October 2017 Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of October 2017 whale sightings.

October 31
Puget Sound - 5:45 p.m. - small group of orcas passing by my house...west of mid channel slowly moving south in the pink ribbon colored water. Beautiful! J19 heading south this evening, taken just south of Fay Bainbridge Park. -Photo by Sue Larkin, October 31, 2017
(ID by Melisa Pinnow)
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1737: orcas visible from hill atop Manitou beach. 1 ind & group of 3 initially seen heading south, then 3+ ind inc adult male changing direction east west, appear to be foraging, currently at least 1 ind near Fay Bainbridge heading west. -Paula von Weller
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5:45 p.m. - Last update from Richmond Beach: several stalled and foraged but in general all appear to be trending south. Trailers are two males traveling together mid channel about 1.5 miles south of Richmond Beach/Point Jefferson. I did see another male further south with another group southwest of these males (transect Carkeek and Faye Bainbridge) Lots of directional changes and foraging all afternoon as they slowly make their way down the Sound. Saw at least 2 calves today as well. Too far and backlit for IDs.
5:00 p.m. - Trailing groups about at Point Jefferson/Richmond Beach mid channel moving southwesterly. Breaches further south out from Port Madison, while others foraging in different directions trailers approach. Many shiny fins and illuminated exhalations as I look west in the golden light over a calm glimmering Puget Sound backdropped by the slightly veiled Olympic Mountain Range.
4:22 p.m. - in general I think most have continued south spread in all directions but mainly mid channel with mist more west but some east of mid. Trailers include 2 loosely spread groups one adult male and female in each with one calf and one juvie rounding out the two. At least two males and one female still out from Kingston dock/south of Point Wells mid channel foraging.
3:42 p.m - nice tail lob Apple Tree Cove south of Kingston dock
3:35 p.m. - Approx 15 total so far: Leaders (6+ loosely spread) south of Kingston, pod of approx 4 with male mid channel off Apple Cove Point/Point Wells engaged in directional changes, and even more (3-4?) to the north coming mid channel. Lots of salmon jumping all over. Years past I would say Rs based on numbers but too far for IDs for me anyhow.
3:27 p.m. - Seen at least 2 adult males. Currently what is trailing group consists of at least four including male, still north of Apple Cove Point in Ferry lanes mid channel steady southbound. Other group north of Kingston Ferry dock west side of channel. There was a male in lead group earlier
3:18 p.m. - still streaming in from north. Have seen some directional changes over the past 45 minutes. In general from south of Apple Cove Point and to the north and mid channel and west of. Few spread out north of Kingston with two other groups north by 1/2 mile and even further All southbound at the moment
2:30 p.m. - seeing spread out orcas. One group still north of Apple Cove Point mid channel steady southbound another trailing maybe 1/4-1/2 mile. Viewing from Richmond Beach. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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3:03 p.m. - 4 Orcas just south of Apple Cove Point heading south, closer to Kingston side. -Darlene Moneypenny
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3:00 p.m. - Watching from the Kitsap side, Sara Frey reports seeing several groups of orcas, at least ten total, some near Edmonds and some further south at the tank farm, and some closer to the Kitsap side, all trending south. J17 southbound Puget Sound passing Apple Cove Point, Kingston. Two unidentified southern residents passing Apple Cove Point, Kingston, backdropped by Point Wells, Woodway ("the Tank Farm") on their travels southbound. -Photo by Sara Frey, October 31, 2017
(ID by Melisa Pinnow)
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1:19 p.m. - 6+ Orcas passing Eglon headed south right now. They were mid channel, and yes just north of Kingston. After watching them for a bit there was at least a half dozen. (originally reported as 3-4). -Melissa Peterson
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October 31 - Juan de Fuca - Northbound Victoria Clipper spotted Js milling, trending west, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca near the border, around 10am this morning. No photos, but three of the crew who are familiar with the whales, including one of our naturalists, were confident that J26 Mike in a group of at least 12 whales. (AIS map location was near Hein Bank - ALB). -Stephanie Raymond
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Humpback whales - October 31 - Haro Strait - HB off Lime Kiln 10-31-17 10:23. Not sure on direction yet. -Jeanne Hyde
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October 31 - Strait of Georgia - 11:42 a.m. - Initially quite far more than five miles w two at least heading south. Most recently one humpback still here and closer 3-5 miles from shore between Mayne and PT Roberts.
11:20 a.m. - Several humpbacks active in the Strait of Georgia over last hour. Visible from Mayne Island BC. Beautiful flukes in various places. Busy foraging. They appeared to be in the middle of the Straight but maybe between 5 and 10 miles from Mayne island. -Yves Tiberghien
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Dolphins - October 31 - I saw them this evening off of Mee-Ka-Mooks Park in West Seattle around 5:45pm. They didn't seem to be traveling, just milling around in the same area. -Brian-Nicole Jenkins
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1530: 2 bottlenose sighted from Luna park milling in area, no obvious direction of travel. Photos taken by an observer with a phone. Shared courtesy of Paula von Weller, October 31, 2017
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The project at the Seattle ferry terminal will be pile driving today. We are checking the OrcaNet twitter site a few times a day when we do. Today we saw 2 bottlenose dolphin travelling south in front of the ferry terminal about 100 meters off the pier. No work was occurring at the time. We have 9 marine mammal monitors (10 with me) on-site and are following both a NMFS approved marine mammal monitoring plan and a USFWS marbled murrelet monitoring plan depending on the activity. This is an on-going project expected to go on about 4 years with work occurring between August 1 and Feb. 15 of any year. We appreciate any "heads up" of marine mammals we can get from OrcaNetwork. -Burt Miller, WSF/Assistant Environmental Manager
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A pair of unidentified dolphins sighted by an observer near main ferry terminal in Seattle around 0800 Tuesday 31st. Possibly bottlenose. Were milling then began traveling in the direction of Alki/Luna point. No photos obtained. -Paula von Weller
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I think I may have spotted the two bottle nose dolphins that have been hanging around. This shot was taken from Lagoon Point at about 1030 a.m. -Photo by Bob VonDrachek, October 30, 3017
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12:59 p.m. - Think we just saw it (bottlenose) off Ebeys landing! -Nikkie Acres
(Facebook video shows dolphins - ALB)
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October 29 - 8:20 am. - Bottlenose Dolphin close to shore by Lagoon Point, Whidbey Island, moving quickly north. -Margaret Marshall
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I saw him (re: M Marshal bottlenose above) close up (0800 on Sunday) about 75 ft off shore heading north at Lagoon Point. In the distance I thought it must be a dolphin of some kind but when he got close to the beach the size convinced me that he was a small whale even though it did not look like any I knew of. -Bob VonDrachek

October 30
11:23 p.m. - Faint and infrequent SRKW's on Lime Kiln. -Connie Bickerton
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hearing them again now - 11:11pm...just a bit. 10:20pm -- I heard one, only one, faint, J Pod call on the Lime Kiln hydrophones....so far...-Jeanne Hyde
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Unidentified cetaceans - October 30 - We saw a group of at least 5 milling about just before sunset last night. They eventually headed south. Location was just south of Point Whitehorn, Birch Bay, they were easily seen from shore. No photos unfortunately. Sorry, not sure at all they were bottlenose. It was just before sunset so it was too dark to pick out features, but they were definitely larger than any porpoise we have observed previously. (in response to Bottlenose dolphin post - ALB). -Patty Crawley Campbell

October 29
Orcas gently traveling east to west at Flint Beach, Lopez Island 3:45-4pm October 29th. About 12 whales. Lots of tail slaps. One very small orca. Have not seen the orcas much this summer...-Sally Reeve, Lopez Island
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Bigg's/Transient killer whales - October 29 - T2C2 Tumbo and his younger sibling calf T2C4 in San Juan Channel. Transient killer whale T2C1 Rocky under Mt. Baker in San Juan Channel this evening. -Photo by Monika Wieland Shields
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5:40 p.m. - Orcas seen from ferry near Friday Harbor headed north abeam of turn island. 3-5 individuals. (those are the T2C's - Monika Wieland Shields) -Frederick Earl Dowell
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October 29 - 1:52 p.m. - We heard six blows and it seems they were heading south towards Holmes Harbor. We did not see them. We think we heard two Orcas and ran to the beach, but the sounds were already way south. We couldn't see anything. Lots of fog. Just the sounds from blow holes.
1:37 p.m. - Hearing whale spouts Hidden Beach. Checking it out. -Beth Clifton
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October 29 - Juan de Fuca Strait - Still lots of Humpback whales around Sooke! This particular one (BCZuk2014#1 "Slalom") was very active with lots of Tail Slaps! -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 29, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks)
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Humpback BCZuk2014#1 "Slalom" - Just west of William Head, out near Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. -Photo by Jim Maya, October 29, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks)
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Minke whales - October 29 - 9:00 a.m. - Minke whale off Diamond Point, WA near Sequim WA. We sighted a single Minke whale swimming west and then north around 9 am Sunday morning, October 29th, 2017. Amazing! We believe the Minke whale was looking for food. 48.099198 N, 122.916176 W. -Chris Rosen
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October 28 or 29 - We saw dolphins last weekend while staying at Keystone Beach on Whidbey. 2 dolphins. Stayed pretty much in the same area for a while. Don't remember when. -Marty Gordon

October 28
Js at Entrance Island (6 miles east of Nanaimo) 1600. -Peter Hamilton
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October 28 - Strait of Georgia - Humpback Whales (2) at 9:20 am in Georgia Strait. Had 2 Humpback Whales viewed off the BC Ferries they were travelling slow and fluking and feeding and heading towards Galiano. Exact GPS coordinates 48.946705,-123.256295. -Melissa Hafting
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October 28 - San Juan Channel - We were with the two humpbacks Heather (BCY0160) and Crater (BCXukKeta2014#1) heading South in San Juan Channel towards the end of the island and heard one give a small trumpet around 5:00 pm. I wonder if they could hear that the other humpbacks were being harassed by orcas? Maybe they were coming to help. -Colleen Moore
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October 28 - Juan de Fuca Strait - We just are heading back to Anacortes now and spotted 2 humpback whales and at least 2 orca in the same area at 4:30. (map shared indicate south Hein Bank area). No direction, but the orca was clearly interacting with the humpbacks. As we left the 2 humpback and 2 orcas heading east, we spotted one more orca heading west in the direction of the humpbacks. The rolling around with their pectoral fins in the air sometimes, is correct. We thought possible feeding too, but the orca whales would periodically swim right to the humpbacks and then their would be huge splash. It looked like the orcas were attacking the humpbacks. The sound of the humpbacks are pretty remarkable (heard in the video). The humpbacks would sometimes just float it seemed for a while with their backs out of the water, staying stationary and then the orcas would periodically come up as if they were circling the humpbacks. We watched for an hour and it was the same thing the whole time. Humpbacks surfacing, staying pretty stationary with some rolling and showing pectoral fins, the two orcas coming out of the water periodically in what seemed like a circle around the humpbacks, and a rare (maybe 3 times in the hour we were there) the orcas swimming directly to the humpbacks with a lot of splash when they contacted. Pretty remarkable to watch. Thanks for all the work you do, Orca Network.
Narrative w/YouTube video:
Two humpbacks spotted around 4:30pm in what first appeared to be them feeding, but then spotted two orcas circling the humpbacks. Periodically, the two orcas would swim right to the humpbacks and then their would be huge splash. It looked like the orcas were attacking the humpbacks. The sound of the humpbacks trumpeting is pretty remarkable (heard in the video). The humpbacks would sometimes just float it seemed for a while with their backs out of the water, staying stationary while other times rolling and showing their pectoral fins. For the hour we were there, almost on repeat: Humpbacks surfacing, staying pretty stationary with some rolling and showing pectoral fins, the two orcas coming out of the water periodically in what seemed like a circle around the humpbacks, and a rare (maybe 3 times in the hour we were there) the orcas swimming directly to the humpbacks with a lot of splash when they contacted. Not sure if the orcas were attacking or just harassing the humpbacks. Pretty remarkable to watch. - Emma Hawkins *
October 28 - Minke spotted feeding at 11:15am today, October 28 off the south side of San Juan Island. (map shared indicates Hein Bank area). -Emma Hawkins *
Sea Otter - October 28 - Noon - Off the southeast shore of Long Island , San Juans, south of Lopez Island. I saw a sea otter resting in the kelp. Seen from a small boat. This is the first sea otter I've ever seen in these inland waters, and we go out in our boat every couple of weeks! 48.437629, -122.923075. -Photo by Jill Rain, October 28, 2017

