January 2014 Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of January 2014 whale sightings.

January 31
5:00 - Two gray whales out front of my house. Heading north. Currently TWO gray whales heading north out of Eld Inlet (Olympia) toward Hunter Point and Squaxin Island and Hope Island. - Kim Merriman

*
5:20 pm - off Fox Spit on south Whidbey Island across from Camano Island state park: one large male and a few smaller females (?) spotted! Very cool! - Ann Brockenbrough

*
3 pm - After cruising a lap around Holmes Harbor, we headed north and east around Baby Island and then south toward Fox Spit. Just before passing Fox Spit we saw a lone Orca emerge with an erect dorsal fin that seemed to have a broken tip. He was very large and he didn't come up enough to see any white on him. We slow to watch but keep our heading. Shortly after, once we passed Fox Spit, two more orcas emerged. These two were more lively, coming higher out of the water and blowing water over and over. These orcas were swimming together about 1/4 mile behind the first, but in the same exact direction toward Baby Island. They appeared to be traveling and unfazed in direction by our presence. They moved leisurely, but at a pace where they were out of site within 7 minutes or so. We didn't follow as we didn't want to scare them. - Travis Coursey

*
4:12 - Killer whale - two maybe in Admiralty Inlet. Just south of Keystone heading south. - Mary Hulbert

January 30
These orcas were spotted in the Gastineau channel of Juneau, AK yesterday. They are resident orcas, correct? - Jennifer Quinto

*
5:13 pm - Sighted the pod of three orcas off President Point Road, Kingston, yesterday afternoon. - Becky Yee Perry

*
5:19 - they're way over on the Kitsap side and the light is failing. I've pretty much lost them from Richmond Beach in the low light.
5:16 - All three back together, moved south at a faster pace, now approaching the pier at Jefferson Beach Park. Some thrashing water, with the big male pushing / chasing something (seal? sea lion?) up out of the water with his rostrum. This is in the same area I watched a transient male do this same sort of thing a month or two ago...
5:13 - The big male disappeared, while the other two continued heading south. And now all three have gone stealth mode. *poof!* I'm guessing these are transients. Looks like they're working an area of water over and over again... perhaps chasing some prey.
4:47 - I have them just west of mid-channel buoy, heading south, between Kingston and President's Point. One big male, one smaller female/kiddo, and possible sprouting male. They're well over towards the Kitsap side. Maybe ½ mile out. Some short-term directional changes, but all three appear to be heading south again now. - Dave Haas

*
4:20 - 3 orcas - large one, medium size, and little. Ferry from Edmonds had to swing wide. Closer to Kingston moving southwest. Couple, three miles from ferry dock. Erin Kallal Johnson

*
4:10 - Three spotted off the Edmonds-Kingston ferry heading south. One seems little - Robbin Rae

January 29

January 28

January 27

January 26
4:30 pm - Carrie Newell called the Center for Whale Research to report seeing a large number of Southern Resident orcas heading north off Depoe Bay, Oregon. She took photos and will send those to the Center soon. These may be members of K and L pods, because J pod with L87 was recently off eastern Juan de Fuca Strait.

*
The transmitter worn by L87 Onyx between January 22 and January 26 apparently fell off about 30 miles west of Neah Bay.

January 25
Saw gray whales today at 15:00 west entrance to Deception Pass. Appeared to be two adults and one yearling. Whales were swimming against the current, the latter flowing west out of Deception Pass. Watched the whales in this area for about 45 minutes at the west entrance to Deception Pass o.4 miles west of bridge north side of channel, appeared to be feeding or slowly traveling. - Kent Dought

*
Maribeth Crandall reports seeing a large whale, possibly a Gray whale, swimming east through Deception Pass at 3:50 pm today.

