September 2021 Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of September 2021 whale sightings.

September 30
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Thu, Sep 30 - San Juan Islands (J pod)
Sighting Time: Sep 30 @ 10:23 PDT
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48°27'42.6"N 123°01'51.0"W [Eagle Cove, San Juan Island]
Number Sighted: 4
submitted Comments: Two adolescents and at least two adults. Young ones breached several times. They all remained in the area for about an hour.
Submitter Name: Kas Keely, Whale Alert App
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 30 - N. Admiralty Inlet
Sighting Time: Thu Sep 30 @ 9:15 PDT
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.13267,-122.72964 [Pt. Townsend/Coupeville ferry lanes]
Number Sighted: 3 Report Generated: Thu Sep 30 9:25:06 PDT 2021
Submitter Name: Kayla - Whale Alert App
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Sighting Time: Thu Sep 30 @ 8:14 PDT Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.13213,-122.70911 [Pt. Townsend/Coupeville ferry lanes] Number Sighted: 4 Report Generated: Thu Sep 30 8:25:08 PDT 2021 Submitter Name: Kayla - Whale Alert App
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Thu, Sept 30 - Haro Strait - ~17:35 - There was a humpback offshore of San Juan County Park with the trailing members of J pod (approximately 17:35), northbound. -Stephanie Reiss
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15:30 - At least one humpback off Eagle Point headed up island. 1/4 mile offshore. -Fred Horn

September 29
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 29 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T41s) - The rain stopped and the calm seas brought us another great day with humpbacks off Sooke and Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T041's) hunting around Race Rocks! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations (
photos - ID's GS (T41A2 confirmed by MP)
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Wed, Sept 29 - San Juan Islands - 13:42 - Momma & baby humpback off of South Beach. Moving south. -Shine Sanderson

September 28
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 28 - Haro Strait (T18s) - 07:08-07:13 - Bigg's Transients T18s, northbound 1 mile south of Landbank/Westside Preserve. All 4 family members present traveling quickly northbound just before sunrise; T18 Esperanza, T19 Nootka/Mooyah, T19B the handsome Galiano and T19C the just-as-handsome Spouter. Photographed from shore. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Tue, Sept 28 - San Juan Islands Sighting Time: Tue Sep 28 @ 16:30 PDT Sighting Device Location (Lat/Lon): 48.46176,-123.03133 Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.46176,-123.03133 [Eagle Cove] Number Sighted: 2 humpbacks Report Generated: Tue Sep 28 16:37:06 PDT 2021 Submitter Name: Kas Kelley - Whale Alert Ap
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UNCONFIRMED SPECIES - Sept 28: ~16:25 - Earlier this morning, I left a voice message on your "spotter" line, sharing that I had seen multiple Orcas from my home in Ledgewood Beach (Coupeville). I am writing to tell you that over the last 10 or so minutes (beginning around 16:25) I spotted several Orcas swimming in the ocean near Ledgewood Beach. I'm not sure how many I sighted; I can say for certain that I saw the fins of two different orcas swimming alongside one another. P.S. I want to clarify that I am watching them through a high-quality Leica spotting scope, so I am absolutely certain that what I have been seeing are not artifacts, ducks, or wavelets. After writing the first email, I went back and began watching again, and I can confirm that I saw 3 separate orcas in the same area. From my vantage point, they seemed to be swimming back and forth from north to south in the same relatively small area. -Tara Klein
Tara Klein, new to Ledgewood, Whidbey neighborhood in April, and lifelong lover of orcas called on Tuesday 09/28 with two orca sightings. They have view facing Port Townsend and she reports 2 days ago (Tue, 09/26) first seeing large black dot, then animal breached so she could confirm orca. Did not see any additional individuals. Then this morning (Thu, 09/28) in same area, she saw black bodies, one swimming and undulating. Thinks she saw 3 individuals based on distance and surface behavior. Direction most likely north. Orcas were closer to Ledgewood than to either Keystone or Port Townsend.

September 27
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Mon, Sept 27 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T65As, T137s) - 14:00 - T65As & T137s made it up north today. Location on map [west of Sequim]. -Tisa Annette

September 26
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 26 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T18s, T46Bs, T65Bs) - Galiano this afternoon on our all-day tour! We went the distance out west and met up with the T65B's, T18s and T46B's and had great looks at multiple humpbacks. -Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
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Sun, Sept 26 - South to Central Puget Sound (T65As minus T65A5, T137s) - 17:41 - Mid channel between Maury Island and Browns Point. Direction unknown after a big ship went right over or next to them.
~17:20 - [orcas] Saw a spyhop and a few surfaces about 20 min ago at Browns Point Lighthouse (approx. time was 5:20). -Emily Spanjer
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16:54 - [orcas] Just saw them at 4:54, looks to be heading out of Commencement Bay towards Dash Point. -Rowena Mills
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16:28 - [orcas] Spotted at Dune Peninsula. Headed east near small boat, 4:28. -Roxanna Katz
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16:24 - [orcas] It looks like they're headed for Commencement Bay. -Melissa Lovejoy Goldman
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16:14 - [orcas] Closer to Vashon going towards ferry dock. Spread out. Two males in front. Watching from Owen Beach, 4:14. -Mollie Ito-Washington
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15:53 - [orcas] Mid channel, northbound in front of Salmon Beach. -Stace Gordon
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15:50 - [orcas] Across from Salmon Beach, Gig Harbor side, 3.50, northbound. -Gill Chard
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15:50 - [orcas] Passing Salmon Beach heading north towards Pt. Defiance. -Mary Brighid
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15:38 - Spread across Narrows channel. North of bridge.
15:34 - [orcas] Just north of Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Mid channel, more east, I think. -Anne Lynde
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15:26 - [orcas] About to pass under the Narrows Bridge, 3:26. -Abby Zaspel
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15:23 - [orcas] Headed northbound just east of the west tower of the Narrows Bridge. 3:23. photo - "At about 3:15 as they were headed north towards the Narrows Bridge, just below the airport. Taken from Day Island." -Karen Caldwell
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15:23 - [orcas] Should be under Narrows Bridge now. -Barb Pritchard Hulbert
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I decided last minute to go to the Narrows Bridge to watch the transients pass under. I knew I was running low on time so I sprinted (not very fast) halfway across the bridge in my slippers. I just barelyyyy made it in time to get one picture before they dove. I did get to see this Stellar family of sea lions swimming below! It was crazy to see how calm they were when the transients were so close by. -Jami Cantrell
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15:35 - All seemed to have passed north under the bridge.
15:23 - [orcas] Spotted from the [Tacoma Narrows] bridge. Coming right at me. 3:23 Northbound. -Amber Stanfill
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~15:05 - [orcas] Between University Place and Fox Island heading north towards the Narrows Bridge. Taken from University Place. -Rebekah Villanueva
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15:34 - Passed Narrows and heading towards Gig Harbor along Tacoma side.
15:03 - [orcas] Just spotted in the distance from Tacoma Narrows Beach at south tip of Fox Island. -Sylvia Knowles
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14:54 - [orcas] Just getting to see them now. Between Fox Island and Sunset Beach heading north. -Sue Gaines
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15:00 - Viewing at 3:00pm, Fox Island Fishing Pier.
14:29 - They're at the east tip of McNeil now, they seem to all be heading east. It's almost looking like they may go south...
14:19 - Almost to the end of Fox and McNeil. They seem to be zig-zagging up the channel, still heading west. They're mid channel now.
14:04 - They're between Fox and McNeil headed west. Very spread out across the channel.
13:57 - [orcas] We're on the south side of Fox Island. They were heading west, but seem to be hanging out. -Andrea Shults-Martini
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13:45 - [orcas] They rounded corner, now south of Fox Island - can't see any longer. -April Troka
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13:12 - [orcas] Headed south across from Horsehead Bay. -Justin Foster
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12:56 - Correction: moved out towards middle channel. Haven't rounded the corner yet.
12:50 - Rounding Horsehead Bay headed south at a picked-up pace.
12:40 - [orcas] They are just now past Cutts Island still headed south. -Randy Witter
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11:25 - On the scene with the T65s and T137. Fresh kill. [east of Minter, Carr Inlet, per map] -Kevin H. Doar
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12:18 - We are leaving the scene with all 9 orcas southbound (see map) separated by about a quarter mile.
12:03 - T65A4, T137A, 137B, and 137D, are southbound off Raft Island.
11:58 - We've spotted other family members coming in from the Raft Island side about a mile away.
11:50 - They are starting to trend southward now, very slowly.
11:45 - Still milling on the kill drifting a bit southward from my last map but not much. So far we've only seen T137, T65A, 65A2, 65A3, and 65A6. Likely the others could be somewhere else in the inlet.
11:15 - T65As and part of the T137s milling on a kill near Minter. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, Puget Sound Express
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11:10 - I saw one large male and one female or juvenile. Too far for any good pics. Circling around in hunting/ feeding pattern so no travel direction. [between Minter and Allen Point per map, closer to east side] -Barbara Horn Harman
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15:09 - Trailers have passed us at Fox Island Fishing Pier towards Narrows Bridge. Males still ahead.
14:58 - PASSING US AT FOX ISLAND FISHING PIER, BOYS IN THE LEAD, HEADING FOR NARROWS BRIDGE.
14:51 - Still crossing the channel towards Chambers Bay, from Fox Island. More on Tacoma side now near barge & ferry lane.
14:41 - Have them exiting the channel into Chambers Bay, towards Chambers Bay Golf Course, from Fox Island Fishing Pier.
13:38 - Have passed us at Fox Island Spit moving southbound quickly. Heavy rain just hit us, too, obscuring view.
13:29 - Have just popped out past Green Point, southbound, grouped up, from Fox Island Spit.
11:38 - Still eating, it seems. I saw a HUGE Steller when I was at the Fox Island Spit. Wonder if they got one here! I'm seeing at least 2 male, 2 female & calf.
11:30 - Still milling in same general area. WW boat getting a great view right now as they drift by them.
11:13 - They look like they are on a kill. Lots of splashing, milling, Gulls present. Drifting north still, though.
11:07 - [orcas] Can see them from Purdy Spit with Binoculars across the Bay from Allen Point. Whale Watch boat approaching quickly, so they should be easy to spot now. [video] https://www.facebook.com/melissa.bird.92/posts/4473535466018361 -Melissa Bird
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11:00 - We spotted a pod of whales just west of Horsehead Bay in Carr Inlet. There were at least 2 males, 1 female and a baby. Two breached just behind our sailboat and at least 3 were east of us, near horsehead. Our location was at: 47 16 476 122 45 00. Thanks for reporting! -Aimee & Chris Mason
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10:40 - Saw male and female heading past North Bay towards Minter, and two more female and calf? Going the same way 1/4 mile behind. -Michael Rodenbaugh
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10:40 - [orcas] I saw them too from Thompson Spit at 10:40, I only spotted 2 in this group. -Emma Campbell
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13:10 - Lots of breaching right now, heading to the mouth of the inlet.
12:46 - Heading southbound out of Henderson Bay. At least 9 orcas. Heading back towards Carr Inlet.
11:18 - [map shows orcas off of W Cutts Island] They are hunting.
10:54 - Still in mid channel! Slowly hanging out drifting north.
10:37 - Seen from Kopachuck. Mid channel. There were 4-5 at one point, at least 1 big male. -Sarah Groeger
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10:22 - [orcas] 3 spotted slowly heading northbound towards Kopachuck- barely breaking the surface, around mid-channel. -Jennifer Swenson
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09:20 - [orcas] They stopped here [between E McNeil Island and SW Fox Island] and splashed around. Best guess they are continuing into Carr Inlet, westerly direction. -Kristy Brokman
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08:13 - Orcas (at least 4-5) headed north between Anderson Island and Ketron Island. -Anita Kadmas Johnson
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sun, Sept 26 - Boundary Pass - 12:00 - Two humpbacks spotted 2 miles W of Patos Lighthouse, milling in the area. -Mari Elizabeth Blakeslee
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UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES [beluga?] - Sun, Sep 26 - B.C. Gulf Islands - 13:00 - We saw this same type of whale [beluga] in the mouth of Samsum Narrows a week or so ago ….it was 1pm Sunday 26th September. It surfaced and blew 4 times near us. Heading from mouth of Cowichan Bay, BC towards southern tip of Saltspring Island. [unconfirmed] -Lana M (tagged Susanne Almberg)