October 27
What a surprise to come rolling along the edge of Wilby Shoals (south end of Quadra Island) late this afternoon to find J pod foraging in typical spread out formation! We had minimal time as the sun had just dipped below the mountains and pics were getting hard to take! But we managed a few ID's, J26, J38, to confirm J pod and love the Sunset colors! -Photo by Nick Templeman, October 27, 2017 *
October 27 - San Juan Channel - 5:17 p.m. - HBs heading south from Fishermans Harbor. They'll prob be heading out of Cattle Pass in 30-35 minutes.
4:30 p.m. - David and I went out in our skiff for a ride and found 2 Humpbacks southbound passing Friday Harbor now. -Barbara Howitt *
(2 of) 3 Humpbacks in Strait of Georgia - taken from Edith Point, Mayne island around 6:00pm tonight. -Photo by Yves Tiberghien, October 27, 2017

October 26
Amazing images of minke whale lunge feeding on a bait ball NW of Point Wilson Lighthouse, Port Townsend. -Photo by Renee Beitzel, October 26, 2017

October 25
I guess you heard that Js and some Ls were in Trincomali headed north late yesterday (October 25). -Peter Hamilton
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October 25 - Haro Strait - And the answer to 'who made it to the west side first'...that would be me...and the L54s? Well, it sounds like they took their time...on the Lime Kiln hydrophones, very faintly and very sparsely, starting at about 05:45...nothing now and it's still dark so I can't go looking!...yet...-Jeanne Hyde
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Bigg's/Transient killer whales - October 25 - T011A in Esquimalt Harbour on the morning of October 25th. -Photo by Mark Malleson
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Humpback whales - October 25 - 1300 - He's left the Sound! Located Two Spot just north of Point Wilson. Still on his way out. Fluked once so still feeding intermittently.
1037 - Chilkat leaving CS631 Two Spot heading north slowly, in northbound traffic lanes at Lagoon Point. -Renee Beitzel

October 24
Juan de Fuca Strait - 5:00 p.m. - Saw Orcas off the Black Ball Coho ferry just outside Port Angeles. -Dona Fretz
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October 24 - Haro Strait - 01:47-middle of the night...SRKWs are in here! Calls over Lime Kiln lasted just 2 minutes. Not a lot of calls but definitely some of them. No telling which direction. -Jeanne Hyde
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October 24 - Puget Sound/Admiralty Inlet - 5:38 p.m. - Orca spotted on Pt Townsend Coupeville ferry. Just one. When I saw it , yes (headed north). Much closer to Port Townsend side than Coupeville side. -Geoff Kappes
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4:20 p.m. - Transients nearing entrance to Hood Canal, off Foulweather bluff headed NW.
3:15 p.m. - seeing the orcas off the NW side of Point No Point, heading NW, closer to the Kitsap side. -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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2:25 p.m. - Kim Paige reports three orcas heading north between Eglon and Point No Point on the Kitsap side.
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2:15 p.m. - Chilkat Express is leaving the T137s north bound just south of Point No Point closer to the Kitsap side. -Justine Buckmaster
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11:50 a.m. - WA ferries just reported 3 orcas north of Clinton/Mukilteo ferry run, on the Clinton side, no direction given. And Sue Ehler, monitoring for WSDOT also reported 3 orcas between the ferry lanes.
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T137B, born 2006. - 10:30 a.m. - Three orcas passed us close to Pebble Beach mid morning today, headed east. They were moving quickly, couldn't ID them. Traveling. -Photo by Peg Boley, October 24, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, confirmed by Sara Hysong-Shimazu)
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The youngest of the family T137D, born 2012. -Photo by Peg Boley, October 24, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, confirmed by Sara Hysong-Shimazu)
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October 24 - Admiralty Inlet - 4:15 p.m. - whale is now south of yellow channel marker heading southeast still.
4:00 p.m. - theres a humpback whale south of Foulweather Bluff. Im looking from Shore Meadows, Whidbey Island side. Its moving southerly and closer to Kitsap side. Heart blows....-Marilyn Armbruster
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October 24 - Juan de Fuca Strait - Great day around Sooke from Beecher Bay to Race Rocks with 8+ Humpback whales actively feeding close to shore with breaching, tail slaps, cartwheeling and a lot of surface feeding! Humpback BCZ0155. -Paul Pudwell
(Id by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network)

October 23
T002C1 and T002C in Boundary Pass on October 23rd. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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Humpback BCY0160 at East Point on the evening of October 23rd. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017
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BCX1068 "Split Fluke" south of Kelp Reef on the morning of October 23rd. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017

October 22
A small Orca pod southbound through Saratoga pass by Fox Spit about 7pm. Looked like two adults and one little one. -Photo by Heather Routh, October 22, 2017
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6:00 p.m. - Maybe it's the same crew, but they are feeding off East Point- Fox Spit, close to shore, and putting on quite the show, heading South now, very exciting to witness. We heard them breathing last night. -Susanne Schnippering
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T137A and younger sibling off Fox Spit, Whidbey Island. -Photo by Susanne Schnippering, October 22, 2017
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5:42 p.m. - 4 orcas Just off Baby Island!! Heading south into Saratoga very close to whidbey side. -Jennifer Feldman Spanton
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4:55 p.m. - just leaving the Harbor heading north. Currently between Baby Island and Hidden Beach. Four total that I counted. -Dan Gulden
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It's not too often we see whale watch boats (and whales) from home, but we lucked out today when the T137As made a foray into Holmes Harbor. We first spotted the whales passing Hidden Beach, Greenbank, watched vigilantly by a bald eagle perched on high, and caught up with them again later at Honeymoon Bay as they headed out towards Saratoga Passage. We enjoyed the bonus of warm, sunny weather accompanying the tranquility of nature in the wild, a far cry from the turbulence of the world and a gentle reminder of the true meaning of life. (photo of male T137A (born 2002) in Holmes Harbor by Richard Snowberger). -Sandra Pollard
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4:45 p.m. - Orcas in Holmes Harbor. Spotted three (maybe four) orcas including one small juvenile heading out of Holmes Harbor going north past Baby Island. Two impressive breaches by the biggest orca in the group. -Kat Johnson
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3:00-3:45 p.m. - They were in Holmes Harbor, Freeland, Wa. We live at 1400 block Everette Ln, Freeland Wa. When we heard one of our neighbors say "orca", we grabbed the binoculars and headed down to our beach off the spit. There were 3 fins sighted, but none large enough to be male. At least 1 was quite small. They appeared to be playing...lots of surfacing but no breaching. There were 2 boats, small whale watching as opposed to fishing/crabbing. They were following the Orcas. We were aware of them at about 3 and watched them until about 3:45pm. -Bruce and Beverly Hardcastle
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3:36 p.m. - slowly North off Honeymoon Bay. T137b & d messing around pulling crab buoys under water;
3:12 p.m. - Approaching Honeymoon Bay;
3:02 p.m. - Moving north now all grouped up;
2:29 p.m. - Two groups in Holmes Harbor. -Matt Stolmeier
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2:17 p.m. - They are in Holmes Harbor right now! almost to the golf course in the middle of the harbor along the wind/current line. Milling around, no direction. At least one juvenile. What a joy to live here! Made my day with Orcas in the harbor, along with Bald Eagles and Blue Heron and a backdrop of colorful fall trees. -Cindi Bowen
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2:00 p.m. - My husband and I were out on our stand up paddle boards near the boat ramp in Holmes Harbor. Around 2 PM we saw 2 Harbor seals, then 5 small porpoises (they were dark gray or black on top). My husband heard what sounded like gravel being dumped from a truck, only to look up and realize it was an Orca swimming. At this point I turned and saw 2-3 Orcas. I saw their backs and dorsal fins then went down in the water and we didn't see them after that. The Orcas were on the right side of Holmes Harbor, if you are looking out at the water from Freeland Park. They were between the sailboats and the larger metal dock along on the right. -Tannis Rhoton
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1:24 p.m. - One male, one female, and one juvenile are currently in Holmes Harbor. -Photo by Eric Barnes, October 22, 2017
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12:40 p.m. - Heard their blows as they passed Hidden Beach just now heading towards Holmes Harbor. -Sandra Pollard
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12:15 p.m. - Chilkat Express is on scene with the T137s in Saratoga Passage traveling south quickly across from Cama Beach closer to the Whidbey side heading toward Holmes Harbor. -Justine Buckmaster
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11:33 a.m. - Watching them from near Polnell Point perhaps 4-5 miles from their location near Harrington Lagoon...but even at this distance the spray is quite visible using binoculars on this sunny day. -Steve Rothbeck
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11:17 a.m. - They just passed us, Harrington Lagoon Road headed south. 2 males, 2 females, 1 juvenile. Close to shore. But they wizzed by us quick and are now far out of sight. -Lauren Johnson
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9:56 a.m. - Five Transient (Bigg's) orcas were seen leaving Penn Cove by Lee Fritsch, who said there were two adult males, two females and one juvenile. Direction of travel not known.
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T137B at Long Point, Whidbey Island. A pod of orcas were in Penn Cove this morning as mentioned by Lee Frisch. Photos taken at Long Point as the orcas left Penn Cove. -Photo by Bill Fritsch, October 22, 2017
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Bottlenose dolphins - (The reports, images, and video link below were all sent to Cascadia Research for species ID, here is Dave Anderson's reply: "Those look like bottlenose to me. I was wondering if there were multiple animals, and this confirms it." - ALB)
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October 22 - 2:09 p.m. - Two dolphins southbound Saratoga, middle of the channel between Strawberry Point and Camano. I'm a captain on one of the blackfish boats and was not entirely sure of what type they were. I put a picture out on a naturalist page and they were certain that they were actually bottlenose. -David Scott