January 24
T123's were feeding off Sooke (about ten miles west of Victoria). Rush and I came across the T123's feeding off of Sooke in the afternoon. Just before spotting them we saw a group of harbor porpoise moving quickly west and a series of large slicks left in the water. The whales carried chunks of flesh around during our 25 minutes of observation. - Mark Malleson, Prince of Whales

January 23

January 22

January 21
845am - Saw a gray whale very close to shore next to water taxi dock and fishing pier on Alki side of Elliott bay.
January 20
We just found transient orcas 10 minutes from our dock (Cowichan Bay, BC). Awesome day on the water. - Simon Pidcock

*
5:20 pm - found another group or two, including another male, looks like more than J pod out there. The leaders are about mid Marrowstone now, coming a little closer to mid channel, still heading south at a steady pace.
5 pm - we finally found them, off Ft Flagler, headed south closer to the Marrowstone side. At least 4 males, 15 - 20 orcas in two tight groups so far. - Orca Network

*
I may be seeing your pod, on Marrowstone Point heading south. Looks like 7-10 adults and juveniles. - Megan Yanney

*
4:40-5 pm - I found them on the north end of Marrowstone - waaay over there in the haze, was lucky to spot them, but what a treat! - Jill Hein

*
4:15 - Nice! I saw them at Point Wilson. Sunshine and orcas... what a day! - Kippi Waters

*
4:11 - Chrissy McLean at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center sees a pod between PT and Keystone, heading south across the top of Admiralty Inlet. We're heading to Lagoon Point to get a count.

*
3:59 - Orcas headed south at admiralty inlet. - Wendel Raymond

*
5 orca Sighted west of Marietta Islands, Banderas Bay, Nayarit, (Puerta Vallarta) Mexico. eating a Thrasher Shark. Hopefully photos will follow. - David Geist

January 19
A large black shiny animal jumped out of the water at 4:40 pm from the south end of Golden Gardens park -near the boat entrance to Shilshole Marina- a whale progressed up the beach heading north. - Ruth Berge
Note: from the video and the distance of the observation this could have been an orca or possibly a minke whale or something else entirely.

*
11:22 pm - ORCAS Lime Kiln. - Jamie Grundhauser

*
2:30 - Just saw the orcas swimming by in Boundary Pass (north of San Juan Island). Spread out, quite close to shore, swimming slow, breaches, tails slaps, one swam on his back for a few minutes slapping tail and pecs repeatedly. Two very little ones swimming very close together with 2 bulls watching over them. So great to see them in January. - Maureen Welton
Note: we don't have positive IDs for these, but the calls later that evening sounded like L pod calls to some listeners.

*
Saw 6 to 8 at Point No Point headed north before watching Seahawks win, not a bad day:) - Paul Hebert

*
A group passed Point No Point late this morning. - Connie Bickerton

*
10 am - We saw them pass the Possession Point bait company. - Terica Taylor

*
9:20 - Large Pod of orcas in Mukilteo ferry route spotted from ferry now! - Cindy Mowery Philistine

*
9:10 - Maia of WA State Ferries called to report about six orca heading south from the Mukilteo ferry lane.

January 18
5:30 - In the fading light I watched the whales heading north from the bluffs with fellow whale friends. Not a bad way to spend some time this evening and now back to work. - Sara Hysong-Shimazu

*
We had to leave them at 430 between Kingston and Jefferson Head. - Brad Hanson, NWFSC

*
4:54 - They are breaching out there!
4:25 - Seeing them from the bluff just north of Kingston Ferry Terminal looking south. Still heading north, seem the trending east. They were quite spread out. - Connie Bickerton

*
4:40 - I can still see them mid-channel between Carkeek park and the Kingston ferry terminal. - Kevin Green

*
4:25 - Straight out from Jefferson Beach Park. Closer to Kitsap side seems like. - Rachel Haight

*
4:07 - Very slow travel now, in a tight group, apparently resting.
3:45 - Watching them directly out from Richmond beach, NOAA with them. Closer to Kitsap side. - Pam Ren

*
3:48 - So excited just saw for the 1st time from Golden Gardens far away but still!!! - Lisa Meoli

*
4:12 - Still slowly headed north in resting pattern approaching Indianola area. I can't tell if they are mid channel or which side they are closer to. Two sail boats and NOAA are near them.
3:26 - They appear to be in the Bay Area of Shilshole.
3:17 - They are traveling tightly together now, appear to be in a resting phase traveling north still directly across from Suquamish.
3:04 - Seeing them now just passing north end of Bainbridge. I can see them from Suquamish with binoculars. NOAA is behind them. They are close together moving north. - Kim Funchess

*
3:35 pm - the pod is swimming north straight across near the east part of the Sound from the north end of Bainbridge Island. - Tim Cuddy

*
2:55 - Seeing spouts in distance -far south approaching Faye Bainbridge State park. They are still heading North.
2:45 - Seeing spouts in distance -far south approaching Faye Bainbridge State park . They are still heading North. - Katie Schmelzer

*
2:05 pm - Susan Marie Andersson had them at Skiff Point, mid-Bainbridge Island, closer to the Bainbridge side and heading north at a steady pace, doing a little bit of foraging but not much. The NOAA boat was behind the whales she saw.