September 25
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 25 - South Puget Sound (T65As minus T65A5, T137s) - 22:52 - [orcas] Just came back through Pickering Passage, northbound. -Megan Gene Carlson
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19:38 - [orcas] They just passed thru Pickering Passage headed south. -David Coates
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19:23 - [orcas] Rogue pod sighted traveling south toward Harstine Island Bridge. At least four orcas. -Amy Wisch
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18:18 - [orcas] In Pickering Passage right now, just south of Jerrells Cove. -Scott Presnell
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18:00 - [orcas] Headed towards Jarrell Cove. -Jarab Daniel
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19:20 - Just went under Harstine Island bridge, heading south.
17:57 - Heading south towards Harstine bridge. -Jenna Melaine Schroer
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17:53 - [orcas] Southbound Pickering Passage, Indian Cove. -Mishelle Bennett
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17:27 - [orcas] They're kind of hanging out off the southern tip of Stretch Island right now. -Hannah Berry
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16:50 - [orcas] 5 seen on east side of Stretch Is. heading south, 4:50pm. -Jenne Rogers Henderson
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15:58 - [orcas] Just saw orcas dorsal fin off Allyn. -Anna Mariano-Morris
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16:00 - They're heading south towards Treasure Island. 15:40 - Orca in Case Inlet at 3:40. In Victor heading north to Allyn. Couple big males and a female. -Beverly Lynch McCallum
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16:30 - They were south of Vaughn Bay and close to the Vaughn shore heading toward Rocky Bay when I first saw them. Then they turned around and headed south about 4:30. They were much more toward Stretch Island when heading south.
15:30 - [orcas] South of Vaughn Bay in Case Inlet. 3:30 pm. -Leslie Hanks
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15:07 - [orcas] North of Harstine Island east of Stretch Island. 3:07pm. -Alayna Oury Vuylsteke
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We were returning to port on Hartstine Island after an uneventful sail trip when we spotted 3-5 Orcas in the vicinity of Jarrell Cove. They were meandering north in pursuit of a seal, and passed fairly close to our boat, breaching twice. There were at least 10 boats in the water, most keeping a respectful distance except for one power boat who got way too close. By the time the Orcas exited Pickering Passage, it wasn't clear whether they'd made their kill or were still pursuing their prey. In any case, once we docked we saw a very relieved seal swimming inside the breakwater-who we decided to nickname "Nearly Sushi." -Paul Murphy
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14:30 - [orcas] Dougall Point, north end of Harstine Island, about 2:30 this afternoon. -Cammy Malm LaRiviere
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13:19 - [orcas] Going towards/under Harstine Island bridge. -Sarah Elliott
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13:18 - Orcas playing just north of Hope Island next to Harstine Island right now. East of Shelton in Pickering Passage. -KG Day
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12:35 - [orcas] Headed through Squaxin Passage towards Hope Island. -Merrilee Honey Kenyon
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12:10 - [orcas] Leaving Budd Inlet heading toward Boston Harbor Marina. -Katie Christensen
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12:20 - They are currently heading north (and a bit west) toward the Hunter Point area. Lost sight of them. They are angling toward Squaxin/Hope/Steamboat Islands. Long down times and lots of surfacing series.....including the exhilarating sounds of their exhales AND tail slaps and breaches.
11:10 - Heading into the entrance of Budd Inlet. Near Gull Harbor. Heading south. Leisurely pace. Some long dives. Still in two groups. Cooper Point Spit in the foreground.
10:45 - Heading south, far shore, toward Boston Harbor and into Budd Inlet. Two groups. At least five.
10:30 - Orcas are exiting Dana Passage, heading south, on the far shore. Heading toward Boston Harbor and Budd Inlet. Can't tell exact number. Counting the exhales coming out of the fog and into the sunlight cresting the tree line. Magic. -Kim Merriman
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10:25 - [orcas] Dana Passage. there were two groups and the ones on the other side of the passage were difficult for me to get pics of. Several reported seeing two groups, total of five orcas. -Angie Bial
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat, Sept 25 - Haro Strait - What a day for humpback whale action! Split Fluke and her calf played like crazy during our trips on Sept 25 near the Canadian border. In the morning when we first arrived on scene with Split Fluke (crc-15671, bcx1068) and her 2021 calf we had no idea that we were about to witness such a playful interaction between mom and calf. We watched them slowly swimming along for about 10 minutes and then suddenly Split Fluke did a caudal peduncle throw (cartwheel), and her calf followed suit with a cartwheel of its own. For the next half hour, the calf went on a tail slapping and cartwheeling binge that made us all short of breath! Mom also chimed in with more tailslaps in the middle of her calf's most energetic marathon. Eventually both whales started slapping their impressive pectoral fins on the surface too. We even got a bit more of this playful action from this pair on our second trips of the day too. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist/Photographer, Puget Sound Express
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16:28 - Two very active humpbacks north of Eagle Point moving north. Full breaches. Tail lobs. (Crazy huge) fin slaps. Not close to shore but can easily see them with binoculars. -Chris Wilson
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MINKE WHALES - Sat, Sept 25 - Haro Strait - 07:49 - Minke whale northbound. 7:49. right south of Lime Kiln. Was hugging the shoreline. -Sarah Groeger
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Sat, Sept 25 - San Juan Islands - 10:45 - On the ferry to Orcas Island, suddenly slowed and changed direction, a minke surfaced! Currently NW of Washington Park. Whale headed towards Washington Park. -Rachel Haight