October 21
Two dolphins went west off Sooke on Oct 21 2017. They were gray in color and looked like they were looking for food. I suspect they are common Bottlenose Dolphins. I took a video for ID purposes. -Video by Vinz Eberl, October 21, 2017

October 20
T018's along the shoreline of Saltspring Island on the morning of October 20th. -Photo by Mark Malleson, 2017

October 19
Three orcas passed in front of our ferry pulling out of Friday Harbor, at about 4:40pm. They were traveling north in San Juan channel. -Tom Reeve

October 18


October 17
Southern Residents - 6:07 p.m. - Karen Scott at Bush Point reports 3-4 orcas heading north close to the Whidbey side of Admiralty Inlet.
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5:40 - 6:00 PM - I watched approx. 25 orcas foraging while slowly heading north up Admiralty Inlet south of Bush Point.
5:33 - 5:55 - Members of J pod and L pod came north up Admiralty Inlet between Hansville and Bush Point. ID'd J27 (photo) J38, and L88 from photos from the bluff south of Bush Point.
4:10 p.m. - saw breaching lobtailing etc still south of traffic buoy but trending slowly north mid channel. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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5:45 p.m. - seeing some of the orcas closer to the Whidbey side, about a mile south of Bush Pt. still foraging but still trending NW I believe...
5:00 p.m. - there are still some orcas way down off the green channel marker, others spread out NW of there, and swimming in every direction possible, looks like they are having dinner!
4:40 p.m. - there are more further SE, closer to Point No Point, definite foraging, direction changes, lunges, tail lobs - hope they are finding, sharing and eating a lot of salmon!
4:35 p.m. - seeing the orcas between Hansville (Kitsap side) and Double Bluff (Whidbey side), look to be closer to Hansville. They are trending NW up Admiralty Inlet, but still look like they are foraging - some lobtailing and direction changes. -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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4:14 p.m. - Now south of Double Bluff in the northbound traffic lane. -Jason Mihok
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3:06 p.m. - wow! I just happened to swing the big eyes around, trying to spot more blows and fins, and saw this big black thing hanging horizontally in the air over the water - then SPLASH as the whale landed! Just happened to catch it mid-breach! At 3 pm we were just able to spot them with our "big eyes" - looks like they are foraging, multidirectional still south of the green channel marker, spread out in the Possession Triangle, hopefully finding lots of fish! -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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2:50 p.m. - More than one male and 10-15 females. Headed north. I'm taking pics now
1:23 p.m. - Orca between Point No Point and Scatchet Head. 1 male, 4-5 females. -Luke Schwantes
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Kim Page left a message at 12:43 pm reporting a pod of 7 or more orcas off Pilot Point, (between Eglon and Point No Point) feeding close to shore. Generally heading north but just hanging out foraging.
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Humpback whales - October 17 - Puget Sound - 4:20 p.m. - While scouting for resident orcas, who were miles away towards the entrance to Admiralty Inlet, a humpback came into view in my binoculars. He was approximately 2-3 miles south of Cultus Bay/Possession Point heading south. A few minutes later I watched him surface a several times again to the southwest, then I left. Never could see the SRKWs, too great a distance from Stamm Overlook Park, Edmonds on such a gray gray day. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

October 16
L88 chasing Fall salmon in Puget Sound. Here he is foraging near shore off Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, Shoreline, WA. -Photo by Ariel Yseth, October 16, 2017
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5:57 p.m. - Saw a lone dorsal fin still heading into the bay by Elliott Bay marina as the east bound ferry crossed behind it. -Rebecca Sherwood
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5:41 p.m. - Got a better look....one at least is heading into the Bay, very close to westbound Washington State Ferry.
5:38 p.m. - Seeing blows in mouth of Elliot Bay from Duwamish Head, looks like they are still heading north. -Stephanie Raymond
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Just had three or four Orcas pass by heading towards Elliot bay on the 5:30 Bainbridge ferry - we saw them on the starboard side, but captain made announcement of pod on the port side? So possibly two groups swimming by. heading into Elliot Bay, so south east. -Madison Duckworth
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My orca sighting today took place from around 4:20-5:40 and I started viewing at Constellation but as the orcas headed north I moved to Alki. At around 5:20 it became clear that some of the orcas were moving into Elliot Bay. The orcas were very spread out the entire time so it is hard for me to know how many there were without looking at the other reports. The funny thing is that I came to Alki in the hopes of seeing the residents after having given a presentation to a class of third graders about these same orcas. -Connor O'Brien
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5:30 p.m. - Bainbridge crossing at sunset with the ferry surrounded by Orca! What a great welcome home. We live in a MAGICAL place. xo -Photo by Kimberly Sylvester-Malzahn, October 16, 2017
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5:18 p.m. - Some of them appear to be heading into Elliot Bay. Watching from Alki. -Connor O'Brien
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5:08 p.m. - See them off Alki beach mid Chanel. Headed north....Actually not certain of direction. Looking through the binos, they are very spread out and changing direction. Trending north though. -Charles Vendley
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4:53 p.m. - foraging direction changes south edge of Elliott Bay, several males in group. Boat sped in from the north and stopped almost on top of a couple of the males.
4:47 p.m. - definitely flipped, passing Alki Point, might be angling in to Elliott Bay. -Jason Lee Bell
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4:34 p.m. - Agree- watching them from Condos on water and they have slowly turned back North. Looking towards N. end of Blake Island but still in shipping lane. -Terry Blumer
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4:30 p.m. - Pod may have flipped north between Mee Kwa Mooks and Alki Point.
4:19 p.m. - Tons of blows mid and east channel viewing from Mee Kwa Mooks. Male turned northbound maybe 1/4 mile from shore. -Jason Lee Bell
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4:06, 3 fins, lots of spouts, in shipping lane off of Blake Island. Visible from Harbor West Condos/ Cormorant Cove. Heading towards Blake Island.
3:36 p.m. - large fin visible from Cormorant Cove with binocs. In shipping lane slowly moving South & closer to Bainbridge. -Terry Blumer
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3:45 p.m. - Lots of action now, tail lobbing heading to northern end of Blake Island.
3:20 p.m. - 3 fins far out close to Bainbridge heading south. Viewed from Constellation Park, West Seattle (whales were North of Constellation). -Deborah Neisuler
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Saw at least 12 individuals (maybe more) in a pod, heading south west of the bout off Alki point as I was returning to Seattle on the Bremerton to Seattle run.....not sure which pod, they were stunning. Traveling. -Marty Jackson
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3:05 p.m. - group of 4-5 sighted from Rockaway Beach park headed toward Alki. -Paula von Weller
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J22 Oreo (Left) & another member of the southern residents - I was commuting from Seattle to Bremerton on the 3 PM ferry. I saw two whales. Or, possibly three. One has a straight fin. One looks like a baby. Playing off the shores of West Seattle. Photo by Barb Chan, October 16, 2017
(ID by Sara Hysong-Shimazu)
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J51 Nova, one of the surviving 2015 calves powering through some rough Puget Sound seas. J51 was born February 2015 to J41 Eclipse. -Photo by Barb Chan, October 16, 2017
(ID by Sara Hysong-Shimazu)
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J31 Tsuchi (born in 1995) spyhops off outer Elliot Bay, downtown Seattle as seen from a WS Ferry. J31 travels with her older brother J27 Blackberry and younger brother J39 Mako. -Photo by Barb Chan, October 16, 2017
(ID by Sara Hysong-Shimazu)
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3:18 p.m. - Watching 3 large fins and several smaller ones heading south between Alki and Bainbridge. From approximately 3 pm to now. -Linda J Rusch
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Observed small groups passing this area (Manitou Beach) from ~12:40 - 2:30pm. Last observed a group of 3-4 off Rockaway Beach heading south around 3:00pm. -Paula von Weller
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2:30 p.m. - Trailers just finished passing Skiff Point on Bainbridge Island. Very steady southbound travel. J16s, I believe, in very tight group. Paula may have photos for id's. Side Note: Orcas have stayed pretty close to fishing vessels in the area since noon. -Susan Marie Andersson
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2:40 p.m. - Orcas under an orca cloud! After much foraging out from Discovery Park these two groups anyhow have now committed themselves southbound. Last seen in the distance about 2:40 skirting Elliot Bay heading towards Alki/Restoration Point. This place we live, sublime.
2:00 p.m. - The two groups here have stalled & turned back and are foraging just south of the lighthouse; one group just east of yellow mid channel buoy off West Point and another group south of and more east side of channel. Lots of big boys!
1:45 p.m. - ON volunteer Jennifer Hammer and I moved to West Point Lighthouse/Discovery Park. Here but just a few minutes when she spots orcas coming around the point. We watched this family/group tightly grouped up round the point about a 1/4 mile offshore in lovely October winds and heavy chop. We are watching another group who is due west of Lighthouse mid channel, with one member breaching at least 3 times at least. All steady southbound powering along. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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1:10 p.m. - small groups visible from hilltop above Manitou beach, closer to west side of waterway, south of Fay Bainbridge State Park and heading south and SE. -Photo by Paula von Weller, October 16, 2017
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12:55 p.m. - Several fins passing quickly by Fay Bainbridge. Large male in mix. Very spread out, traveling south. Some are west of southbound shipping lane. -Susan Marie Andersson
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1:00 p.m. - They eventually continued on steady southbound course loosely spread, on east side of the Sound. Probably out from Carkeek Park about now.
12:25 p.m. - L88 and family group, presuming still the J16s (I've moved locations a couple of times) has been out foraging and has now moved in even closer to shore off Richmond Beach Saltwater Park.They are inshore of the weather buoy which very seldom happens. Foraging
Noon - Pods are spread miles apart north and south and across channel. It is difficult to tell anyone where they are because they are all over. That said Been watching who we think these are the trailers on the east side of channe off northend Richmond Beach; J16s with L84 & L88 near per Chilkat. Lots of breaches and foraging directional changes off RB as they continue south. Not sure where any of the others are at this point. Chilkat is leaving to go explore other places so don't use them as your guide. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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12:28 p.m. - L88 at Richmond Beach now... Pod was initially southbound in mid channel then turned to the east. I had trouble seeing them for awhile because I didn't realize they were coming right at me! Taken from Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. -Photo by Ariel Yseth, October 16, 2017
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12:38 p.m. - Can't confirm w/ binocs but will continue keeping an eye out and post if/when we see them from here
12:15 p.m - I *may* be seeing some spouts approaching Alki. In Lower Queen Anne looking at the sliver of ocean that can be seen from my Grandma's window. I'm going to see if I can track down binoculars and confirm. -Katie Kirking
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11:35 a.m. - just passing President Point, south of Kingston, pretty much mid channel, heading south. Not sure (when asked if leaders or trailers) there are some on the Seattle side of the yellow channel marker south of Edmonds right now. -Joanne Graves
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11:10 a.m. - Still watching them stream southbound spread in all directions. Now with possibly trailers about mid channel Kingston/Point Wells. Some breaching, taillobbing, inverted rolls, pec slapping. Females and young can be very difficult to see in mild chop. A lot of males. And hundreds and hundreds of gulls!
10:45 a.m. - I see several spread out north/south and across channel. At least one group including adult male south of Kingston Ferry west of mid channel, with others just north of Ferry dock including at least one male. And more more North and east (mid channel) coming, including male. All powering steady southbound in rough waters. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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A report this morning of a large group of whales near Edmonds, turns out it was J pod with members of L pod, also! They were soo spread out, we stayed with the J16's, saw J17's and J22's. L88 Wavewalker, sole survivor of the L2 matriline, who now associates w/the L54s & L88 (sole survivor of L9 matriline), passes Point Wells, Woodway (the tank farm) southbound on his way towards neighboring Richmond Beach. -Photo by Janine Harles, October 16, 2017
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10:20 a.m. - J pod is basically in same place as original report. Kingston/south Edmonds area. Some surface activity breaching and foraging. Maybe trending slowly southbound. L87 Onyx was on the Kitsap side when we had them near Kingston. -Call from Janine Harles, Chilkat
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8:51 a.m. - Large group of orca southbound, spread out in traffic lanes between Apple Tree and Edmonds. Big group could not ID. Seen on Victoria Clipper IV. -Jason Mihok, Victoria Clipper
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October 16 - Haro Strait - 11:48 a.m. - Two extremely active humpbacks in Haro Strait southbound one mile offshore. Dozens of breaches and dozens of pec slaps too! So fun! -John Boyd
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October 16 - Puget Sound - 1:54 p.m. - Found Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot" near Possession Point again. Watched him lunge feed. We're heading back home now. -Janine Harles
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12:48 p.m. - We found Two Spot feeding off Possession Point. -Renee Beitzel, Chilkat