*
1:32 - We saw them. They were heading across the eastern side heading north. 6 in the pod. - Shelley Evans

*
1:29 - seeing them from Rockaway road on east Bainbridge looking west towards downtown Seattle they're moving north still. - Alex Fazekas-Boone

*
A family was sighted heading north this afternoon between Eagle Harbor and Rolling Bay on Bainbridge Island. - Kari Wright

*
1:25 pm - Pod of 7-8 orcas on Bainbridge Island ferry off Wing Pt heading N. - Kim Dougan A tight group of J pod orcas headed north past Bainbridge Island. - Connie Bickerton

*
3:06 - Line of sight from south of Fay Bainbridge approaching Shilshole/Golden Gardens. Mid channel closer to Kitsap side.
2:51 - They are still well south of Fay Bainbridge closer to kitsap heading north. Look for NOAA boat.
1:14 - Almost middle of Elliot Bay, mid channel still heading north line of sight from Rockaway.
1:06 - Seeing them from Rockaway beach on Bainbridge almost due east. - Connie Bickerton

*
1:05pm - Current sighting reports has Jpod nearing south end of Bainbridge Island still trending north bound. NOAA research boat is with them.

*
1:04 - 7-10 orcas, north of the Bremerton ferry heading north. - Nikki Elizabeth

*
1 pm - An update on J pod and L87 in Puget Sound today - it sounds like they were approaching Bainbridge Island, heading north.

*
12:59 - Bremerton ferry almost stopped, looks like NOAA just crossed in front of it. - Sue Surowiec Larkin

*
12:37 - Spotted on Bainbridge ferry. SOUTH side of boat. About mid channel looks to be probably close to Blake island. - Jill M Rotset

*
I watched them from 1230 -130pm from Alki until they got to far into the fog bank for me to see. They were near Eagle Harbor entrance when I gave up watching. - Carriann Alabastro

*
12:10 - Kitsap Orca Watch reported 12 minutes ago- "We are watching NOAA and J Pod? From South Beach on Bainbridge Island. They are about a mile off Blake moving slowly south and west." - Katie Schmelzer
They passed Southworth at 11:45. - Katie Schmelzer

*
10:31 - See blows Kitsap side south of Southworth ferry terminal. J pod headed north past the Southworth ferry terminal. 10:49 - They are heading north towards Southworth, Kitsap side. Just barely see dorsal fins now! Woo Hoo! - Jill Clogston

*
J pod headed up Colvos Passage past Olalla. - Lori Sirovy

*
11:29 - Whales are northbound along the east shore of Blake Island. NOAA is still with them.
10:10 - Whales have passed Cove Walk in Vashon now, grouped and slowly northbound. If they were any closer to the Kitsap side they'd be walking up the beaches...but got distant video. Pretty sure it's Js. - Meg McDonald

*
9:20 - Six Orcas sighted! Just saw six beautiful orcas swim past my house located between Al's Market and Prospect Point in Olalla. I've waited for this day since 2010! Good day to be alive! - Robin Headrick

*
9:19 - 3 orcas just passed by, Colvos passage Olalla heading north. - Donna DiGiacomo Green

*
09:15 - Pod of 8+ Orcas sighted at 9:15-9:22 this morning. Moving south to north along western Colvos passage in front of Olalla. Sighted from West Vashon, in the vicinity of the Olalla bridge. - David Campau

*
8:54 - Christy Robinson: They passed Point Richmond beach heading north in Colvos Passage.

*
8:30 am - about 12 killer whales came by my beach house going north - about 100 yrds out! Looked like at least 2 large males, several females (smaller with hooked dorsal) and one new born calf (had pink tinge on white patches). Several older calfs at their mothers sides. - Jim Webster
Note: NOAA researchers reported that they saw no new calves.