September 24
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Fri, Sept 24 - Haro Strait to Boundary Pass (T36s, T65A5, T65Bs) - 11:16-11:38 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #79: "… The team arrived on scene at 11:16 south of Blunden [Islet] with the T65Bs, T36s, along with T65A5. They had apparently just finished a kill, and were milling in a tight group and being quite social, with lots of surface active behaviors. At least one whale had parts of a prey item in its mouth, although its not clear from our photographs whether this is a seal or a porpoise. The whales started slowly trending northeast…" [See CWR Encounter #79 for full summary and photos] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-79
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10:49 - Sounds like Ts heading east up Boundary.
~08:45 - Orcas heading east across Haro from Kelp Reef towards San Juan…-Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Fri, Sept 24 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T60D & T60E) - 10:02 - Reports of two orca heading to Whiffin Spit and possibly harbour...right now!---- With a report from our neighbour of two orca heading into Sooke Harbour, this was the fastest we encountered Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales T060's (D&E) only a few hundred yards from our docks today! Then we had the pleasure to visit 2 of the 4 Humpbacks off Otter point...Another special day! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Fri, Sept 24 - Central to South Puget Sound (T65As minus T65A5, T137s) - 18:57 - [orcas] Way closer to Anderson Island than Steilacoom. Viewing from bench lookout in Madrona in Steilacoom. Appear to be milling. -Trey Dyer
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18:23 - [orcas] I have 4 whales mid channel, Steilacoom and McNeil! -Laura Heger Whelan
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19:11 - Committed to southbound on the west side of Ketron island between it and Anderson.
19:00 - Depth of field is hard, but I think they are west of Ketron in the water. Approximate location, still steadily cruising southbound. Both males are present, 5-6 orca is my best guess.
18:47 -Southbound again.
18:38 - Now headed west toward Anderson Island . The ferry might get a good look.
18:32 - When the McNeill ferry passed them, they seem to have turned northbound. Might be milling but the trend looks north.
18:22 - From Anderson Island, they are still trending south but slowly. I don't think they've crossed the Chambers Creek railroad bridge or inlet yet. Still a ways north of Steilacoom.
18:07 - I have at least 3, one male headed southbound past the Chambers Creek Golf Course, from Anderson Island Ferry Dock. -Belen Bilgic Schneider
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17:53 - Orcas in South Sound! 5:53 pm, seeing them from Steilacoom. Off McNeil Island, at least one male, at least 6 orcas. Hello, beautiful pod! -Tari Poe Norris
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17:02 - [orcas] Off of Sunnyside [Steilacoom], mid channel, closer to the Steilacoom ferry dock. Heading south. 3 or 4. -Meghan Mandell
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(~16:40) 17:00 - From Steilacoom, they (2) came in front of prison and then headed back north. Lost them about 20 minutes ago by the buoy. 5pm now. -Lane Sample
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18:25 - Southbound, seem to be staying to the eastside of Anderson Island. Still moving slowly with some tail slaps and another breach, 6:25 pm.
18:03 - Group of orcas still in front of McNeil Island. Moving very slowly, have almost made it to the prison building on the Island (from Steilacoom viewpoint).
17:25 - Some regrouped at channel marker between Fox and McNeil. Lots of tail slapping, one breach. Now moving southbound close to McNeil Island. Seeing 5 or 6 now.
16:38 - Confirmed, going northbound. Near channel marker between McNeil, Fox, and Chambers Bay.
16:28 - Can see one Orca from Steilacoom. Near McNeil Island Ferry dock, seems to be going northbound but may be circling. -Jennifer Tebaldi
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16:14 - 2 to 3 Orcas east of Fox Island swimming south. -Leif T Rasmussen
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15:54 - Two orcas off of Chambers Bay golf course, time 3:54 pm. -Ben Connel
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15:48 - We just spotted 2 males heading towards Anderson Island. -Mary Rait
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~17:07 - Between McNeil & Fox islands. 5 of them regrouped, splashing, about 05:07pm.
15:53 - Just across from Chamber Bay bridge.
15:44 - Watching from the bridge @ Chambers Bay. 3:44 [map indicates orcas mid east side of Fox Island]. -Jason Cook
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15:43 - [orcas] Can see them on the north side of Chambers Bay Park, 3:43 pm. -Chloe Bartlett
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16:35 - Male flipped, was heading back by Fox Island, 4:35. Viewing from Steilacoom ferry dock.
15:32 - [orcas] Viewing at Titlow, heading south, looks more closer to Fox Island side. 3:32. -Cherie StOurs
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15:28 - [orcas] In front of Titlow, still heading south. -Julie Russell Schmidt
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15:21 - 2 males lagging behind the leaders. Passed Narrows at 15:21. -Ashley Whitman
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15:26 - 2 large males trailing.
15:09 - Looks like 8 Orcas heading south under the Narrows Bridge. -Holly Johnson Fox
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15:08 - [orcas] Under Narrows bridge, 3:08, moving fast, south Gig Harbor side, 4 or 5. -Susan White
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15:04 - [orcas] Heading towards Narrows bridge. -David Hyde
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14:44 - [orcas] Looked like they were headed around Point Defiance to the Narrows from Owen Beach. Not milling. -Ed Rickert
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14:19 - [orcas] Approaching [Tahlequah/Pt. Defiance] ferry line now. Seeing several blows still. 2:19 pm. -Candace Gavin
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14:23 - Passing ferry dock now on Vashon heading west, 2:23.
14:20 - Seeing 3 groups heading SW along the south shore of Vashon.
13:59 - [orcas] Approximately there [south end of Maury Island]. -Jim Schmaltz
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14:30 - Photo from Owen Beach.
13:57 - Viewing from the Dunes, 1:57, slowly moving west towards Maury in between 2 small white boats. Mostly blows.
13:50 - Looks like stalling but still see blows, 1:50pm, viewing from the Dunes.
13:44 - [orcas] Seeing blows from 3, 1:44. Mid channel heading south. -Cherie StOurs
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13:30 - [orcas] Watched them at 1:30 from Dash Point Pier, but they are way over to the other side. -Monica Zaborac
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14:26 - They seem to be getting closer to Tacoma side. 2:26.
14:20 - Viewing a small group from the Tahlequah ferry dock.. milling between here and Tacoma side.. May be traveling west. 2:20.
13:10 - [orcas] Passing Maury Island Marine Park.. Just west of mid channel. Looked to be foraging then stopped. Still headed SB. Beautiful Rainier in the background. 1:10. -Jessica Richter
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12:45 - [orcas] Passed Point Robinson, travel mode, southbound, loosely grouped, powering through the Salish chop, mid channel, favoring the island side. -Marla Smith
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12:28 - [orcas] Spotted from Pt. Robinson, near WW boat and helicopter [King 5] right overhead. -Jennifer Nichols
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11:45 - Ed Block called to report seeing the orcas out from of their high bluff place on Vashon across from Three Tree Point. Orcas are mid channel, by description had been southbound, are circling slow going boats. While on the phone describe bull surfacing several times, 3 more who surfaced around the WW boat and 4-5 more circling the WW boat. Another/same bull and adolescent male surfaced as well. [sounds like they are hunting, possibly trying to flush prey out from boats? - alb]
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11:54 - SB Mid channel at northern tip of Maury Island. Heading towards Pt. Robinson.
11:36 - Now slowly moving southbound.
11:31 - Visible from south side of 3 Tree Point. Were SB mid channel but appear to be milling now. Close to yellow channel marker off point. -Sandhya Ballal
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11:23 - The group is now approaching Three Tree Point, west of the shipping channel and closer to Vashon Island. Still moving south.
11:17 - [orcas] Group is slowly and steadily moving south. Only Saratoga and large sail boat on scene. Saratoga well within regulations. -Shari Tarantino
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11:33 - Update, both pods are still southbound. We have left the scene now. Viewed from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express.
10:30 - T65As and T137s southbound. see my map [mid channel]. North end of Vashon Island. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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09:54 - Turns out to be a bigger group, maybe ten animals. Just south of Bainbridge headed south in the main channel.
09:46 - Whales just off Blakely Harbor. Looks like 5-7 animals headed south towards Manchester. -David Minard
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08:59 - They seem to be off Discovery Park (south end of) right now. I'm at Sunset Hill Park and see lots of splashing and the Clipper is there. -Matty Leaman
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07:07 - Orcas, northbound lane at Four Mile Rock. Moving at a good speed north. About 5 of them. (They were northbound in the northbound shipping lanes when I saw them.) -Ryan Johnson
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Fri, Sept 24 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - …we had the pleasure to visit 2 of the 4 Humpbacks off Otter Point...Another special day! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photos - MMX0012 (Tulip) ID: PP

September 23
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 23 - Haro Strait (T18s) - 16:37 - T18 and T19B close to shore and the other two a mile offshore. -Barbara Howitt
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17:25 - Heading north from County Park.
16:30 - Aiming north for Lime Kiln.
16:00 - [orcas] Sounds like they are aiming for the Pile Point area. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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15:05 - Relaying report: orcas rounding the southern tip of Discovery Island. Eastbound. -Fred Horn
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Thu, Sept 23 - San Juan Islands (T65Bs, T65A5) - 13:55 - There is a group of Ts north of Johns Island heading SE, perhaps towards San Juan Channel. ["T65Bs and T65A5" -John Boyd] -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Thu, Sept 23 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T109As) - 12:14 - 5 orca have now left the harbour...south east bound. Update: Might have been 7 in total...
---- Right in Sooke Harbour today...a few hundred yards from our docks at Salty Towers with 8 Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T109A's) hunting and having lunch on seals in front of many onlookers from Whiffin Spit! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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12:33 - Just saw 3 pass us at Sooke Point. Heading towards Iron Mine Bay.
11:23 - 2 orcas just passed Sooke Point heading towards the harbour. -Lori Franze
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Thu, Sept 23 - NPS/Possession Sound to Saratoga Passage (T137s) - 16:05 - Just passed my house about 2 miles north of hidden Beach 2 or three whales not 100% sure on the count heading north. Of course, the minute I grab my camera they get shy and go down deep. -Aaron Gill
photo - T137 ID: Ariel Yseth
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~14:30 - Saw 2 orcas around Whidbey Shores Point, across from Camano, 100 ft from Whidbey side shore around 2:30 pm. Surfaced 3 times, heading northwest, and then disappeared. -Lara Klein *
12:05 - Update on the T137s (second group): still northbound. Passed Clinton now.
11:44 - Just T137A and T137D so far from in this second group.
11:38 - We found the T137s northbound near the Clinton/Mukilteo ferry lanes. (Second group) Viewing from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist,
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10:58 - [orcas] We just saw them south of Mukilteo. -Kim Meritt
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Thu, Sept 23 - North Puget Sound/Admiralty Inlet (T65As minus T65A5) - 10:35 - [orcas] Confirmed 10:35am moving north away from Foulweather Bluff. -Dorian Garson
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11:15 - T65As still milling in same place, a mile off Double Bluff. I lost them since 11:15.
10:25 - Orcas milling a mile off Double Bluff. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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10:55 - MV Saratoga leaving the T65As still southbound off Double Bluff.
10:21 - MV Saratoga found the T65A pod minus T65A5 north of Double Bluff, southbound. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, Puget Sound Express
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07:33 - Sara Frey observed 2 orcas (adult F & M) in the Edmonds/Kingston ferry lanes heading northbound west side of the shipping lanes. Some surface activity at the time as if hunting.
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 22 - E. Strait of Juan de Fuca
Cascadia Region Whale Sighting
Orca Sighting:
Sighting Time: Wed Sep 22, 17:07:49 PDT
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.42420,-123.38500 [Victoria, B.C.]
Number Sighted: 2 -Submitter Name: Maigre
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UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES - Thu, Sept 23 - South Puget Sound - Belen Schneider emailed: I just had a long-time islander (on Anderson Island) reach out to me with a strange sighting and I wanted to check in… "Just saw something I can't identify. Looked like a whale, acted like a whale, cruising by quickly heading west. through Balch Passage. No dorsal fin. I looked it up and am wondering if it could possibly be a Northern Right Whale Dolphin? But all alone. It was the only one. Have there been any similar sightings that you know of? Am getting ready for work right now so don't have the time at this moment to research anything more…and it was cruising by so fast I could not get pictures." -Pete Common