October 15
We were with J pod and L pod with one of the first boats on seen and my wife got this picture. She thinks the larger orca is J35 Tahlequah with possibly a new baby. The larger whale logged on the surface for approx. 5 minutes and this is what brought the tiny fin to be seen. She was taking ID photos and saw it. Taken 10-15-2017 @ 1 pm -Brian Goldberg
ID notes from Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research: "Hello, Thanks for sending the photos. After a close look at the pics, I believe the whales in them are J17 (based on fin shape) and J53 (based on size and fin shape). We did not photograph these two whales from our boat that day so it is great that you got photos. J53 does look very small sometimes (she fakes us out too) and Fall lighting can sometimes make whales look a little more orange than normal. But keep looking as this is the time of year when new calves could well show up! A new J pod calf would be very tiny, skinny,very orange, and probably glued to mom's side.One of these days we will get another one! Thanks again for the photos."
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J pod and the L54s came in today! (Id from Dave at CWR) Chum salmon are currently running. The whales did lots of foraging today, which is always awesome to see. They went up the west side, foraging as they went, milled and foraged in the middle of Haro Strait before coming back to the San Juan Island shoreline and then south. (for now) Will be curious to see if they stick around here, head back out to the Pacific, or head up north to the Fraser River. Beautiful day out there today! -Traci Walter
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Last pass by at Lime Kiln was 4:15 with J 17s. J16's and possibly J26 with little sister Scarlett, J16s came in pretty close. There were still some more mid channel pretty far out there spread out southbound when I left. -Peggy Mauro
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What a surprise of a day! Unseasonably beautiful weather and an unexpected visit from J-Pod at Lime Kiln this afternoon! J17 Princess Angeline, J44 Moby, and J53 Kiki off Lime Kiln.-Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, October 15, 2017
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J27 Blackberry traveling north past Lime Kiln Lighthouse Sunday. -Photo by Marcie Barney Goldberg, October 15, 2017
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4:30 p.m. - I just tuned in and can still hear residents vocalizing on Lime Kiln hydrophone. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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3:52 p.m. - more calls on Lime Kiln. -Jill Clogston
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12:56 p.m. - Calls on Lime Kiln Hydrophone. -Jack Collins
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Unidentified killer whales - Hi would like to report whale sightings: Oct 15th had 2 Orcas and a few Harbour Porpoises feeding off Cecil Green Park at UBC in Vancouver at 3:30pm.
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Oct 15th had 2 Orcas off the end of the south jetty at Iona Regional Park in Richmond BC at 5pm. All whales were seen far off shore with spotting scopes by several of us together. -Melissa Hafting
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October 15 - Puget Sound - 6:30-6:40 p.m. - humpback seen from ferry at the mouth of Appletree Cove. Multiple breaches. It's now heading north from Applecove Point. -Mary Bond
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5:48 p.m. - humpback... 30 tail slaps and a breach!!! Love this
5:30 p.m. - humpback spotted one mile north of Kingston ferry terminal. -Darlene Moneypenny
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3:58 p.m. - Two Spot is slowly making his way towards Apple Tree Cove, we watched him breach and then pec wave, now he seems to be resting Southwest from Possesion Point. Tim and I went out on our boat this afternoon and found our favorite humpback Two Spot (CS631) near Possession Point. We hung out with the big guy for a bit while he explored the rip tide, then he saw a bird pile in the distance between Possession Point and Edmonds. We were shut down and ready with our cameras thinking he might lunge feed but surprise, he breached!! Then he tail lobbed and cartwheeled. -Janine Harles
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12:05 p.m - Spotted just west of Possession Point mid channel. We have the white boat with green Bimini top. -Robert Bjeletich
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1009 - CS631 Two Spot feeding off Possession Point, South Whidbey. - Renee Beitzel
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Minke whale at approximately 2:00 pm off the east side of Protection Island. -By David Brande, October 15, 2017

October 14
October 14 - Georgia Strait - Had 3 Humpback Whales and a few Harbour Porpoises feeding off Cecil Green Park at UBC in Vancouver at 3pm. All whales were seen far off shore with spotting scopes by several of us together. -Melissa Hafting
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October 14 - Puget Sound - 1:10 p.m. - humpback still feeding in general area a couple miles south of Cultus Bay, South Whidbey. Could see him rise up lunge feeding amongst the swirl of the gulls. From Haines Wharf, Edmonds. Side note: showed some birders the whale then we all just watched a Peregrine falcon hunting then successfully strike and eat a pigeon on the wharf. Much wildlife all around to take in. I'm leaving now.
12:20 p.m. - Humpback and gulls still feeding approx 2 miles south of Cultus Bay (between Scatchet and Possession pt) Humback going back and forth in very tight area. Cool to watch. Now from Stamm Overlook Park.
12:05 p.m. - Whale and hundreds of gulls more to the east now of my previous report. Blows rising right in the middle of all them circling gulls. Must be good eats.
11:45 a.m. - observed several tall blows and they arch of what presuming to be the humpback south of green buoy off Scatchet Head, South Whidbey. Too far to discern direction of travel. As viewed from Sunset Ave just north of Edmonds Ferry. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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1007- Humpback, CS631 Two Spot, feeding just southwest of Possession Point. Lots of Bonaparte gulls around too! -Renee Beitzel, Chilkat Express
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I think this might be the bottlenose dolphin that's been seen around the sound lately. This out of focus shot was taken on 10/14/17 moving south close to shore at Kayak Point. (Port Susan). -Photo by Gary Lingenfelter, October 14, 2017

October 13
Humpback whales - October 13 - Puget Sound - 9:40 a.m. - CS631 Two Spot milling in current line off Possession Point. Not diving. Frequent surface intervals. -Renee Beitzel
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Unidentified cetaceans - October 13 - 1:00 p.m. - Humpback? Milling off North Beach, Port Townsend. Watched it about 30 minutes. Looked to be northerly of Point Wilson. Perhaps 1 to 1-1/2 miles out. Made several 10-15 minutes transits. Back and forth along a ~se/sw line. Submerging as long as ~5 minutes. No tail flukes.... Good question. That's why I "question marked" humpback in my op. Too far for me too positively is between hb and minke. Didn't see exhalations but very far away. I'm leaning toward minke myself. Hope you (we) find the humpback. -Rick Hatten
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Dolphins - October 13 - A photo of a single small cetacean seen heading north from Pier 69 in Seattle was shown to Fred Felleman today about 4:30.
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We are at the Edgewater hotel in Seattle, and while enjoying treats and looking out the window we had what I am sure is a dolphin swim by. It was really close. We tried to take a picture but sun glare and age of phone prevented a quality dorsal image. The folks sitting around us said that he/she has made several passes this afternoon. We saw him/her about 3:45. -Kendal Holmes Berry
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Relaying this info from another observer: @ 3:10pm unidentified dolphin was milling nearshore off Myrtle Edwards beach, no distinct direction of travel. This same individual has been spotted by 3 different observers within our group working around the bay since approx 10:00am this morning. It has changed direction multiple times between pier 66 and 70 during the past few hours. -Paula von Weller
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1:26 p.m. - Still out there! Cruising back and forth (north south)
12:42 p.m. - still working the shoreline along pier 70. Making trips both north and south. Close to shore!
11:33 a.m - Pretty sure the dolphin from this morning is now passing pier 70/downtown Seattle. Single fin, no signs saddle markings (which is why I think its the dolphin from earlier). -Troy Hightower
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11:24 a.m. - Now swimming adjacent to Myrtle Edwards park just below the PI globe. -Dorothy Hanson Harris
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8:38 a.m. - almost to bath house still very close to show shore. I think this is actually the bottlenose. Fairly certain this was the bottlenose. Got one decent look at its head and the beak looked awfully blunt for a common dolphin. Didn't see any of yellow the commons have and I've never seen them alone before. When I first spotted it I thought it was a small orca. Sorry I didn't get any pictures, my phone camera died.
8:32 a.m. - eastbound of north side of Alki Beach about 50 yards off beach. Straight out from Cactus.
8:18 a.m. - nearing Alki Point again northbound about 100 yards off shore.
8:16 a.m. - lots of direction changes, appears to be hunting off Constellation Park.
8:11 a.m. - passing Constellation Park again northbound.
8:00 a.m. - milling straight out from SW Caroll St at Beach Drive SW.
7:35 a.m. - Single dolphin northbound off Me Kwa Mooks Park in West Seattle. -Jason Lee Bell
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Bottlenose dolphin - October 13 - (Photo below by Corey VanStratt included as proof of presence of the dolphin, described as bottlenose, who spent the day in Elliot Bay as reported in our October 13th Whale Sighting Report - ALB)