*
Past Ollalla around 9:10 Kitsap side northbound.
8:56 - Mid channel lisabuela in colvos. Just across from Ollalla.
8:20 - OK, new sighting. Whales northbound near Spring beach headed into Colvos passage on Vashon. - Amy Carey

*
Orcas (presumably J pod & L87) moving north in Colvos Passage (west side of Vashon).
8:15 sighting report to Amy Carey has them at Spring Beach which is at the south end of the island. - Alisa Lemire Brooks

*
Amy Carey received a sightings report of orcas this morning seen about 7:00am near Gold Beach, which is off of Maury Island. No numbers or direction of travel provided.

January 17
J pod was in Admiralty Inlet this afternoon, heading south. Following a tip from the Center for Whale Research we watched them from Keystone at 2:30 to Bush Point about 4:30, all the while traveling steadily south in small groups. - Howard Garrett

January 16

January 15
9:09 am - We have orcas in the Sinclair Inlet (an arm of Puget Sound in Kitsap County near Bremerton) again -- 2 between Manette and Manchester, heading north/northeast. It was hard to see them this time because they were on the other side of the inlet, but I think this is the same pair I've seen before. It looks to me like a female and a baby. One dorsal is larger, both are curved on the back. When they're on this side of the inlet, they do a lot of diving because of the reef over here, there are a lot of big fish and sea lions, etc., on this side, and they all go there for the smaller fish around the reef. This time, they were just beneath the surface -- I think they may have been sleeping, because they weren't moving much. Usually after they stop by the reef, they move pretty quickly out of the inlet, toward the rest of the Sound; they don't hang around long. Today they stayed near the Manette side in the still water out of the shipping lane for at least half an hour in the same spot. Didn't get another chance to check before it got dark. - L Michelle Gardner

*
2:50 PM - 30 to 35 False Killer Whale pod traveling west - watched a large pod, 30-35 individuals, of False Killer Whales slowly pass Norwegian Point in Hansville heading west at approximately 2:50pm. The whales were just traveling in a line and not feeding. Their lack of speed and location close to the south side of the strait made for a great sighting. Plenty of time to watch them and try to get an approximate count. They were traveling west in an approximate line with no apparent feeding nor any beaching. I waited a day to report the sighting because I was skeptical that the pod I saw could be False Killer Whales and finally decided that I should report what I had seen. I am a photographer and almost never am without a camera, but, when I went on a quick trip to the Post Office on the fifteenth I didn't grab one of them. I regretted it once I stopped at Norwegian Point just to see if anything was happening on the strait. So, no images are available. The whales were very close to shore, maybe four or five hundred feet out and I did have my binoculars. Given their size in relation to the loons out near them I estimated the larger individuals to be somewhere in the range of fifteen feet in length. My wife and I kayak and have been very close to Dall Porpoises, Grey Whales, Orcas, Humpback Whales and Common or Pacific Dolphins here in the Washington, around Vancouver Island and in Alaska. These whales were none of those species. They were black all over and had dorsal fins that were angled back with a rounded tip. The fins were not nearly as tall as those on an Orca nor as pointed as those on a Dall Porpoise. I never did see the snout area since they were not energetically surfacing while they traveled. They were purposefully and slowly heading west and the entire group would surface twice before going under for a short period of time and then resurface twice again. I saw this sequence about five times and the individuals didn't appear to change location within the group much. They were not in a clump, rather more linear with never more than three or so next to each other, thus my rough count. Again, I am skeptical of my identification, but, given the size, shape and color of the whales thought I had better report the sighting. It would be nice if someone else would see and report them. - David Keathley

January 14
Update on satellite tagged orca L87 (and likely J pod): The whales remained in the northern Strait of Georgia for two more days following our previous post on Jan 10 2014, before heading south through San Juan Channel into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As of January 14 the whales were at the west entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. - Map by NOAA - NW Fisheries Science Center

January 13


January 12
Captain Hobbes was with 2 groups of Transients at Pt. Caution, just north of Friday Harbor, at 3:27 pm. He said it looks like they may have just made a kill.

January 11


January 10
11:00 am - Tony McGinnis called to say he's watching 3 orcas about a mile south of Myrtle Rock, in Malaspina Strait, BC (northern Gulf of Georgia-Sunshine Coast region of British Columbia) heading NW. He sees one male and two females.