September 22
Wed, Sept 22 - Central Puget Sound (T37As) - 18:48 - [orcas] Between Carkeek and Richmond Beach, east of channel, NB. -Mike Ferdinandi
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17:53 - [orcas] On the move, north Golden Gardens at 5:53! I believe there are four or five. -Liz Adamack
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17:31 - Moving north now. About halfway up the marina.
17:15 - [orcas] At least 3 milling directly out from Shilshole fuel dock, east of the shipping lane. -Leslie Goodman
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17:06 - [orcas] Three fins at mid channel. (viewing from Shilshole) -Beth Dodrill
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16:17 - Heading north now just past grain silos approaching Magnolia.
16:13 - I just saw a group near the cruise terminal in downtown and the cruise ship just left. There is also a barge with a tug and another big vessel very close to them. Ack! Must be super noisy. There is a research boat with them. They are grouped up pretty tight and moving fast now. Looks like 4-5. -Heather Polverino
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16:12 - One group is now committed to leaving the bay. They've rounded the corner heading north, close to Magnolia side, 4:12.
15:50 - Two separate groups in the bay. First group two females and a calf. second group two males maybe two females. One group is heading west on Magnolia side towards grain silos, 3:50. One group is 37A (s) with her calf. [confirmed by back-of-camera image. -gs]
Updated: So far from pics: T37AS and T36s; here's 36B. [confirmed by back-of-camera image. -gs] -Kersti Muul
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15:38 - 2-3 females plus a calf in Elliott Bay (Alki/Harbor Ave. in the background). I lost track of them, but after venturing into the bay, they flipped and were northwest with long down times. NOAA boat was with them. -Danielle Carter
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15:25 - At 16:44 John Miller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: [MV] WALLA WALLA Orca Report 9/22/2021. 1525hrs: Vessel reports via 800MHz 3 orca off Duwamish Head traveling east.
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15:23-15:58 - Close pass off the 1100 block of Alki Ave. at 15:23. Saw 3 orcas leave Elliott Bay from 15:44 to 15:58. -Robin Sinner
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15:00 - [orcas] At least 4 went passed 1500 block of Alki Ave. heading east into the bay. -Fei Cheng
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14:23 - [orcas] Small group off Constellation Park [near Alki Point]. -Jay Haavik
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13:40 - At 13:52 Laura Baker, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: Log Entry 1340hrs, 9/22: Vessel reports via 800MHz sighting two orca whales heading northbound, located approximately 1/2 mile off the FAU dock. [Fauntleroy, West Seattle]
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12:30 - Penny Pickering called to report at least 4 orcas, (possibly one male) off Three Tree Point, Burien, on the east side of the channel heading southbound. Some surface activity (breaching).
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Wed, Sept 22 - South Puget Sound (T137s) - 16:30 - [orcas] Eastbound is a report of direction that I also just heard as of 4:30. -Belen Bilgic Schneider
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16:15 - [orcas] They're in Balch Passage at 4:15. Between Anderson and McNeil Islands. -Daniel Thomas Schultz
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(~14:30) 14:43 - They took the slow way around Anderson Island headed east to Nisqually Flats. At one time we counted 3, could be more, and a juvenile for sure. Did not have my phone for better updates as for followed them around island via car. They are at Nisqually as of 15 minutes ago.
13:07 - Orcas spotted in front of McNeil Island Corrections Center (SE side). -Lisa Elliott
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12:53 - [orcas] 2nd hand report: "from my location in Home of them traveling southbound past the Lagoon here, towards Penrose, about a half hour ago." -Melissa Bird
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09:30-10:00 - The first two ran down the south side of Henderson Bay almost to the bridge at 9:30-10am. Exiting the bay, just before reaching Cherry Cove, those two met up with another 2-3 and appeared to chase and catch a seal, very close to south side shoreline. -Richard Clos
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09:30 - I'm just writing to report spotting two orcas in Henderson Bay (Gig Harbor) at 9:30am today/Wednesday. It looked like two. One had a huge dorsal fin and the other seemed quite a bit smaller. This was up toward the narrow end of the bay, within sight of the Purdy Bridge. -Annika Ericksen
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08:45 - [orcas] One pair mid-channel and a pair with a bull just off Raft Island. I haven't seen them since after a deep dive on the mid-channel two and losing the two near Raft Island in the morning glare. -Randy Witter
[T137s ID'd from Randy's photos by ALB]
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07:45 - Orcas (including at least one male), in Carr Inlet south of Kopachuck State Park heading northbound towards Raft Island. -Per Jennifer Swenson
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MINKE WHALES - Wed, Sept 22 - San Juan Channel - Saw a couple of Minkes yesterday [9/22] in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. South of San Juan Island. -Coni Jones Carrothers
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07:21 - Minke passing Mineral Point heading south. -Dan Shelley

September 21
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 21 - B.C. Gulf Islands
Cascadia Region Whale Sighting
Orca Sighting:
Sighting Time: Tue Sep 21, 10:50 PDT
Sighting Device Location (Lat/Lon): 48.77093,-123.31426
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.77093,-123.31426 [west North Pender Island]
Number Sighted: 2
Submitter Name: Sarah Guthrie
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Tue, Sept 21 - Haro Strait - ~18:30 - I saw them (assuming it's the same group) around 18:30 at Clover Point, and they were very close to shore heading west. -Serena Tierra
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16:45 - 3 or more orca close to shore Vancouver Island side, south possibly eastbound approximately across from San Juan Co. Park. (Cordova Bay/Parker Beach on the Canadian side) -Christin Carruthers
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Tue, Sept 21 - Hood Canal (prob. T65As minus T65A5) - 17:04 - Orca in Hood Canal in front of Scenic Beach Park again. 5:04pm, looks like they're hunting. Staying tight in a group and in the same area. -Kathy Cole
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Tue, Sept 21 - NPS/Admiralty Inlet (T36, T36As, T36Bs, T137s) - 19:00 - SB closer to Three Tree Point south side passing Maury Island. One male orca spotted. -Sandhya Ballal
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18:56 - [orcas] Well past Three Tree Point, Burien, east of the mid channel marker, but appear to be trending toward Point Robinson. At least 7 individuals with 2+ mature males. Long downtimes after several breathes at the surface. A little milling but steady SB. -Christina Van Wolbeck Fenerty
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18:15 - [orcas] Spotted blows closer to Seahurst side, SB. -Cindy Eckes Waddington
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17:53-18:09 - About 3 seemed to be on a hunt, swimming NW between Blake and Southworth. Very close to Blake. Now at 6:09, nobody surfaced in my wide view of Rich Pass...to north end Colvos. Research boat did zoom around south end of Blake, northbound.
17:53 - Spray spotted south end Blake Island. Direction...tbc. -Kathleen Cage
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17:53 - Blows moving NW from Southworth but still south of Blake Island.
17:43 - [orcas] Saw 4 blows just north of Southworth dock on Kitsap side, watching from Emma Schmitz Park in West Seattle. -Mary Hartmann
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17:00 - South of Seattle/Bremerton ferry lines. Milling south off Alki (on Alki side) We saw at least 3. -Kristen Alvarez
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17:08 - There were at least two groups T137 and 137B in one group, 137A and D in the other. It was these two groups just on this side. But split up. So other westerly group is still not ID'd. -Kersti Muul
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15:00 - 2, possibly 3 orcas, including a male, southbound, well west of mid-channel off Rolling Bay, Bainbridge. Long down times, slow, steady pace. NOAA passed east side of channel at 14:45 (not with this group) and continued south. This group went by seemingly undetected by NOAA. Saratoga [Puget Sound Express] also passed by them headed back to Edmonds but on the other side of the channel closer to Shilshole. Don't think they were aware of this group either. -Susan Marie Andersson
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15:57 - Now mid channel heading south off West Point (Discovery Park).
15:45 - 2-3 orcas swimming off Shilshole Marina heading south toward West Point. -Torrey Hall Volk
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14:23 - Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFSC, is out with team. They just saw blows off Point Wells, Woodway.
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~13:30 - Was viewing from north Scatchet Head and line of sight was Eglon. Appearing to be on Kitsap side of mid channel, SB.
12:25 - [orcas] I see multiple blows viewing from up above Sunlight Beach. From here they appear middish channel. -Marilyn Armbruster
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11:28 - Now slowly southbound at Double Bluff, much closer to the Whidbey side. T137A and T137D stopped to hunt and are lagging behind a bit mid channel.
11:08 - They're very spread out slowly southbound. T36s and T36Bs are here as well!
10:50 - MV Saratoga has a large group of Bigg's southbound at Mutiny Bay, still north of Double Bluff. ID the T137s and T60D and T60E but there are several more with them! (I may have been mistaken about the T60 brothers but positive we have the T137s and T36s.) -Justine Buckmaster, Naturalist, PSE
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Tue, Sept 21 - NW Whidbey Island (T18s) - 10:15 - Chilkat Express has killer whales (T18s) off Ebey's Landing, northbound. -Christopher Lewman
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Mon, Sept 20 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T34s, T36s, T60D & T60E, T69s) - Today off Sooke with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales first with (T034, T036 & T036b's) hunting mid Juan De Fuca Strait and then to our surprise (T069's and T60's (D&E)) hunting very close to shore minutes from our docks on way home! A few welcome spy hops! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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GRAY WHALE - Tue, Sept 21 - Haro Strait - Gray whale trending N from Discovery [in the] afternoon. -Barbara Howitt
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UNIDENTIFIED BALEEN WHALE - Tue, Sept 21 - Haro Strait - 10:27 - Blow off of Lime Kiln, hugging Vancouver Island. The only thing I could discern was that it was definitely baleen. -Erika Hansen