October 12
Fin whale - For the third year in a row, a rare fin whale has been spotted in the Salish Sea, just north of Port Angeles. Our naturalist, Sam, was able to snag a few identifying shots (below) while observing nearby humpback whales (this afternoon). In September 2015, a lone fin whale was spotted repeatedly in the area. That was the first live sighting of a fin whale in the Salish Sea since 1930. Last year, a different fin whale was located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and remained for several months, making it all the way down to south Puget Sound. Based on the photos, this third whale is a juvenile and does not match the 2015 or 2016 whales. Could these "Fall Fins" be a new trend? Fin whales can reach lengths of 70+ feet when fully grown and are the second longest whales in the world. Researchers have been alerted and we'll be keeping an eye out from both our Anacortes and Port Angeles locations. Fingers crossed we are able to spot this rare visitor again! -Erin Johns Gless, Island Adventures WW
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October 12 - Puget Sound - humpback still here at 5:25 pm. On the Kingston side. -Sara Frey
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4:40 p.m. - humpback a third of the way between Apple Cove Point and the Kingston ferry terminal a few hundred yards offshore, pointed north. -Sherman Page
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3:43 p.m. - humpback just spotted one mile north of Kingston ferry dock heading south bound. -Darlene Moneypenny
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2:40 p.m. - humpback just south of Apple Cove Point (Kingston) a few hundred yards offshore, pointed south on its last dive. -Sherman Page
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2:25 p.m. - I have a humpback between me on Apple Tree point and the tip of Whidbey - South bound. Probably mid channel. It looks to be large so I'm guessing not the juvenile. I need binoculars to get a good look. I did see the spout with the naked eye. -Photo by Sara Frey, October 12, 2017
(rounded dorsal is similar to Two Spots - ALB)

October 11
Puget Sound - 10:45 a.m. - while out trying to relocate the entangled humpback, the team encountered another (he thinks was Two Spot) about 2 miles south of Possession Point, last seen heading southbound. -Doug Sandilands, SR3

October 10
Southern Residents - It was a Salish Sea hat trick this evening at Lime Kiln - a couple of humpback whales, lots of Dall's porpoise, and a distant view of J-Pod. It's always a good day when you can see three different cetacean species, but especially in October and especially in high winds! (Js to the SW of Lime Kiln, mostly way offshore, looked like they flipped and were southbound at 18:30). -Monika Wieland Shields
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Young male 7 year-old T100B1 (left) face to face with lone adult male T87 (estimated to be 55 years-old). T87 has has been traveling the inland waters of Puget Sound for 2 weeks with the T100Bs. -Photo by Bart Rulon, October 10, 2017
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Bigg's/Transient killer whales - October 10 - Puget Sound - Out on Chilkat this morning and right away we encountered the T100B's and T087! Missed the shots but they started off making a kill, harbor seal, the seal was tossed in the air, and displayed many times. After, it became the T87 and T100B1 show! They played and wrestled together for over two hours! Mom and baby were there but they stayed pretty far away, whereas these two stayed by us! T100B1 even made a close pass to the boat, swimming alongside us and checking us out!! Tail lobs, cartwheels, spy hops, partial breaches and a double spyhop snuggle fest!! Towards the end of the tour we saw a submarine and found the entangled humpback! We couldn't stay with the HB long but we contacted NOAA and Orca Network, got pictures, but could not verify if the whale was still entangled or not. 7 year-old T100B1 and adult male T87 (est. born 1962) making close contact. (the group continued north in Admiralty - ALB) -Janine Harles
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10:51 a.m. - T100Bs and T87 just north of Kingston right now milling after killing a harbor seal. Here are a few photographs of our amazing experience with T87 and the T100Bs after they made a harbor seal kill just offshore from Edmonds on Oct 10. Just the day before, Renee Beitzel and I noticed the underside of T100B1 and could easily see that he was a very excited boy (if you know what I mean;). Today he gave us additional ventral views showing that he's a boy while he played with much larger, T87. T100B1 and big T87 spent almost our entire visit with them just playing with each other while T100B and T100B2 were off on their own! I've never seen such an old male (est. birth 1962) playing with a young boy for so long (some major bro time)! It was really fun to watch! -Bart Rulon, Naturalist Chilkat Express.
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11:00 a.m. - orcas are still there, along with the Chilkat, north of Apple Cove Point. I think there are 4 orcas, including one male.
10:30 a.m. - lots of birds hovering above the orcas, on a kill?
10:25 a.m. - 3 orcas mid channel just north of Apple Cove Point (Kingston). A few hundred yards north of the Chilkat, which is pointed south away from the orcas. Orcas are just milling about. -Sherman Page
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11:02 a.m. - Location may be Apple Cove point, whale watching boat with them now
10:55 a.m. - two Orcas spotted, appears to be close to Eglon not quite mid channel closer to Kitsap side. Unsure of direction. -Darlen Moneypenny
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October 10 - Haro Strait - It was a Salish Sea hat trick this evening at Lime Kiln - a couple of humpback whales, lots of Dall's porpoise, and a distant view of J-Pod. It's always a good day when you can see three different cetacean species, but especially in October and especially in high winds! -Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, October 10, 2017
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October 10 - Puget Sound - 3:25 p.m. - humpback a few hundred yards off Apple Cove Point (Kingston). Pointed south on its last dive. -Sherman Page
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October 10 - Admiralty Inlet - 3:22 p.m - Volunteer Sandra Pollard went out to try and keep locate and keep eyes on the whale from the beach. She walked Double Bluff beach and did observe blows directionally towards and a bit south of Point No Point but could not confirm if it was a humpback let alone the entangled juvenile.
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1:50 p.m. - Received a call from Janine Harles aboard the Chilkat that they had located the entangled juvenile humpback off Double Bluff. They were with the whale until about 2:15, leaving her/him close to Whidbey heading easterly into Useless Bay.
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October 10 - At 4:45pm heard the unmistakable sound of a large whale in Case Inlet between Harstine Island and Key Peninsula, just south of Herron Island. Never saw it, so no idea of type or direction. Sure sounded like a single Humpback though; a few long evenly spaced breaths followed by about a 3-5 minutes of silence. So keep your eyes out. It's quite possible it was the dolphin. It may have sounded larger if it came closer into my bay here than the humpbacks have in the past, and would have been harder to spot in the chop we had that day. -Dave Berliner
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October 10 - 8:42 a.m. - Pilot whales between PT (Port Townsend) and Marrowstone Island. Square head 15' long, not a orca or dolphins. Just one and headed east. No pictures. Seen them the last 3 mornings here. The blocky or square head really stood out to me. Very distinctive to me. -Luke Schwantes
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October 10 - We did get a photo of a bottlenose dolphin from Carr Inlet on 10 October that allowed a species confirmation. -John Calambokidis

October 9
Juan de Fuca Strait - Matriarch T11 (est. born 1963)...Another beautiful October morning with our regulars lately T011 & T011a - Mother and son Transient Killer Whales off Sooke today with some good groups of Humpback whales around. -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 9, 2017
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October 9 - Puget Sound - 4:06 p.m. - Orca sighted mid channel (closer to Edmond side) across from Kingston ferry dock heading south. -Darlene Moneypenny
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3:55 p.m. - Just spotted T87 SB east of mid channel. South of Point Wells tank farm as viewed from just north of Kingston ferry terminal. -Connie Bickerton
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3:40 p.m. - Off Edmonds oil docks mid channel now! (Point Wells). -Toby Black
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2:55 p.m. - Took a while to relocate. They are still steady southbound east of mid channel out from North Edmonds. (Sightline transect Ocean Ave, Edmonds and Eglon, Kitsap)
2:15 p.m. - they are keeping to Puget Sound heading steady southbound grouped. Off North Edmonds. East of mid channel.
1:50 p.m. - pod just exited Possession Sound passed between Possession Pt, Whidbey and Picnic Point Park, Lynwood (where I stand). They Moved over more towards mid channel or west of, steady southbound. Just like yesterday. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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1:58 p.m. - They just passed Possession Beach Waterfront Park. Heading south. Eastern side of the channel. -Carol Derusha
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1:29 p.m. - Yep, engines off, totally came to check us out!! Just playing with each other. Moving on now. -Renee Beitzel, Chilkat Express
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1:25 p.m. - T87 now keeping a little ahead lazily tail lobbing along the way. The family circled back lunging beside and under now totally idle Chilkat. Seas are glassy smooth. They've now moved on and are trending southbound ever so slowly still Southern Possession Sound, east side of channel.
1:03 p.m. - mid channel south of Mukilteo/Clinton circling, drifting slowly south. Looks like T87 is back with them. Spyhop, Tail lobs, rolling, Lazy pec slaps. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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1239 - T100Bs and T87. we are with them, split up. T87 by himself closer to Everett while T100Bs are south of Clinton. -Renee Beitzel
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11:50 a.m. - Stephanie Hawks called in a sighting of four orcas - two females, a calf, and a male with a narrow dorsal fin - heading south from the Mukilteo lighthouse.
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11:45 a.m. - Maia at WS Ferries heard from a ferry captain that there are 3-4 orcas south of the Mukilteo ferry landing, heading south.
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11:41 a.m. - Orcas spotted just off the Mukilteo Ferry terminal unknown direction but saw one male and a few others. Possibly same as yesterday. -Melissa Simmons, WSF
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October 9 - Juan de Fuca Strait - Another beautiful October morning with our regulars lately T011 & T011a - Mother and son Transient Killer Whales off Sooke today with some good groups of Humpback whales around. Humpback MMX0011, Humpback CS334, Humpback BCY Unknown "Merlin," Humpback BCX Unknown "Boulder," off Sooke today. -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 9, 2017
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October 9 - Puget Sound - Eyes on HB mid channel just N of Edmonds terminal 6:30pm Southbound. -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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Received 5:20 p.m. - Humpback again mid channel around 5pm on Edmonds to Kingston run. -Doug Hayman
(FB Video shows who appears to be Two Spot - ALB)
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5:18 p.m. - humpback still hanging around 1 mile north of Kingston ferry terminal.
3:53 p.m. - humpback north of Apple Tree Cove, looks like Two Spot. No real direction at this point. -Darlene Moneypenny
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12:19 p.m. - HB continuing steady northbound. Deep diving without fluking after just a couple of shallow breathing surfacing. Moving out of my line of sight in Kingston. -Connie Bickerton
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11:40 a.m. - he's making his way slowly and steadily northbound. At about or north of Presidents Point heading towards Kingston.
11:15 a.m. - Series of 5-6 shallow surfacings, then submerged without fluking. Slow steady pace northbound now out from Point Jefferson, West of mid channel.
10:57 a.m. - finally laid eyes in the humpback out from Port Madison south of Jefferson Point, currently heading northbound in glassy seas. Renee Beitzel confirms this is Two Spot. They relocated him earlier off PT Jefferson heading south. So he seems to be milling-foraging that area. Viewing from Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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9:00 a.m. - Humpback between Point Jefferson and President Point, Kingston, milling around. Blessed me with a full on out of water breach! Great way to start the day. Was heading south when I first saw it, then hung around right out front before heading back north. -Chris Beamer Otterson
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Dolphin/porpoise spotted at Haines Wharf, 10/9, approx 9:45am. -Sabrina Klein