January 9

January 8

January 7
Coastal orcas - 1:09 pm - Rocky creek Oregon Orcas!! (Lincoln County, northwestern Oregon, 2 miles south of Depoe Bay). Appeared to be at least three traveling north pretty fast. - Barbara Bechmann
January 6
1130 - I see them still from Port Townsend in the distance heading north but farther off now. They were very tactile rolling around with each other just having family time. Lovely views. Definitely K's. Saw Scoter and Lobo for sure. - Sara Hysong-Shimazu

*
08:45 - Orcas off Bush Point in Admiralty Inlet, heading north, traveling and possibly feeding. - Lisa Kois

January 5
5:00 - as darkness falls, from Owens Beach Point Defiance I watched them bunch up and form a resting line heading north towards Colvos. Night K pod, been a sweet and beautiful day.
4:42 - watching from Pt Defiance they stalled out between Colvos/Gig Harbor and here. trending towards Colvos it appears but meanwhile foraging, breaching, tail lobbing...
3:10...Wow! just pulled up to Dash Point pier and two whales like 100 yards off shore, rounded the bend! - Alisa Lemire Brooks

*
4:34 - 1st & 2nd view points from Pt. Defiance are the best right now.
4:23 - Trailing Whales just passed Vashon Ferry Dock. There's at least 6. They have changed direction & are headed towards Vashon.
4:05 - They are in front of the Browns Point Lighthouse headed into Commencement. - Melissa Bird

*
428pm - Seeing blows. More towards Pt Defiance at the moment.
4:27 - Headed towards Colvos Pasage/Narrows. - Sara Hysong-Shimazu

*
4:25 - Heading west now. - Taleen Venesky

*
4:10 - Yep , we see them between the ferry and Anthony's! - Lara Pate

*
Just saw two orcas breach in front of Pt. Defiance Marina and Anthony's Restaurant in Tacoma!! They were headed south toward Gig Harbor. - Sarah English

*
3:59 - We saw them from Owen beach- looking way across towards browns point! Thanks y'all. - Julie Merriam

*
3:55 - They're here! About to board the ferry and they are crossing through the bay towards Ruston. - Durand Dace

*
3:42 - Finally saw my first orcas today thanks to you all!! Incredible! - Chaz Bizar

*
3:40 - Whales are past Browns Point and heading toward Ruston. 3:18 - Whales are milling near yellow buoy north of Browns Point. -Meg McDonald WildNorthwestBeautyPhotography:

*
Was at Point Defiance about 3:30 p.m. today. Saw at least 8-10 male and female orcas in the passage between Pt. Defiance and Talequah on S. Vashon Island heading west. Watched them pass from the parking lot between Anthony's and the ferry dockfor at least 15 minutes. A fair number of people seemed to find out about it, although some may not have seen them. - Randy Johnson

*
3:13 - they're still going south, 3 orcas only.
3:05 - They are in Dash point now, wow! - Cokis Trejo

*
NOAA researchers observe orcas passing Pt. Robinson. - Marla Smith

*
2:46 - Now nearing Browns Point.
2:28 - Whales now resting closer to mainland near Dash point/Brown's point.
1:57 - Wow. Super sweet pass at Point Robinson. Whales southbound still under a brilliant Mount Rainer. - Amy Carey

*
2:30 - Orcas are mid channel heading south between Maury island marine park and Dumas Bay on the mainland. - Matt Wilson

*
2:10 - Two adult males are more mid channel with females and younger whales more towards Vashon moving southwesterly still spread out.
1:33 - finally spotted them from above Des Moines Marina... spread in in ones & twos nearing Pt Robinson. NOAA just came on scene. - Alisa Lemire Brooks

*
1:50 pm - from Jamie Grundhauser: the orcas are now heading south off Pt. Robinson. Brad Hanson and the NOAA boat are with them, and they have been confirmed as K pod.

*
1:28 - Another group of about 5 following them seeing them straight off of Normandy Park Beach. - Roxane Jackson Johnson

*
1:24 - They are heading south into the sun it is hard to see them now from Normandy Park. The place to see him I think will be Des Moines in about five minutes or point Robinson. 1:15 - I am watching the orcas straight off of Normandy Park beach heading south midchannel. - Tanya Jackson Esparza

*
1:03 - Orca Pod, 6, Pt. Robinson on Vashon, traveling south. - Lisa Follett

*
1:01 - Headed south half way from Dilworth to Point Robinson on Vashon.
12:50 - Now south of Dilworth closer to Vashon.
12:27 - Finally ! Blows now mid channel Dilworth. - Amy Carey

*
12:32 - just saw two orcas passing vashon island. we are looking east to the sound they should be at Point Robinson soon. - Danielle White

*
12:20 - Trileigh Tucker sees orcas from Lincoln Park, heading sourh about 1.5 miles south of the Fauntleroy-Vashon ferry lane.