September 20
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Mon, Sept 20 - North Puget Sound/Hood Canal (T65As minus T65A5) - 19:50 - Saw the whales out in the middle of the canal this evening, at 7:50 pm. They were passing Hama Hama, headed south, going 10 or 15 knots. -Marty Thompson
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16:33 - [orcas] Just past Seabeck now, mid channel heading south. -Sarah Murphy
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16:27 - [orcas] Viewing from Seabeck Hwy - passed by quick, headed toward Scenic Beach Park at the moment (research boat trailing). -Stephanie Schulte
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13:15 - [orcas] Spotted 2 from Kitsap Memorial Park, 1:15. They also seemed to start hunting and then disappeared. Mainly 1 was milling around; only saw another pop up once or twice. They disappeared quickly after circling around a bit and a couple tail slaps. -Jessica Richter
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14:35 - Southbound. They are committed again to a southbound path of travel. Closely grouped together. They are still north of Bangor but getting close to it now. Mid to east side of channel. I can still hear them all breathing but the glare on the water is making it harder to follow them with my lens.
14:22 - Moving again. Facing northbound but no real commitment on direction yet. 222pm. Lots of porpoises hiding out in the shallow by me.
14:20 - I think they are sleeping or at least resting now. All grouped together at top of water and not moving much. Just floating slowly. Almost directly out from my location. No real direction. Mid to Kitsap side.
14:00 - Yay, I see them. Still north of my location. Will send pic. Looks like a research boat with them now. Kitsap side. Very slow travel. Oh gosh I can hear them all breathing too! They are circling the research boat. A couple of tail slaps.
13:00 - They started porpoising and then haven't got eyes on them again yet. They were straight out from Squamish Bay. Southbound. Jefferson (west side).
12:56 - Milling around by the large buoy on the south side of the bridge. Still trending south but looked like they were really interested in something at the buoy. Lots and lots of circling around it.
1230 - [orcas] They are just slightly north of the bridge now. Chilkat is with them still. They were milling around for a bit but seem committed to traveling south again. photo - last sighting before they took the dive to go under the Hood Canal bridge. They were ~3/4 mile out from me here. -Tisa Annette
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Here's the four T65A's just before their dive under the Hood Canal Bridge. -Mike Maddox
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12:40-13:00 - Wow y'all, I came over to Termination Pt./Shine and got to see them go under the bridge and group up around the channel marker to hunt, just wow!! Sb in Hood Canal now west side of channel.
12:25 - Resighted them straight out from entrance to Gamble Bay, slowly drifting SB towards Hood Canal Bridge.
12:10 - [orcas] I've got eyes on viewing from Port Gamble, PSE is with them. photo - "Preparing to go under Hood Canal Bridge earlier, Taken from Termination Pt Boat Ramp around 12:40 pm" -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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11:35 - They have spread way out between Twin Spits and Tala Point pointed at Hood Head.
11:13 - They seem committed to Hood Canal now just NW of Foulweather Bluff.
10:48 - Still slowly southbound just north of and pointed toward Colvos Rocks.
10:27 - The T65As (minus T65A5) are now southbound south of Marrowstone Island pointed at Hood Canal. -Justine Buckmaster, Naturalist, Puget Sound Express
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09:58 - [orcas] 1 mile S of Bush Point, northbound, Whidbey side. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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10:10 - They stalled about 1 mile S of Bush Point. They are now headed either S or W (toward the Kitsap side). PSE boat has just arrived.
09:45 - [orcas] They are about 3 miles south of Bush Point. Still headed north. About the middle of the shipping lanes, perhaps a bit more on the Whidbey side. They seem to be purposefully heading north, but not speeding along. -Mike Meyer
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08:20 - Victoria Clipper 5 just left killer whales northbound at Point No Point, Hansville. He said they were moving fast with the ebb. -Christopher Lewman, PSE
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Mon, Sept 20 - NW Whidbey Island (T18s) - 16:45 - Redhead found killer whales southeastbound off Partridge Point. T18s. -Christopher Lewman, Puget Sound Express
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Mon, Sept 20 - Central Puget Sound - 07:00 - Gail Tully reports at least 2-3 orcas heading southbound quite fast off Sunrise Beach [we believe Sunrise Beach, Gig Harbor in southern Colvos Passage]

September 19
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 19 - Haro Strait (Js, Ls) - From the Land Bank Westside Preserve. -Michael Noonan
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16:55 - SRKWs approaching Lime Kiln from County Park. Some porpoising fast. Big spread. -April Ryan
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16:45 - [SRKW] on Orcasound Lab hydrophone, -Kevin George
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14:40 - All SR and HBs have cleared county park NB. -Ariel Yseth
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14:31 - [SRKW] I'm hearing whales faintly on the Lime Kiln hydrophone. 2:31pm. -Nancy Eriksson
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15:42 - Looks like they have turned and are heading back south from Henry.
15:09 - Still foraging near the south point of Henry.
14:30 - At least six more following behind.
14:22 - [orcas] A couple heading north toward Henry. Hopefully more on the way. Sound watch is with them. -Pam Cameron Keffer
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13:39 - [orcas] We're seeing a bunch at San Juan County Park, 1:39. Milling about. -Meagan Freeman
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17:28 - Just saw fins off of Bellevue Point.
17:14 - Vocals on LK hydro, 17:14...whistles, clicks, squeeks, echolocation!
12:45 - Lots of vocals starting now 12:45 p.m.
12:27 - [SRKW] Just heard a call on the LK hydro at 12:27 p.m.! -Stephanie Mclaughlin
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12:05 - [orcas] Just beginning to see them at Landbank. Before the turnout. -Carol Kinkelaar Skully
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17:56-19:00 - Very distant blows starting at 17:56. Southbound, very spread out and so far out I could see them across Landbank to my north. I was mostly just seeing blows. The sea was choppy and in the low sun their blows were bright white. The wind took the blow exploding it out behind them. It looked like distant fireworks on the dark blue water. Just before 19:00 a few came close enough to identify and the trailing orca was reported to be J27 Blackberry (ID Ariel Yseth).
11:51-12:50 - Members of J-Pod and L-Pod NB, 1-1/2 miles from Westside Preserve Landbank. The orcas were spread out, 1/2 mile from shore to mid-channel. Most traveled alone although there were a few pairs. They moved as a mixed group of Js and Ls. L72 Racer was in the lead then L105 Fluke, J27 Blackberry and then a threesome traveling tight: J41 Eclipse with son J51 Nova, and sandwiched between them J51's little sister J58 Crescent. J16 Slick, L55 Nugget with her son L109 Takoda, J31 Tsuchi and daughter J56 Tofino. J38 Cookie in the trailing group. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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13:48 - What I think is the trailing group is about abeam with Lime Kiln Lighthouse now, still trending north but with lots of foraging.
11:51 - Js too.
11:40 - At least Ls present, Pile Point northbound fairly quick. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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11:28 - First ones are to about false Bay. Traveling very relaxed and slowly.
11:21 - Several of them have come all the way in almost to shore and then there are a few more still further out. Have not quite made it to False Bay yet.
10:54 - Coming in from Hein Bank. Looks like quite a few. Angling north at this point. Small groups together. Woohoo just saw breach!
10:44 - [SRKW] Orcas are here at Eagle Point. -Chris Wilson
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08:20 - I encountered this pod just South of San Juan Island as they were heading towards Haro Strait at 0820 on Sunday morning. -Bob VonDrachek
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 19 - Haro Strait (T99s) - I filmed all five T099s in Haro Strait, east of Discovery Island near Baynes Channel, on Sunday, September 19, 2021 at approximately 11:54 AM. Here is a link to my video montage: https://youtu.be/g4Pd4Pn-Djg -Gerald Graham, Victoria
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Sun, Sept 19 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T18s) - We had a great day with Humpbacks minutes from our docks right in front of Sooke and Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales out front of Victoria (T018/19s)… -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Sun, Sept 19 - North to South Puget Sound (T65As minus T65A5) - ~19:50 - Spotted two or three orcas swimming very close to shore, just outside the tidepool at Dune Peninsula Park in Tacoma, near the yacht club and the Vashon ferry, heading west, around 7:50 PM tonight on September 19, 2021. It was after dark, of course, but a full moon made light on the water! -Anna McCarter
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18:26 - [orcas] Just saw 3 fins in the area of the port. Still traveling deeper into the port. -Candace Gavin
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18:19 - The front three are headed into the port area. The trailing one is near Duke's. -Craig Craker
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18:07 - See 1 dorsal male heading east towards Port of Tacoma, mid channel, Commencement Bay, view from Dunes. -Cherie StOurs
photo - "Entering the Port of Tacoma approx. 6:30pm. Watched them enter and depart as it quickly got dark"
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19:18 - They appear to be trending back towards Vashon, about midway across Maury Island.
19:09 - From Fish Co. Pier, they are across from us, mid channel but more Browns Point side, exiting Commencement Bay. Unsure if they will take East Passage yet, as they approach Brown's Point.
18:52 - Adult male close to Shuster Parkway, near grainery, heading back towards Ruston.
18:49 - Some still deep in Port, trending towards the grainery now. Others here report seeing an adult male near the log Ship moored near Quartermaster Harbor, from Thea's Park.
18:34 - Deep in Commencement Bay, mid channel near an orange buoy, traveling towards the Port, from Theas Park.
18:18 - Grouped back up together & have passed Fish Co. Pier, heading deeper into Commencement Bay.
18:06 - Right off Lobster Shop, heading towards Dukes & into Commencement Bay, right off Ruston. -Melisa Bird
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17:49 - [orca] Single trailing behind first three at Dune Peninsula. 5:49. Headed into bay. -Roxanna Katz
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Cascadia Region Whale Sighting - Orca Sighting: Sighting Time: Sun Sep 19, 17:32 PDT - Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 47.32324,-122.58464 - Number Sighted: 1 Submitted Comments: Now killer whale sited in front of Point Defiance and Vashon Island. 5:30pm. Right in front of Tacoma yacht club. - Submitter Name: Daren Falter - Whale Alert App
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17:29 - [orcas] They are right off the point of the Tacoma Yacht Club right now. I counted a total of 3. - Allison Bledsoe
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17:23 - [orcas] In ferry lane, mid channel. between Point Defiance and Vashon! Maybe 2-3. Right in front of Dune Peninsula. -Brooke Casanova
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17:10 - [orcas] From Gig Harbor viewpoint, I caught them with binos. Male and one other, surfaced between Tahlequah and Commencement Bay. Midpoint between these two locations. Unable to confirm direction...too far. -Kathleen Cage
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17:04 - [orcas] They were not quite at the ferry terminal - just heading in the southbound direction, closer to Vashon side, and moving fast. No other direction at that time - still south in passage. -Amanda Herberger
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Cascadia Region Whale Sighting - Orca Sighting: - Sighting Time: Sun Sep 19, 17:26:07 PDT - Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 47.30917,-122.57224 - Number Sighted: 1 - Submitted Comments: Single Killer whale came down Colvos passage spotted at Sunrise Beach near Gig Harbor. 5pm - Submitter Name: Daren Falter - Whale Alert App
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16:48 - [orcas] In Colvos Passage on Vashon side southbound. About to pass the Tahlequah Ferry terminal. Viewing from Sunrise Beach but they are far. -Kyle Buffenmyer
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16:48 - Last I saw at 4:48, headed south on Vashon side of the Passage, south side of Vashon Island.
16:40 - Appear to be on the move south on Colvos Passage.
16:35 - Still milling- mid-passage- south of Pt. Richmond, north of Sunrise Beach.
16:22 - [orcas] At least 3 are milling/hunting north of Sunrise Beach - GH side of Passage. -Stephen Curran
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16:00 - A large pod of orcas (between 12 and 20, hard to count) with a young orca, swam south through Colvos Passage today at 4:00 PM. Breathtaking. They were so close to shore! -Lori Oncina
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15:55 - [orcas] Passing Point Richmond heading south. -Kelly Burns Keenan
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15:26 - [orcas] Viewing from Lisabuela. Here now, 15:26, on peninsula side. Southbound. -Bradley Kramer
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15:19 - [orcas] Passing Olalla now. -Laurie Lund
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14:33 - [orcas] Just passed Peter Point, Colvos Passage, towards Vashon side, southbound. -Roxane Jackson Johnson
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14:15 - Single possible male orca close to ferry terminal at Southworth headed to Colvos Passage, southbound at a quick pace. Wind chop and tide change making it hard to follow. -Wayne McFarland, WSF
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At 12:59 Maija Holston, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: Walla Wall Master reports a pod of 5 orca moving south just off of Blakely Rock was spotted.
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12:35 - Just saw orca from the 12:20 Bainbridge sailing. At least one big male. -Jennifer Backen Matchem
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12:13 - Southbound, south of Eagle Harbor, view from 64th and Alki. 4 orcas. One of which is male. -Mary Hartmann
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11:40 - [orcas] Chilkat Express just picked them up north of Eagle Harbor, southbound. -Christopher Lewman, PSE
["Just FYI, the T65As are traveling without T65A5 again. We saw T65A5 yesterday traveling with the T18s, and T65Bs out in Canada near Discovery Island." -Bart Rulon, PSE]
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09:00 - Good morning! T65As southbound mid channel at President's Point. -Stephanie Raymond, Naturalist, Victoria Clipper
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UNIDENTIFIED ORCAS - Sun, Sept 19 - Strait of Georgia - 10:58 - Small group or orcas heading north from Harwood Island toward Savary Island. -Patti and Mark Perepeluk
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sun, Sept 19 - San Juan Islands/San Juan Channel - ~18:00 - This evening's (9/19/21) Humpback encounter at Cattle Pass! -Fred Horn
photo - BCY0770 Gibbous ID: Alison Engle - photo - MMX0132 "Uluka" ID: Sara Hysong-Shimazu
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16:24 - [HB] A couple more humpbacks approaching Point Caution, moving down San Juan Channel. -Pete Ancich
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16:21 - A couple humpbacks off Whale Rocks headed toward Cattle Pt/Pass. -Matt Stolmeier
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Sun, Sept 19 - Haro Strait - 13:47-13:55 - 2 humpbacks traveling northbound, 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve, 400 yds from shore. Photographed from shore. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
["Thanks to a fluke photo from Ezra Garfield it looks like one of them was MMX0007 Bond." - Monika Wieland Shields, OBI]
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Sun, Sept 19 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - We had a great day with Humpbacks minutes from our docks right in front of Sooke… -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photo - MMX0012 Tulip ID: Alethea Leddy
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MINKE WHALES - Sun, Sept 19 - Haro Strait - 14:04 - Dead Man's [Cove], a Minke, I think, heading north. -Kate Rachwitz