October 8
The SRKWs were off waters near Comox, BC on Oct 8. I also saw them on Oct 3 and 4. And heard they were in Johnston Strait on Oct 2. There were no reports from Oct 5 to 7. Lifeforce Ocean Friends was not on the water at that time so our studies did not cover the Comox area. Today they were doing the same travel patterns. They were foraging and socializing. They did not seem to be in hurry to leave this area to head further south. -Peter Hamilton
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October 8 - Juan de Fuca Strait - Matriarch T123 (born 1985) - Another AMAZING day off Sooke, B.C. with 2 pods of Transient Killer Whales the T123's and my favorite again the T011's with at least 12+ Humpbacks! October is Awesome! -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 8, 2017
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October 8 - Juan de Fuca Strait - What a way to end our 2017 season, wow, Transient/Biggs killer whales - the T046Bs traveling with U39 (U designation means not enough information known about this whale - yet), amazing Dall's porpoise riding our bow, harbor porpoise doing tail-slaps, awesome Steller sea lions, harbor seals, bald eagles, and free ice cream! Can't get much better than that! Huge thanks to Capt Monte and Capt Eric for their diligence in finding so much wildlife today, it was an exceptional way to finish the season. (additonal notes: whales were north of Salmon Bank, towards Hein Bank, Dall's were more easterly as we were heading home, and porpoise were as we were crossing Rosario Strait. -Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist
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T46Bs we saw them south of San Juan island on middle bank. -Cassie Barclay
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October 8 - Puget Sound - 1700. Haven't surfaced for a few minutes after being super active. Last surface sequence had whales moving south. -Ariel Yseth
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After a hard day at work, Tim picked me up at the fuel dock and we went out to find 2 humpback whales that had been spotted near Kingston. We didn't find them, but I was watching an Orca Network post about transients that had turned South. We started heading that way and spotted them near Picnic Point. They took a sharp turn towards Possession (Point) so we hung back and watched them travel. They had split into two groups and suddenly they started porpoising towards our boat! We shut down and watched as the porpoise swam past with T87 right on it's tail. They finally all porpoised past us and then played with the Harbor Porpoise for at least 25 minutes! When they decided to eat the birds showed up, T087 swam a little ways away as the T100B's celebrated their kill! At one point it seemed like they may have had 2 porpoise, still not sure. We left them about an hour later as they turned South and last saw them heading South past Apple Tree Cove.
5:01 p.m. - T087 and T100B's made a kill off Possession, harbor porpoise, possibly more than one as the kill took about 25 minutes before they ate! They are now headed South mid channel, kind of angling east a bit.
3:47 p.m. - they are headed SW off of Picnic Point T087 and T100Bs. -Janine Harles
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2:28 p.m. - They are currently between the Mukilteo/Clinton ferry lanes headed south. -Melissa Simmons
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1:51 p.m. - Possession Sound. North of the Mukilteo ferry, SE of the Clinton ferry, and SW of Hat Island. There's a S-shaped current by the sailboats - they are just SW of it. Looking like more like 5-6 Orcas.
1:35 p.m. - They're active, circling around and diving, near all the sailboats in Possession Sound. I'm seeing at least 3. Big, medium, small. -Jason R Bourne
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12:45 p.m. - Orcas heading north between Mukilteo and Clinton -- maybe heading into Saratoga Passage? At least 2-3 of them, one a big one with a distinctive grey patch behind the dorsal. -Lee Ann Tobin
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12:30 p.m. - Just saw an adult orca and juvenile orca just south of the Clinton/Mukilteo ferry near the Mukilteo side. -Dayasha Gunther
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October 8 - Juan de Fuca Strait - Humpback BCZ0342. Another AMAZING day off Sooke, B.C...with at least 12+ Humpbacks! Humpback BCY Unknown "Mufasa" & Humpback MMY0004 off Sooke, BC. October is Awesome! -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 8, 2017
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October 8 - Puget Sound - Saw this guy earlier on the 11:10am ferry to Kingston (Two Spot), Kingston side. Definitely the same as I saw the fluke. This evening we saw a humpback in the same around around 6:20pm, but can't confirm it was the same animal. -Kirsten Simonsen
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7:55 p.m. - Just heard a whale just north of Apple Tree Cove. Definitely will be looking first thing in the morning. -Darlene Moneypenny
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Just after 6 pm, at least of one of humpbacks was definitely hanging around off the bluff in Kingston, about a mile north of the ferry dock, vaguely traveling north. There were also 5-6 porpoises (or possibly dolphin?) in the same general area. -Kate Stovel
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From Kingston ferry 5:45 probable HB with 4-6 repeated blows. low or no surface activity looks like 2 small boats with it hopefully/maybe entanglement team with Juvie???? North of Kingston maybe near Apple Tree Pt. Hard to gauge but close to kitsap shore. -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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2:11 p.m. - Fantastic viewing opportunity from Presidential Point! Been watching for a good 20 minutes! (Whale) was north just outside Apple Tree Cove till 2:25. Haven't seen since. -Chris Bennett
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2:00 p.m. - what a show this humpback just put on... breaching and tail slapping. North of Kingston ferry terminal.
12:19 p.m. - humpback north of Kingston ferry dock heading north. Has not shown fluke yet. -Darlene Moneypenny
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Noon - Humpback mid-channel off Apple Cove Point. -Michael Gray
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11:34 a.m. - Saw off Kingston near mid channel marker (yellow, south of Kingston) about 20 minutes ago heading south. Haven't seen it again. -April Rebollo
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10:30 a.m. - It appears that we had the HB that was reported as entangled down here off Kingston a few minutes ago. We lost it though because we got distracted by two spot Bart Rulon Chilkat express. It appeared to be among toward Edmonds. Didn't see any net on it but it didn't come up very high at all. It breached when we first arrived but nobody got a good look when it did. Yes, it's a small whale with a pointy dorsal. Slash on left side. It isn't coming up very high. Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot" - He was particularly photogenic...-Bart Rulon, Naturalist, Chilkat Express
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11:05 a.m. - Two Spot is the whale I see west of mid channel out from Kingston dock heading northbound. Confirmed by Bart.
10:25 a.m. - Humpback continued south and is currently just north of Presidents Point. (mid way between Point Jefferson and Ferry dock) Sounded heading directionally North. He is close to Kitsap side. (This is Two Spot)
9:50 a.m - Humpback is surfacing north of Kingston Ferry dock west side of channel heading south. (may have been entangled humpback based on sightings information from Bart Rulon, Chilkat - ALB) -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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9:45-9:50 a.m. - humpback is on Kingston side close to ferry terminal. Taken from ferry (back of camera photo of breach splashdown not included, may have been the entangled humpback - ALB). -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot". Taken from aboard the ferry between Edmonds and Kingston at 8:15 a.m. -Photo by Sandra Newby, October 8, 2017
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7:56 a.m. - Finally able to spot the humpback, heard him since 7am!! Just north of Kingston ferry dock and no real direction at this point. -Darlene Moneypenny
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October 8 - Puget Sound - The bonfire on Sunday evening was magical, with the whale clearly the guest of honor and blowing every thirty seconds, all evening long. Combined with the beautiful moonrise, it was ethereal. -Kathy Watson
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Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot" off of Apple Cove Point. -Photo by Woldmere Bluff, October 8, 2017

October 7
Humpback whales - Puget Sound - 8:24 a.m. - slowly heading north.
8:09 a.m. - Humpback just north of Kingston, Apple Cove. I believe it's Two Spot based the fluke I saw. Still hanging around, unsure of direction. -Darlene Moneypenny
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October 7 - Puget Sound - 3:20 p.m. - Mike at WS Ferries reports a single male orca traveling north in the northbound lane (east of mid-channel) crossing the Seattle/Bainbridge ferry route.
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12:08 p.m. - orcas heading south from the park, in the shipping channel; east of port Madison bay. -Sarah Waugh
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11:28 a.m. - I need to leave. Pod still eating same place as 11:15 update. Some couples wedding to take place here at Saltwater later has been blessed by whales.
11:15 a.m. - pod is on a kill. Mid channel between Jefferson Point and Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. T87 coming from the north to join; he must have lagged back earlier as he had been ahead of them. Can see oil slick and a lot of gulls swooping in for scraps. Slick is drifting north, orcas fairly stationary eating. Celebrating with a breach. Viewed from Saltwater Park
10:55 a.m. - T100Bs well south of yellow mid channel marker, nearing Jefferson Point/Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. T87 has been ahead of them by several minutes.
10:30 a.m. - Ts and humpback on same track! Ts mid channel with HB paralleling west of them. Both south of Kingston dock/ Point Wells steady southbound with Ts slowing down sometimes. So awesome to see and to see little Orca babe.
10:20 a.m. - direct line of sight Kingston dock see T87 and T100Bs steady southbound and the humpback surfaced out from Kingston ferry dock, All southbound!!!
10:15 am - saw big guy T87 (per Renee's IDs) surface a few times southbound mid channnel between Point Wells, Woodway and Kingston ferry dock. From Kayu Kayu Ac Park Richmond Beach just south of PT Wells. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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Email received 10:29 a.m - Group of Seattle Sea Shepherds onboard the Ferry ...encountered Two Spot, a humpback breaching and tail slapping, as well as a small pod of Transients feeding with a baby. Puget Sound, east of Kingston. Feeding, sphyhop, Humpback breach and tailslaps. -Photo by Chris Joyce, October 7, 2017
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0958: T100Bs and T87 southbound at Point Wells. Mid channel. (Point Wells is in Woodway). -Renee Beitzel, Chilkat Express
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9:30 a.m. - 3 to 4 Orcas middle of channel between Edmonds and Kingston heading south. Two whale watching boats with them now. -Darlene Moneypenny
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Unidentified killer whales - October 7 - 2:30 p.m. - We saw a group of orcas (at least 4) hanging out between Gibsons pier and Keats island (north of Vancouver, BC). They hung around in the area for about 10 minutes. 1 male orca was spotted about 30m from the end of the pier (picture attached of him leaving the harbour/bay). The main group started out in the channel and 3 were seen to surface together. 2 smaller orcas were in the group (seen surfacing together). Orcas were close to the shore of Keats, and we did not have binoculars. S ighted from Gibsons pier, Traveling though they did hang around just of Keats island in the same spot for about 5 min. 49.399720 north 123.504146 west. -Chantal Mustoe
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October 7 - Puget Sound - 5:35 p.m. - humpback just north of Kingston ferry dock heading north. -Darlene Moneypenny
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1357- feeding off Kingston ferry terminal. -Renee Beitzel
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11:30-11:35 a.m. - lots of pec slapping and a breach as ferry went by - continuing northbound in Kingston ferry lanes.
11:15 a.m. - humpback milling, has come a little bit north into ferry lane still midchannel Kingston. Humpie mid channel very close to sailboat saw surface and fluke photo later 10:57 no direction just south of Kingston ferry lane
10:45 a.m - single blow out in front of Kingston dock. -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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10:55 a.m. - Humpback flipped about 10:45 and has been milling and trending now northbound south of Kingston Ferry dock. Just dove and from across the Sound could see all white underside fluke illuminated by the sun.
10:30 a.m. - Ts and humpback in same track! Ts mid channel with HB paralleling west of them. Both south of Kingston dock/ Point Wells steady southbound.
10:20 a.m. - direct line of sight Kingston dock see T87 and T100Bs steady southbound and the humpback surfaced out from Kingston ferry dock, All southbound!!! From Kayu Kayu Ac Park Richmond Beach. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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8:45 a.m. - Very surface active! Lots of tail slaps!! Michael and I are headed to the Langley Whale Center! What a beautiful start! -Melinda Barajas
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9:16 a.m. - humpback is back in front of Kingston Apple Tree Cove, whale watching boat just left
8:24 a.m. - slowly heading north.
8:09 a.m. - Humpback just north of Kingston, Apple Cove. I believe it's Two Spot based the fluke I saw. Still hanging around, unsure of direction. -Darlene Moneypenny
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October 7 - Little guy (Bottlenose dolphin) was back this morning...around 8:00....and near the entrance of Budd Inlet heading north. That is clear on the exact opposite side of the water from my house. -Kim Merriman