*
12:13 - Just saw them off Dolphin Point - saw fins and blows! Incredible. - Doug Rusk

*
12:05 - Jamie Grundhauser reports 5-6 orcas heading south just south of Vashon ferry near Dilworth.

*
12:04 - Just south of Dolphin Point (first point south of ferry terminal). I'm on the roof of a building in the junction - seeing some spouting mid channel just south of Dolphin Point. - Stephanie Beach

*
At noon, Maia of WA State Ferries called to report 6 orcas off Vashon Head, heading south.

*
11:58 - Seeing spouting, they've just passed Dolphin Point, moving south. - Ester Fajzi

*
11:50 - Viewing a pod just south of ferry lane. Several whales, spread out quite far apart. Some milling. - Holly Boaz

*
11:30 - Just saw orcas off the east side of Vashon. Watching from W. Seattle. - Joel Zylberberg

*
10:42 - WA State Ferries just reported 3-4 orcas in the shipping lane off south Bainbridge Island.

*
5-6 Orca spotted heading south from sea-Bain ferry at 10:35am. They were near the middle and very spread out. - Neal McCulloch

January 4
K25 was in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. - Mark Malleson

January 3
Spotted two (orcas) between Manette and Port Orchard (south Puget Sound) this morning, heading out of Sinclair Inlet. (We have a couple of reefs here that they seem to like a lot.) Bye, guys! Visit again soon! - L Michelle Gardner

January 2


January 1
Coastal orcas - I'm a commercial fisherman in Northern California and we recently video taped a pod of Orca Whales attacking two Blue Whales in shallow water and presumably a calf as well. If you would like footage of this please respond. The footage is not great and was filmed with a cell phone at a distance, but imagine you can zoom in and possibly identify some of the whales in the video. - Gary Ogle

*
3:06 - Saw three of them pass our house in Hale Passage (south Puget Sound) across from Fox Island! - Anita Asmussen

*
A Pod just passed Toy Point/Fox Island fishing pier at 12:30 headed north but lingering between Fox Island and the (Tacoma) Narrows Bridges. - Glenn Hansen

*
Orcas were out in front of the Ferry dock this a.m. Those on the 10:30 boat saw them as did the crew of the Pierce County Ferry between Anderson Island and Steilacoom WA this morning. - Bob Lyden

*
Still hearing orcas at 9:46 on Lime Kiln phones. Ship noise drowning out sound at 9:47. - Micki Pacific

*
At 9:45 hearing some calls.
At 9:34, I'm hearing lots of clicking and a few calls. - Shelby Tilden

*
9:26 - I can hear them! That's amazing!! - Melissa A. Smith-Janicek

*
9:10 pm - Sounds like the Southern Residents have reached San Juan Island - you can hear them on the Lime Kiln hydrophones right now! - what a wonderful day they gave so many of us in the Salish Sea~ - Orca Network

*
8:50 - OK, for sure hearing calls again on Lime Kiln. - Pam Ren

*
7:36 pm - Some calls on LK hydrophone - Vickie Doyle

*
5:08 - Just left Point Wilson after waving goodbye to at least 25 whales. Happy new year! - Chrissy McLean

*
4:30 - from Ebey's Landing been watching them stream out of Admiralty with what I believe to be tailenders just passing, quietly into the night. Such a Happy New Year with Resident orcas and many whale loving humans.
3:30 - Whales are bunching up as they approach Port Townsend. Many breaches, cartwheels, tail lobs ..getting really close to whwhere hydrophone is.
3:15 - from Ft Casey ...Keystone/PT Townsend ferry has stopped, orcas on either side - Alisa Lemire Brooks

*
4:16 PM - Orca sighting from Coupeville-Pt. Townsend ferry; pod heading north. -Tom Moench

*
Watching them from the beach in Pt Townsend. Ferry goers got a good view. - Tom Stephens