September 18
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 18 - Haro Strait (Js - 20:08 - [orcas] Spouts and blows off of Sunset Pt. and County Park just now. -Dave Czaja
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20:52 - I can still hear a few very faint clicks, but seems that they maybe mostly passed…?
20:43 - Still getting faint clicks, buzzing, whistles and calls.
20:21 - Getting louder on Lime Kiln now.
20:02 - Faint clicks on Lime Kiln hydrophones now…
19:51 - Still lots of clicks and calls on Orca Lab Orcasound hydrophone.
19:37 - Echolocation and calls on Orca Lab hydrophones. ["Includes some L-Pod vocals now" -OBI] -Michelle Savoie
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18:30 - Lost the Orcasound hydrophone feed right when calls were starting at 18:30. photo - "This evening we got to hang out with J35 Tahlequah and J57 Phoenix for a while. He's one year old this month, and he has grown a lot! -Orca Behavior Institute
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18:26 - 3 at San Juan County Park. Northbound. 18:03 - [SRKWs] NB from Landbank. -Kace Ayres
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17:05 - J pod mixing it up with a minke, southbound, just north of False Bay. -Ann Linder
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15:00 - [SRKW] At least 8 whales spread out milling off Lime Kiln. Pointed south, but holding position against the current. -Kimberly Nielsen
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14:30 - [SRKW] Lots of activity at Lime Kiln starting at 14:30. Everyone going north. -Fred Horn
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14:0 - [SRKW] Lots of clicks and squeaks going on at Lime Kiln right now. 2pm. -Ron Wilson
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12:35 - [SRKW] Amazing vocals and echolocation on LK hydrophone. -Melanie Watkins
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10:07 - [orcas] Blows off Smugglers. -Cassy Lozano
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17:40 - Possible flip north by Js near Kanaka Bay.
13:00 - Half a dozen or so milling off Pile Point, including J31 and J56 actively foraging together.
12:00 - Some have stalled between False Bay and Hannah Heights. Only seeing Js so far.
11:28 - Leader Kanaka Bay, NB.
09:45 - Spread whales including J16 off South Beach heading for Salmon Bank, long down times. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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17:20 - I can see some black dorsal fins and blows quite far away. Looks like over by Discovery Island and Chatham Islands. Traveling north.
11:05 - Orcas have come back around Eagle Point. Starting to move north. Some are coming closer to shore.
09:19 - Actually I could see a large male fairly close in has gone to the other side of Eagle Point. Some whales further out from there as well. Traveling south. Estimating about 15 to 20 whales?
09:16 - [SRKW] They have made it to Eagle Point. Stalling here just north of Eagle Point. -Chris Wilson
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18:09 - At least 6 are passing through. Spread out.
17:56 - Orcas in front of Landbank. Northbound.
07:37 - [SRKW] Some are passing Landbank now going south. -Carol Kinkelaar Skully
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06:35 - [SRKW] Hearing some faint calls and echo on the LK hydrophone. -Matty Leaman
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21:00 - Orcas blows in the dark, southbound.
17:45-18:10 -The orcas changed direction south of my position and came into view again at 17:45 northbound, traveling past me towards Edwards Point and Landbank.
15:50-17:20 - 3 orcas quickly southbound at Edwards Point with 2 males farther out. By 16:20 16 orcas had come southbound passing Edwards Point, including J47 Notch. At 16:15 J56 Tofino traveling quickly in front of and energetically leading her mother J31 Tsuchi, southbound. J56 doesn't seem to be sticking so close to Mom. She's more independent the last few days and I take this as a good sign. Next came J38 Cookie, J35 Tahlequah with J57 Phoenix, J39 Mako and J26 Mike - all southbound. At 17:10, NOAA was using a very small drone to sample the orca's breath.
11:15-14:15 - The lead orca traveling northbound followed by many others slowly filling up the sea in front of me. Milling, foraging, changing direction - an ebb and flow of orca movement. None were very close in at my position and there were only a few brief lulls of activity. I didn't see members of K-Pod but many were far out. Orca Behavior Institute confirmed that L-Pod was not present. I saw Dr. Deborah Giles' poop-sniffing dog, Eba, in goggles leaning over the bow of the boat, J35 with J57, J38 Cookie, J47 Notch and happily J31 with J56 northbound. Interestingly I saw one orca lunge through the water and a fish flew up beside her!
07:35 - A few orcas slowly northbound, milling 1 mile south of Landbank. One large male turning back to the south and soon the rest followed, southbound out of sight.
06:29 - Northbound orcas on the Lime Kiln cam.
05:53-08:15 - From the south at 05:53. Beautiful orca blows heard traveling north, 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve. Continuous multiple blows. At 06:08 it was light enough to make out the trailing large male as he rounded Edwards Point. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 18 - Strait of Georgia (T37As, T100s, T101s) - 17:21-19:00 - Several orca approaching Quadra Island. Rough water, but fins and blow clearly visible. ----It had been raining so we were not sure we would be able to get any photos. The rain held off as we stood on shore and watched the orcas pass by Tyee Spit (Campbell River) at 19:00PM. It took an hour and half for the orcas to get there from our first sighting of the group. Always worth the wait! photos - T37As T100s, T101s per MP -Patti and Mark Perepeluk
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Sat, Sept 18 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T18s, T60s) - What another great day with no rain and flat calm seas with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T060's T18/19's) and a Humpback. -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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~07:30 - Orcas (T18s?) heading east off Clover Point in Victoria around 7:30 this morning. 4 total, including 2 males. A nice surprise during my invertebrate field trip! -Serena Tierra
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Sat, Sept 18 - Admiralty Inlet (T65As) - 18:52 - Viewing from high bank Baby Island Heights solo big boy out from southend Hidden Beach community homes, NB.
18:20 - Midway between Fox Spit and Baby Island, 1/4 mile out. Kind of milling a little bit.
18:10 - One solo male made close pass at Fox Spit, NW Bound last seen. -Marilyn Armbruster
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At 17:20 Alex H? (Inaudible due to cell interference) called to report one orca traveling west in Puget Sound between Camano and Whidbey Islands, directly across from Inn at Langley.
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17:00 - [orcas] Rounded Sandy Point - northbound approaching Langley. -Dori Dace
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16:45 - Here comes T65A2 trailing about 1/2 mile behind.
16:35 - 3 approaching Sandy Point northbound.... I'm thinking T65A2 and other trailing somewhere.
16:04 - T65A2 + another close to shore steady northbound off Brighton Beach. -Rachel Haight
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16:00 - [orcas] Right off Brighton Beach, very close to shore on the Whidbey side. -Aubree Mae Renfro
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15:37 - At 15:41 Maija Holston, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: 1537hrs.: Master on the SUQUAMISH reports one orca 150 yrds North of CLIN terminal headed North.
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11:10 - Saw the top of a tall male orca dorsal fin for about 1/2 second, 20-30' from shore off Vista Way, Freeland, then nothing more. Presumably it was T65A2 scouting the shoreline for seals. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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11:18 - [orcas] Just sighted Robinson Beach. -Marc Galt
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10:55 - [orcas] Continuing south, pretty quickly. Quite close to the Whidbey side. -Mike Meyer
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11:20 - Still southbound, very spread out. T65A2 bringing up the rear about half a mile back. Leaving the scene now. Did not see T65A5 but they were really spread so he could easily be here too.
11:00 - Still southbound and spread out.
10:38 - The T65A pod is southbound off Bush Point. Very spread out. Viewing from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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COASTAL ORCA REPORTS - Sat, Sept 18 - CA Coast - Ben Raymond called to report seeing 2 orcas while out on WW trip in Monterey Bay off Moss Landing. Believes one female, and was told by company (Blue Ocean) one was Fat Fin.
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat, Sept 18 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - What another great day with no rain and flat calm seas with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T060's T18/19's) and a Humpback… -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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MINKE WHALES - Sat, Sept 18 - Haro Strait - 17:05 - J pod mixing it up with a minke, southbound, just north of False Bay. -Ann Linder
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~14:00 - 9/18/2021 Minke whale observed traveling northbound 1/3 mile off Edwards Point in close proximity to J pod. -Michelle Savoie
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UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES - Thu, Sept 16 - South Puget Sound - Were there any reports of a whale or whales in Carr Inlet near McNeil Island on Thursday? My son and I kayaked down to Penrose Point State Park and saw a large splash and a what looked like a spout in the distance (toward McNeil Island) but never actually saw any whales. Thanks! [Follow up:] The splash and blow were too large for a sea lion and too far away to have been seen if they were from a sea lion - I am poor at estimating distances but maybe ½ mile? I was thinking humpback whale but, as I said, it was not seen. -Tim Hoffnagle