October 6
Haro Strait - ENTANGLED HUMPBACK. Please keep an eye out for this entangled young humpback whale, photographed by Howard Garrett while out on the Mystic Sea in Haro Strait, NW of Battleship rock, heading south at around 1 pm this afternoon. Given the type of entanglement and the weather and high seas, for now the Disentanglement team plans to try to monitor the whale until the weather clears.
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Juan de Fuca - A lively humpback off of East Sooke on the afternoon of October 6th. -Photo by Mark Malleson
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Dolphin - October 6 - Single smallish mammal with curved dorsal heading south into Eld being followed by a seal. It is approximately 8 feet long. When I first saw the fin, I was in the house and looked over my shoulder just as it was slicing through the water...going down. I thought it was a sea lion flipper. Then I saw a seal's head and thought it might have been that. Then it surfaced again. I ran to the deck and was able to see it surface again right near shore, and the seal was sort of following it. It was heading south, and continued to go into Eld Inlet. I lost sight of it in the shadows of Cooper Point. It has quite a robust blow and surfaces quickly. -Kim Merriman
(Jessie Huggins, Cascadia Research, thinks s/he is a bottlenose dolphin)
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Saratoga Passage - Hi! Lone orca sighting yesterday, October 6th @ 9.59 am in my "backyard" directly between Camano Island & Baby Island. She surfaced twice & headed north. Wish I had more pics - I saw her surface twice & a small splashy breach toward Baby Island. I live right above the most northern point of Camano State Park & it looked like she had been in the kelp bed directly below me & then headed a little toward Baby Island & then north in the Passage. (See photo- Presumably adult male T87 who has been in Puget Sound traveling with the T100Bs since September 26th at least, he often travels a ways ahead of them and was confirmed day before and after still in Puget Sound - ALB) -Lisa Pate
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October 6 - On a chilly, damp morning, we left the marina with no word of cetaceans, and headed north through the San Juan Islands to stay in the calmer water. After enjoying the antics of some exotic deer and an eagle on Spieden Island, we moved northwest into Haro Strait, encountering choppy seas. Capt. Eric spotted a tail lobbing juvenile humpback just west of Spieden, around Turn Point. He/she tail lobbed at least ten times, then did a half breach pretty close to the boat. The whale then moved off and started doing long down times and barely breaking the surface when he/she exhaled. Upon examination of photos (please excuse the out-of-focus photo!), we saw this young whale has a net or something else in it's mouth and down the sides. Orca Network contacted NOAA, and hopefully they will be able to find him/her again and help get the gear off. We took a lovely tour of Flat Top and Jones Island, checking some harbor seals, then headed home. As our season ends, I am very grateful to the Mystic Sea team, our lovely passengers, and our beautiful wildlife we are so lucky to share a home with. -Bonnie Gretz, volunteer naturalist

October 5
Bigg's/Transient killer whales - ...Transients showed up in Discovery pass at 6pm south bound....and also reports of 4 transients with 3 big fins off of Powell River side this afternoon. Tomorrow I am going out whether I have guests or not! -Nick Templeman
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October 5 - Juan de Fuca - Wow is it October? Amazing calm seas with sunshine and WHALES! We headed out to the many Humpback whales that have been around Sooke Lately and to no surprise they were feeding heavily everywhere! After a quick visit we went looking for ORCA...first out west, than south and back east in the Traffic Lanes and NOT By Surprise naturalist Deanna says I see some small blows...wait...DORSAL! Again we were so happy to find Transient Killer Whales T11 & T11a and friends south of Sooke! -Paul Pudwell
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Message from Donna at WA State Ferries, reporting a small pod of 3 or 4 orcas seen from the Mukilteo-Clinton ferry run, headed north in Possession Sound toward Clinton at 2 pm.
Unidentified killer whales - (No ID's on the 4th & 5th; possibly the T100Bs and T87 who have been in for the past week - ALB)
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8:00 am - three or four orcas between Kingston and Edmonds trending south. -Photo by Kathy Pavlich, October 5, 2017
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October 5 - MMY0009 "Frankenstein" - Wow is it October? Amazing calm seas with sunshine and WHALES! We headed out to the many Humpback whales that have been around Sooke lately, and to no surprise, they were feeding heavily everywhere! -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 5, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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October 5 - Haro Strait - Bruce St. Germaine reported a humpback whale heading north, 200 - 300 yards off Lime Kiln Lighthouse, San Juan Island at 3:06 pm this afternoon.

October 4
J Pod and L87 were in the waters from Comox to Campbell River on October 3 and 4. It was great to see them spending a lot of time foraging. Here is a photo of them foraging off the Cape Mudge Lighthouse, Quadra Island, BC. -Peter Hamilton, October 4, 2017
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Southern Residents - October 4 - So today we had J Pod off the back of Quadra Island shuffling along all day....-Nick Templeman
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October 4 - 1:45 p.m. - Orca sighting in shipping channel off Kingston heading south. -Linda Hulbert
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1:11 p.m - Orcas spotted off the Edmonds ferry about 7 mins from Edmonds. Ferry slowed down to let us watch- so cool! Looks like they were headed toward Southwest. At least 2-3, and I think a baby. -Mare Momm
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October 4 - Juan de Fuca Strait - T011A in Pedder Bay on the afternoon. -Photo by Mark Malleson
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Another special day! With 20+ Humpback whales around Sooke, bubble and lunge feeding (which is uncommon) and two groups of Transient Killer Whales East and South West of Race Rocks Lighthouse and with my Favorites "Rainy" & "Wanaka" T011 and T011a again! (T46Bs present too). -Paul Pudwell
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October 4 - Juan de Fuca Strait - BCX Unknown "Tulip" - Another special day! With 20+ Humpback whales around Sooke, bubble and lunge feeding...-Photo by Paul Pudwell
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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Unidentified cetaceans - October 4 - 4:13 p.m. - 6+ whales looking from just north of dog park in Edmonds - appear a bit too small to be orcas. I was directly across from the Kingston ferry terminal- a tad north of the dog park, basically on the other side of the fence. I think they were dolphins or maybe minke whales?? They were black with smaller dorsal fins than an orca. Mid channel. -Jennifer Love-Talley
(Most likely Common dolphins - ALB)

October 3
5:26 p.m. - Amazing Day. Leaving J Pod and L87 south east bound at Black Creek. Pink track shows my movement all day since 1030 am.
11:07 AM - Critically Endangered Southern Resident Orca J Pod and L87 are foraging off Cape Mudge (north end of Georgia Strait) right now! L87 - Had an amazing encounter today with all the members of JPod and this beauty whom i am told is L87! ...We did see alot of forage type behaviour on the Chum Salmon seen on the surface and we were very happy to see this! -Photo by Nick Templeman, October 3, 2017
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October 3 - Haro Strait - We had our 60th (!!) transient encounter of the season this afternoon in Haro Strait with an unusual grouping of 6 whales: the T65Bs, T123s, and T65A2. It was very cool to directly compare the size of 13 year-old male T65A2 (front) to that of 17 year-old male T123A (behind). Whether they were doing it because it felt good or because they were looking for seals I will never know, but it was pretty cool to see transient killer whales swim right through the kelp bed off Mandarte Island. (I suspect their reason was the former, as one was rolling around at the surface!) -Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute, October 3, 2017
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October 3 - Active Pass (T100s). -Photo by Capt Jim Maya, October 3, 2017
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October 3 - North Puget Sound (T87 w/T100Bs) -Last saw orcas northbound off Presidents Point at 12:45pm. -Christopher Hanke
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10:37 a.m. - Several Orcas heading south mid channel in front of Kingston ferry. -Darlene Moneypenny
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10:30 a.m. - Directly off Kingston now. 4 Whales.
10:20 a.m. - Orcas headed south. East of that point north of Kingston now. (Apple Cove Point)
9:49 a.m. - Multiple Orcas north of Kingston. Four by my count. 1 male, 1 small one....Chilkat is with them now. -Alex Wilson
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9:53 a.m. - Chilkat has T87 and 100bs off Apple Tree Cove, Going south. -Christopher Hanke
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October 3 - North Puget Sound - 5:00 p.m. - Heard a cheer from another passenger on the ferry heading into Kingston around 5pm...He must have seen this humpback leap out of the water...Humpback breached & pec slaps mid-channel just North of the Edmonds-Kingston ferry. -Doug Hayman
(Cell video shared to Facebook, pec fin match confirms CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot"- ALB)
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1:00 p.m. - humpback just off Kingston, closer to Apple Tree Point. -Christopher Hanke, Chilkat Express
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12:43 p.m. - changed direction heading north just passed Apple Tree Cove.
12:25 p.m. - humpback just spotted off of Kingston Apple cove heading southeast.
7:50 a.m. - Kingston humpback just north of Kingston ferry heading north. When it passed us it was just off shore. -Darlene Moneypenny
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October 3 - Washington Coast - 7:01 p.m. - Humpback still feeding right off the beach this evening at sunset. Morning - Humpback spotted this morning off of Grayland beach Grayland, WA...we saw its back and head as it lunged out of the water. She was feeding on a bait ball and we got to watch for almost a hour as she swam in a circle very close to shore. And a dolphin jumped out of the water as well. -Dawn Roll Hailey