*
Just spent 4 1/2 hours at Ft. Casey, waiting for the whales, then watching a lovely group (10-12+?) finally group up and meander by Ft. Flagler, in front of the ferry (it had to stop), and past Pt. Townsend...they were very slow, zig-zagging back and forth at the south end of Marrowstone....a few nice views of a big male right in front of beautiful Mt. Rainer....quite a few breaches, tail slaps, etc....very lovely, but a long day....saved from starving with a granola bar from Alisa Lemire Brooks...thanks!!! A big crowd of orca-holics there, and a few people who were having their very first encounter! Also heard there was a protest at the Rose Parade by the SeaWorld float....good!!! NOAA boat on scene all day as well. - Bonnie Gretz

*
4:00 pm - faint calls on PT hydrophone. - Susan Marie Andersson

*
Saw them from Fort Casey, what a great way to start the new year. - Canda Lepage

*
What a beautiful day out there! and best was to share with awesome orca peeps...saw everything, tail slapping, breaching, foraging, logging, ok, no didn't see spy hopping and surfing! totally orca blessed! Happy Orca New Year. - Marilyn Armbruster

*
3:43 - This is the first time I have ever seen them where they belong in the wild. SO COOL!!! - Tom Stephens

*
Just passing the ferry lane between Coupeville and Pt. Townsend between 3 and 3:30. Ferry was stopped out there with whales on both sides. They put on quite a show! We watched at bush point, lagoon pt and from fort Casey! Great whale watching day! - Kari Habeck

*
It was an amazing afternoon watching orcas from east side of marrowstone and from fort flagler with lots of other watchers. we saw one spy-hop and a few breaches. I jumped up and down like a giddy boy when I saw the breaches! you may have heard me screaming and hollering all the way over at bush point. what a GLORIOUS treat to see them on this first day of 2014! - Shane Farnor

*
1 Spent the day on Marrowstone ...lots of Orcas. - Jennifer Backen Matchem

*
2:30pm - Leaving Fort Flagler but whales still slowly moving north past the light house mid channel. Some foraging. NOAA with them. - Sara Hysong-Shimazu

*
Ft Flagler 2:30 - looks like they have finally all headed north of us. Very slow, leisurely travel with lots of foraging behavior. Hope they are getting lots to eat. There in my Binoculars were three black dorsals, and their blows. It was the most beautiful day, as I spent it watching them leisurely travel north, first from Point No Point, then all afternoon from Fort Flagler with friends on both side of the sound. I was once again reminded what a special place this is, and it's our responsibility to keep it that way. No one else is going to do it - WE have to do it. - Connie Bickerton

*
Before leaving Admiralty Inlet they delighted passengers on the Port Townsend ferry. - Howard Garrett,

*
2:17 - Yep, also hearing very faint calls on PT hydrophone. - Mike Russell

*
1:40 pm, it looks like all the whales are past Lagoon Pt and Marrowstone pt, still spread out across the Inlet and slowly heading out while they forage. - Orca Network

*
New Year's Day - what a start to the New Year! J and K pods in Admiralty Inlet ALL day, mostly well spread out, grouping up occasionally. With Howie Garrett on board, they kept us guessing as they headed slowly north, sometimes milling, sometimes turning back south, frequently zig-zagging across the glassy water of the shipping lanes. Passengers on board the Port Townsend ferry enjoyed a rare treat with spy-hops, breaches, cart-wheels, tail-slaps, a little logging and a spot of surfing. We heard some 'raspberry' blowing among surface chitter-chatter. Wishing our precious Southern Residents safe passage through the months ahead. - Sandra Pollard

*
1:09 - Andrea called from Lagoon Point to report four orcas heading north in Admiralty Inlet.

*
Quite a nice gathering at Fort Casey. They are headed our way finally!!! - Jamie Grundhauser

*
On our boat off Foulweather Bluff and passed about 6-8 Orcas heading north to Admiralty Inlet. Males were on the wings and females and at least one young one in the center. - Donald J. Leu, Ph.D.

*
10 am - I have fins at double bluff! - Elyse Sollitto

*
9:33 - We are seeing them from Pt No Pt. Spread out, breaching, and other activity. In front of useless bay! - Connie Bickerton

*
9:20 - Brad Hanson reports L87 is in Possession Sound between the south end of Whidbey Island and Point No Point this morning, probably heading up Admiralty Inlet.