September 17
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Fri, Sept 17 - Haro Strait (JS, Ks) - 14:15-15:50 - Spread out, orcas southbound 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve. The group was active racing south, 4-5 breaches and half-breaches, tail lobbing, extended porpoising and a cartwheel far to my south. There were less white caps than in the morning but the swells and distance keep me from seeing saddle patches. I'm not sure if this group was just K-Pod or there were also members of J-Pod present. I photographed K26 Lobo southbound in the morning and traveling southbound again in the afternoon. I did a double-take. He must have circled back north again at some point.
11:10-11:25 - In rain, wind and rough dark seas, members of J and K Pods very quickly southbound 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve. Spread out and sometimes hard to see over the waves, bright white splashes on a dark morning. K26 Lobo, K14 Lea, J27 Blackberry and J31 Tsuchi. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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08:40 - Starting hearing residents on Orcasound hydrophones. -Lind Aitkins
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14:45 - J16s passing False Bay southbound. (No members of L-Pod that I saw or heard about! The 30-40 whale estimate tracks with Js and Ks, too. Guessing they might still be up north?)
08:03 - [SRKW] From other thread: more calls on LK. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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13:40 - Orcas passing Landbank going south.
07:40 - This morning they passed by landbank going south. I didn't see them, just heard them. At this point they have not come back north.
07:42 - [SRKW] Very faint calls on Lime Kiln Hydrophone.
07:40 - Heard blows going south, past landbank, more around Hannah Heights maybe. Didn't see anything, though. -Carol Kinkelaar Skully
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06:58-07:25 - OrcaHello AI detections at the Orcasound Lab hydrophone (5km north of Lime Kiln). No human detections this morning during that period (or earlier). Review 60-sec clips here -- https://aifororcas.azurewebsites.net/detections/confirmed -Scott Veirs, Orcasound

September 16
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 16 - Gulf Islands B.C./Active Pass - J pod surprised us yesterday morning [9/16] while we took our second sip of coffee! They presumably met up with other members of the Southern Resident Killer Whales who went into the Strait of Georgia the day before. -Rachelle Hayden, SSOS
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Thu, Sept 16 - Haro Strait - 08:47 - Hearing a few calls on Orcasound. I heard a few vocals very clear. No doubt orca. But I'm not going to promise SRKW. It sounded like J's to me. -Alan Niles
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 16 - Strait of Georgia (T100s) - 17:43 - Several orcas milling around the southwest side of Savary Island. - Update: 40 minutes later the orcas are still there making a kill. -Patti and Mark Perepeluk
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The T100s had a successful kill yesterday (near Powell River) of a possible sealion. T100F showed his appreciation with a breach during the predation. -Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale & Bear Excursions
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Thu, Sept 16 - Deception Pass (T18s) - 13:15 - [T18s] Approx. 2 miles due west northend Deception Pass State Park. Orcas appear to be heading west. -Marilyn Armbruster
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With seconds to spare, I made in time to see the T18s head west out Deception Pass. You can see them under the water the whole time, it was incredible! [video] https://www.facebook.com/rachel.haight.7/posts/10219976869595070 -Rachel Haight
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[~12:47] 12:57 - [T18s] We watched them go under the bridge heading west. 10 min ago. Currently viewing from Rosario. See boats but no whales. -Doug Hellwig
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11:43 - "At least 3. Two bulls in Deception Pass now one with 'floppy' fin looks like a sickle. 11:43, …" -A. Allred via Kersti Muul
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EPIC day at Deception Pass with T18 and T19s: T18 Esperanza (b.1955) is the matriarch, T19 Nootka (b. 1965) her daughter, T19B Galiano (b. 1995) and T19C Spouter, (b. 2001) the "little" brother. My friends called me about 9 to say they'd seen them in Cornet Bay, so I figured I missed them, again. But when we motored out about 10:15, we saw they were over by Canoe Pass. They attempted numerous times to go out under the bridge, but the tide was too strong (about 5-6 knots), so they retreated to the calm water by Canoe Pass. Each time they tried, they'd go to the south side, in the beautiful backlit light, and really exert themselves, with huge exhalations hanging in the air. Finally, after almost 2 hours, they headed east, almost to the beginning of Saratoga Passage, then turned back toward the bridge. Incredible lighting, so beautiful! They made it out (tide had slowed to about 3 knots) and headed north west. What a treat to see this beautiful family, and it was really interesting to speculate about their decision making. Lots of photos, all zoomed and cropped. -Bonnie Gretz
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Thu, Sept 16 - Strait of Georgia - Two Humpbacks moving very quickly and travelling south past Harwood [Island, west of Powell River]. -Patti and Mark
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Thu, Sept 16 - San Juan Islands - 14:20 - John Miller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed: YAKIMA Whale Report 9/16/2021, 1420hrs: Master reports 3 humpback whales in the SB shipping lanes, 2 miles east of James Island, in Rosario Strait. The whales are moving to the south.