October 2
Sublime image of Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot". He engaged in many rounds of tail lobs, cartwheels, headstands, and other surface active behaviors this day (and several consecutive days) off the Kingston ferry dock in North Puget Sound. We love this whale! -Photo by Renee Beitzel, October 2, 2017
(Many other recent photos by Renee were shared with Alisa Schulman-Janiger who confirms CS631/CRC16017 is a male)
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October 2 - After a couple days off the water we were so grateful to get out again and encounter Transient Killer Whales and over 20 Humpback whales around Sooke today! -Paul Pudwell
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12:40 p.m. - whales have passed Bush Point. On a mission now more Kitsap side. -Sandra Pollard
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October 2 - Admiralty Inlet (T87 w/T100Bs) - 1:12 p.m. - leaving them mid channel still heading South, just passing Marrowstone...No kills that we could see. -Janine Harles 12:00 p.m. - still heading south, mid channel Lagoon Point...
11:30 a.m. - Admiralty Inlet: T87 and the T100Bs heading SE bound between Port Townsend and Marrowstone Island. Almost to Marrowstone point now but moving to mid channel. -Janine Harles
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11:24 p.m. - T87 with T100B's southbound in Admiralty Inlet just south of Port Townsend. -Renee Beitzel
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T87 - Admiralty Inlet. -Photo by Renee Beitzel, October 2, 2017
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October 2 - Juan de Fuca Strait - BCY0785 "Mathematician". After a couple days off the water we were so grateful to get out again and encounter Transient Killer Whales and over 20 Humpback whales around Sooke today! -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 2, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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BCZUnknown "Lyra" w/new rake marks not present when Paul photographed her/him September 11, 2017. -Photo by Paul Pudwell, October 2, 2017
(ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON)
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October 2 - North Puget Sound - 5:54 p.m. - Humpback breach by Kingston ferry just now! -Andrea Leigh
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We found Two Spot right after leaving the dock in Edmonds, he was across the way by the Kingston ferry dock. He was doing tail lobs and cartwheels, right side up and upside down, and he just kept doing them! The Kingston ferry even had to stop as Two Spot was tail lobbing in front of the dock! Lots of pics but so fun to watch! After Two Spot we found T087 and the T100B's just North of Port Townsend! -Janine Harles
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Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot" spends another day off the Kingston Ferry dock. -Photo by Janine Harles, October 2, 2017
10:17 a.m. - heading north past Apple Tree cove.
10:00 a.m. - crazy!! Upside down multiple tail slaps in front of the ferry!!
9:53 a.m. - next to Kingston ferry dock. -Janine Harles
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10:12 a.m. - changed direction heading north close to shoreline.
9:47 a.m. - humpback just north of apple tree cove heading south. -Darlene Moneypenny
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8:20 a.m. - Morning! Im flying over today & just flew over a humpback whale just off the Kingston ferry dock! -Rob Williams
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8:15 a.m.- Humpback off Apple Tree Point. Currently southbound and close to Kingston side. -Sara Frey

October 1
Puget Sound (T87 w/T100Bs) - Around 1800 - Saw 2 juvenile orca a couple nautical miles NW of Shilshole. -Stuart Mitchell
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5:55 p.m. - Spotted large male....mid channel looks to be heading towards port Madison. From from Kayu Kayu Ac park (Richmond Beach, Shoreline). -Brandon Anderson
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5:30 p.m. - I lost them at point Monroe area. Haven't seen them for 5-10 min now.
5:11 p.m. - Male, female & maybe baby. Spyhopping, a tail slap & heading slightly north (taking their time).
5:00 p.m. - orcas across from Golden Gardens. -Sonja Yates Seymour
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4:30 p.m. - saw them from the Bainbridge/ Seattle ferry headed northwesterly could see two small ones and a big male. -Krisit Monahan
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A member of the T100Bs in Elliot Bay with research boat. - returning to Elliott Bay Marina after a brief sail over to Bainbridge, 16:00, Oct 1, 2017. Noticed one Orca swimming a few hundred yards south of the Elliott Bay Marina breakwater. Followed from a respectful distance of 300-400 yards. Ultimately saw a group of we believe to be three Orcas. One looked like a male. They were in transit. Left Elliott Bay and turned north up the Puget Sound. They were following the ship channel. Maybe they like deep water. They were being shadowed by a small research boat with two persons on board. Assume this sighting has aready been well documented, but posting anyway. Hope it helps. 47.37.121 N / 122.23.572 W. -Robert Williams
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T87 in front of Smith Tower today! A great wildlife viewing day. -Photo by Joey Lamarche, October 1, 2017
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3:45 p.m. - T87 and company heading NW out of Elliot Bay after going in for a while. Northbound
3:31 p.m. - Eyes on from Elliot Bay. Near grain elevators still heading into bay.
2:59 p.m. - T87 (see distinct fin notch at top) leading the 100Bs into Elliot Bay. Taken from shore along Alki Avenue..T100Bs heading into Elliot Bay with researchers. I was on shore along Alki Ave. Northbound mid channel edge of Elliot Bay.
2:47 p.m. - they increased speed turned back towards Alki Point.
2:20 p.m. - still southbound very close to Bainbridge side, hard to see from Constellation Park (Alki, West Seattle). Near Fort Ward. Ferry passing right by them. -Kersti Muul
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3:30 p.m. - In Elliot Bay mid channel headed towards the waterfront.
2:55 p.m. - They turned around. Now northbound off Alki Point.
2:25 p.m. - They are pretty close to Alki Point.
2:10 p.m. - Still moving slowly south.
1:46 p.m. - Watching from Alki. They are nearing Blakely Rock. The little research boat is with them. -Charles Vendley
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1:26 p.m. - Chilkat leaving the T100Bs and T87 (mom and calf together and T87 and juvenile together) heading south just outside Elliot Bay. Traveling. -Renee Beitzel
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12:45 - Fay Bainbridge headed south...West side of channel. West to mid channel. Pretty spread out. -Sandra Prow
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11:47 a.m. - south of Point Wells, moved to mid-channel. T87 joined up now. Still southbound. Big male is T87. He's further away from this group of 3 we are with now. 1 adult female with calf and juvenile. T100Bs with a new calf. (Calf confirmed last year but not in CWR ID guide). Tough to ID so far. -Renee Beitzel
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11:12 a.m. - Just passing Apple Cove, Kingston heading south...only saw one orca. -Darlene Moneypenny
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10:50 a.m. - Passing Apple Tree Point Kingston heading southbound. Large male T87 and two others.
10:46 a.m. - Orca now!! Shipping Lane west side approaching ferry. Now maybe milling around ferry, large male, several others. -Sara Frey
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10:50 a.m. - we are with them now. No IDs yet but def Ts. Southbound, spread out off Edmonds... Closer to Kingston ferry terminal.
10:37 a.m. - just located killer whales further off in the direction of Possession heading south. Still with humpback but will be heading that way in a few. -Renee Beitzel, Chilkat Express
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October 1 - FORTUNATELY, we have now also for sure seen orcas! The next morning (10/1 around 8 a.m.) We spotted a small pod milling about what must have been Mutiny Bay over along Whidbey, using binoculars and a spotting scope from Hansville. They must have been splitting up because a little later we saw two traveling SE mid channel between Point No Point and Whidbey, and then only saw one of the males (huge dorsal - maybe 6 feet tall with a slight curve at the very top) passing much closer to Point No Point, continuing south. Thanks for all the info and tracking! -Rod Lundberg
(Presumably T87 and T100Bs who were ID'd later off Possession Point - ALB)
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October 1 - North Puget Sound - 6:25 p.m. - Humpback is back, north of Apple Cove. Unsure of direction at this point. -Darlene Moneypennny
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6:22 p.m. - we are 1st car on ferry coming home now from Kingston. A huge whale just surfaced right in front of us. No picture. -Karla Clogston
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12:30 p.m. - Humpback is still milling around north of the Edmonds/Kingston ferry, shipping lane, west side. Surfacing 5-6 times, then will dive for 5-10 minutes. -Sara Frey
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10:35 a.m. - Chilkat with CS631 Two Spot just north of Apple Tree Point, close to shore feeding. ALSO, just located killer whales further off in the direction of Possession heading south. Still with humpback but will be heading that way in a few. -Renee Beitzel
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10:10 a.m. - Humpback off Apple Tree Point (Kingston). -Sara Frey
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From my vantage point from the house (slightly north of Apple Cove) the humpback initially was moving south and changed direction north around 930 am. -Darlene Moneypenny
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Humpback CS631/CRC16017 "Two Spot" viewed by many aboard the Edmonds/Kingston ferry this morning. Saw this humpback off of the Puyallup Ferry coming into Kingston at about 9:15 this morning. From the ferry I saw the Victoria clipper hauling north near Kingston... at one point it stopped dead in the water so I figured it was a whale sighting, as our ferry approached Kingston they announced a humpback sighting on the left side of the boat. I was already on that side on the deck. I missed the initial breach he did right next to the boat but he continued with tail slaps...-Laurie Eickhoff Ascanio
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Minke whales - October 1 - With a little more taste of fall in the air while still enjoying calm, clear weather, Mystic Sea left the dock to meander along Lopez Island shoreline towards Whale Rocks where a large number of Steller sea lions were hauled out, some dozy, some not so dozy. After venturing into more open water beyond Salmon Bank, we turned towards Smith and Minor Aquatic Reserve to follow up on a Minke whale report and were not disappointed. Although known to be somewhat elusive, we spotted the 'Stinky Minke' surfacing among the abundance of floating bull-kelp before continuing on our way to take a closer look at the many Harbor seals taking time out on the rocks and beaches around the reserve. -Sandra Pollard, Author/Naturalist
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October 1 - 2:03 p.m. - Just saw what looks like a single false killer whale or bottle nose (similar looking to what was spotted off of Kingston) on the north side of Raft Island (south Puget Sound in Carr Inlet). It was well over ten feet long, dark grey in coloring, and had a more pronounced dorsal fin than a harbor or Dall's porpoise. Definitely not an orca. It was surfacing about every two minutes along the shore. -Kaitlyn Goodeve
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October 1 - I was out on Henderson Bay on 10/1, and got to row next to this solitary creature moving purposefully southward through the bay. I don't think it's an orca, but I know it's not a harbor porpoise, either. It was zigzagging back-and-forth, like a feeding Harbor porpoise, surfacing for 3 to 5 breaths before submerging for a while. I'd say it was about 10-15 feet long. What did I see? -Thank you for any insights, Oliver Kuhn-Wilken
(Bottlenose Dolphin confirmed by John Calambokidis and Dave Anderson, Cascadia Research)
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Bottlenose dolphin - Henderson Bay, South Puget Sound. - "Yes looks like a bottlenose dolphin and it does have some skin lesions and possible skin growths." -Photo by Oliver Kuhn-Wilken, October 1, 2017
(ID notes by John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research)
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Unidentified cetaceans - October 1st weekend - (This report in response to October 13th sighting of a bottlenose dolphin in Elliot Bay. Possible these were the pod of common dolphins who have stayed in Puget Sound (or even harbor porpoise) as all reports have been of just a lone bottlenose). I was curious because I recently saw a pod of them in Colvos Passage, off of the NW side of Vashon. Pretty sure they were bottle nosed as well (two weeks ago). Thanks for responding!
(after further discussion) I'm not certain of the timing but it was around the weekend of 10/1. At least 4 is my guess and they were heading north. It was the first I had ever seen them and they were playful, dipping in and out of the water. There was a similar sighting of an Orca pod in the same area the day before Labor Day and at first I thought it was Orca again, but they were far smaller in scale and grey. I noticed their square snouts." -Emily Raymond