. -Burt Miller, WSF

February 3


February 2


February 1
T101's east bound off of Victoria. -Mark Malleson

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Had to google it to ID it. Fin whale spotted off Duwamish Head, Elliott Bay, about 2:30 p.m. Moving very slowly, gradually headed north. Someone in a row boat (!) was standing up taking pictures. Hope someone sent one to you. I saw a huge back, what I thought was a back. Rounded and gray. At first I thought it was a humpback, and that's what I was googling for today. What threw me was that 'in front' it had a sharp dark 'thing' stick out, so at first I thought it was a gigantic sea lion. Then I realized that I didn't know what it was, but it was large enough to be a whale, just one I hadn't seen before. When I saw the picture online of the fin whale in September that's when I knew what it was. I saw nothing else. Slowly moving north. -Robyn Fritz