September 15
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 15 - B.C. Gulf Islands (K pod, Ls) - K pod going through Active Pass today. ---- K pod and some of L pod were seen in Swanson Channel together and split at Active Pass! K pod went north in Active and L pod went northwest in Trincomali Channel. video - https://youtu.be/Gy5hBu2CFIs -Rachelle Hayden, SSOS
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Wed, Sept 15 - B.C. Gulf Islands/Pender - A few photos of the antics of at least 20 of the SRKWs in the Thieves Bay kelp beds mid-afternoon on September 15th. They seemed to be having lots of fun and some of them even turned around from the Mouat Point area to come back for more! -Ian Pirie
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Wed, Sept 15 - Haro Strait (J pod, K pod, Ls) - 19:17 - Lots of breaching going on. Including little baby breeches. Turned back north again going up Island.
18:00 - A few have made it down to Eagle Point. Close to shore. -Chris Wilson
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16:32 - Several orcas spread out at Land Bank headed south PLUS two breaching humpbacks headed north! -Cynthia Slyter
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15:33 - [SRKWs] Starting to hear calls on Lime Kiln and faint calls on Orcasound hydrophones. -Linda Aitkins
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16:00-16:48 - J-Pod southbound, 1 mile south of Landbank Western Preserve. Very spread out and moving quickly. The trailing male was still seen in the far distance at 17:09. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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15:00 - Echolocation clicks as well at Orcasound Lab hydrophone. -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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15:16 - On the LK hydrophone now.
14:59 - [SRKW] Vocals can be heard on the OS hydrophone now! -Matty Leaman
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10:21 - [SRKW] Seems like there's multiple groups. Just saw multiple Orcas heading north past White Point from end of Yacht Haven Rd. -Aimee Shand
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10:13 - Watching Haro Strait toward Kellett Bluff and small groups of Orcas have been going by (and still are) every ~10-15 min. For almost the past hour! They are ~1 mile out heading N toward westside of Henry Island. -M Elise Cannon
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10:11 - [SRKWs] Calls on Lime Kiln right now. -Melissa Casey
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~10:00 - I videoed some of them, albeit from a great distance, to the south of Henry Island at around 10 AM: [video] https://youtu.be/sC5qRqiiPAg. This is a brief video montage of Southern Resident Killer Whales which I filmed from a distance of approximately 15 kilometers or 9.3 miles. I started filming at around 10 AM on Wednesday, September 10, 2021. The orcas in the video were heading north along the west side of San Juan Island. One of the boats in the videos is SR3, an orange whale research Zodiac… -Gerald Graham
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09:25-12:36 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #74: "J, K, and over half of L pod were off the west side of San Juan Island since the early morning. One of the other single whales in the area was L115 traveling by himself. This was our third encounter in a row where we have photographed all the L47s except for L47 herself. We had heard that a DFO team had not been able to find her from their field work out in the western Strait of Juan de Fuca earlier in the Summer. Unfortunately, it is indeed looking like L47 is missing. K38 soon joined L115 and the two began traveling together. Most of the K3s were about three quarters of a mile offshore of this pair. …" summary and photos] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-74 [See CWR Encounter #74 for full
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09:31 - [SRKW] More heading towards Henry. Whale Research is with them. -Pam Cameron Keffer
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10:24 - Clicks and distant calls, loud boat, now very close calls. LK.
09:22 - [SRKW] Echolocating on LK hydrophone. -T.L. Stokes
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10:21 - ~6 milling south of Henry still.
08:53 - [SRKW] Several approaching S side of Henry. -Peter Van Deventer
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08:41 - [SRKWs] Loud and clear on Whale Museum YouTube channel [Lime Kiln Lighthouse live webcam]. Also visible. -Mary Hartmann
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22:35 - Listening to the blows of J-Pod heading north past County Park.
18:40 - A friend reported a couple whales milling off False Bay.
15:15 - Leaders visible north of Lime Kiln, heading south.
14:35 - Js near Kellett foraging but trending south. Ks and Ls continued north towards Active Pass.
10:20 - J16 and J26 just passed Land Bank northbound.
10:00 - Looks like trailers are north of Land Bank, actively foraging but still trending north.
09:32 - Foraging but trending north from Land Bank.
08:21 - Js are back in the mix with Ks and Ls! -Orca Behavior Institute
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08:10 - [SRKW] Some passing Bellevue Pt. at 8:10. -Paul MacMahon
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07:26 - Nice. Can hear some EL and calls on LK hydrophone. -Linda Hahn
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At 07:40 I saw L86 Surprise! with her daughter, 7-month-old L125 Element, swimming close behind. L86 slowed down and became completely stationary to rest, low in the water. L125 moved a few yards away and began to practice fluke lobs, 3 of them. She popped up for a shorty spyhop and then flashed the underside of her little fluke, pale orange in the sun. After a few minutes L86 slowly continued her journey and L125 quickly moved ahead to mom's side and the two traveled north side by side. What a lovely little girl! (Photographed from shore.)
07:00-08:30 - J, K, and L-Pods northbound, spread out, 400yds to 1/2+ mile out, 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 15 - San Juan Islands (T18s, T65Bs) - 17:44 - [orcas] I see them from Reuben Tarte. North of Jones, still traveling north. -Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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A group of people saw them off orcas ferry terminal heading up north, maybe into West Sound which is fascinating. We just left West Sound to the ferry and they are not here anymore! We couldn't tell if they would turn around or not! Or possibly Deer Harbor?! Very weird but I just saw a whale watching boat go up north in that area so maybe they are up there which is rare, I feel like! T18 and brother 19, we think!! [T18s = T18, T19, T19B, & T19C; B & C being the brothers] -Mikaela Henderson
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~15:45-17:00 - T18s and T65Bs. From shore, right by the ferry landing on Orcas Island. -Bill Pongo
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At 15:32 Marie Waterman, WSF Marine Ops, emailed: Master reports a pod (several) of orca just off Promontory Point
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14:46 - Now headed s thru Upright Channel.
14:40 - T's N of Lopez ferry terminal. Killing something. ["T18s and T65Bs." -Ellie Sawyer] -Fred Horn
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Wed, Sept 15 - San Juan Islands/Rosario Strait (T99s) - Captain Jeff and Naturalist Ellie of Maya's Legacy Whale Watching happened upon a fun surprise yesterday in Rosario Strait - a new Bigg's killer whale calf! The presumed mom is T99 "Bella". We've shared the news with researchers for confirmation. The T99's were seen on August 15th with no calf present, so this little one is less than a month old. Welcome to the Salish Sea! -PWWA
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Wed, Sept 15 - Skagit Bay - ~11:00 - On September 15, my friend was working on his roof. His home faces Skagit Bay. He saw a pod of 3-4 Orcas heading north around 11am. They were off of Goat Island headed north. -Trisha Ferreira
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10:25 - Saw orcas in Skagit Bay at 10:25am heading north. We were really too far away and inside our boat [for photos - alb]. They were heading north and we were heading south in Skagit Bay. We did see them surface about 3 or 4 times and that was all. It was exciting, brief as it was. -Ann Altman
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 14 - Possession Sound (T99s) - 18:30 - We received a call from Ray Fryberg at 6:30 pm, his son Ray Jr. is out fishing and they have had a pod of 3 females and a calf milling around Tulalip Shores, across from the south end of Camano Island. He said they'd been in that area quite awhile, might possibly be moving north toward Kayak Point.
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12:29 - Right off Brighton Beach, literally! (still NB)
12:14 - [orcas] Just north of ferry, heading north, close to Langley shore.
----I saw the whales off Brighton today. I don't know enough to identify them, but I got some potentially identifying photos, if you want them. There were two calves, one much smaller than the other. [This is the first documented sighting, so far, of brand new calf T99E per Jared Towers, Fisheries and Oceans Canada] -Karen MacLeod
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12:07 - Saw two in travel mode right at north ferry slip. They were very close to Whidbey. Should have been able to see them surface again but they either went on a longer dive or was too close to Whidbey shoreline to see from my vantage point. Looking like a track up to Saratoga. -Debbie Stewart
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11:20 - We saw a pod heading near Columbia Beach and Glenhaven flats at 11:20 today. They were heading north to Clinton ferry. -Parker Lehman
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11:11 - Killer Whales feeding in front of Possession Waterfront Park. -Port of South Whidbey FB page
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Wed, Sept 15 - Haro Strait - 17:27 - [HB] Spouts and fluke (baleen) due south in Haro off of Sunset Pt. -Dave Czaja
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16:05-16:15 - 2 humpbacks traveling tight, northbound 1 mile south of Landbank. 200 yds off shore and beautiful to watch them side by side. They separated a bit as they went around Edwards Point. (Photographed from shore.) -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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15:45 - 2 humpbacks swam northbound by Bellevue Point at 3:45pm. -Kristi Jones
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15:30 - Two humpbacks just swam north within a few hundred yards of the southbound J leaders at the Lime Kiln Lighthouse! -Orca Behavior Institute
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~15:00 - 2 humpbacks heading north from False Bay, San Juan Island, around 3pm today. -Hannah Swanson

September 14
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 14 - Haro Strait (Ks, Ls)
18:05 - Single male 5 miles south of Cattle Point headed SE.
17:50 - NOAA boat with two, 3 miles off South Beach moving SE offshore.
17:15 - [SRKW] Blows heard in fog bank off South Beach south of overlook direction unknown. -Fred Horn
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16:39 - [SRKW] 6-10 heading towards Granny's Cove, fast moving, wide spread. Southbound. -Karin Roemers-Kleven
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15:54 - Leaders are approaching Pile Point. K14s AND some Ls. -Pete Ancich
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15:52 - Calls becoming louder/clearer again after a lull, perhaps the next group is incoming? Webcam field of view has moved from north to south.
15:22 - Leaders visible on the [Lime Kiln Lighthouse] live cam now!!
15:20 - [SRKWs] Starting to get louder on the LK hydrophone, lots of calls under the boat noise. -Morgan Dale
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15:14 - [SRKW] Just saw a pretty large group on the live stream and 3 of them popped their heads out, then aimed towards the shore in the cove north of the lighthouse. -Matty Leaman
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15:08 - Just saw 12-15 KWs off Smuggler's Cove heading south. quite spread out - some closer to shore some 1/2 mile+ out. -Peter Van Deventer
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15:00-15:06 - [SRKWs] A short burst of intense calls on Orcasound hydrophone. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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15:05 - Great clear calls at https://live.orcasound.net/orcasound-lab as group of 5 pass Orcasound Lab, still southbound.
15:04 - Val reports group of 5 including 1 calf off and just north of Orcasound VERY close to shore (100m+), all southbound.
14:58 - Val says possibly a few still north of Orcasound Lab (Smuggler's Cove) on a line with D'Arcy...
14:51 - [SRKWs] Val reports mom/calf southbound straight out from Orcasound Lab about 500m out, southbound. It seems that most of this group is SB off Center for Whale Research or County Park, with none visible further north. -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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14:51 - [orcas] Straight out from County Park. -Cynthia Slyter
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15:33-16:30 - It was very misty out, not really fog but everything was soft, muted and grey. K-Pod and L-Pod southbound at Edwards Point, just south of Landbank Westside Preserve. They were spread out and arriving in the first group I could make out K14 Lea and her family, daughter K36 Yoda, sons K26 Lobo and K42 Kelp. At 16:12 K33 Tika cut across the water. As visibility quickly decreased, it was a guessing game who was who, so I just enjoyed the beauty of their dark shapes against the misty background. Photographed from shore.
14:19 - Faint calls on the Lime Kiln hydrophone. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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14:25 - Orcas just north of county park, southbound.
14:13 - Call heard on Orcasound hydrophone. -Fred Horn
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17:35 - Looked to be just Ks and Ls that came down!
13:51 - Faint call on OS hydro.
12:50 - SRKW southbound from Turn Point. Sounds like it's the ~60 Js/Ks/Ls! -Orca Behavior Institute
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Tue, Sept 14 - Western Strait of Juan de Fuca - 08:50-11:38 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #72: "… He could see a tight group of females and juveniles south west bound and was able to quickly confirm members of the L12's; L77 with her two offspring, L119 and L124 and L77's sister, L94 with her two offspring, L113 and L121. After scanning around in the mist for the rest of the group, L89 appeared charging along up swell a couple hundred metres behind the gang and soon overtook them. It became clear that the rest were slightly ahead as they too eventually appeared. L22, L85 and L25 were travelling in a trio, L88 was on his own, and L54 had her two offspring in tow. …" [See CWR Encounter #73 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-73 for full summary and photos]
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Tue, Sept 14 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - He [Mark Malleson] collected fluke ID's for the next hour and a half of the large aggregation of humpback whales in the area which he estimated to be 40 to 50 animals within a square mile. -Center for Whale Research Encounter #73 - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-73
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It's always fun being on the water - and to find Humpbacks and Minkes was a special treat. Heading west to Race Rocks under overcast skies yesterday (Tues), we first spotted a humpback (ID'd by Bart Rulon) named Aerie, and a little further west found Hemlock who dove frequently, hence some fluke/ID shots. AND two Minke whales heading back to Port Townsend. Pretty cool - my first 2021 sightings of these whales in our local waters. -Jill Hein
photo - MMY0080 (Hemlock) ID: Bart Rulon
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We found humpback Aerie (MMY0106) near Race Rocks (Victoria), who was not doing much fluking up. We then moved a bit west and found MMY0080 Hemlock, who was moving along just under the water, fluking up, then resting for a bit, then fluking up again. Caught up with two elusive minke whales on the way back to Pt. Townsend. So great to be out on the boat and to see these lovely big whales! -Bonnie Gretz
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MINKE WHALES - Tue, Sept 14 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Caught up with two elusive minke whales on the way back to Pt. Townsend. -Bonnie Gretz
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Two Minke whales heading back to Port Townsend. -Jill Hein

September 13
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Mon, Sept 13 - Western Strait of Juan de Fuca (L12s, L54s) - 08:44-13:34 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #72: "… It was a decent-sized group of killer whales with what looked like at least four bulls along with ~ several more females and juveniles. Secretly Mark hoped that it wasn't the L12 and L54 matrilines that hadn't joined the rest of J clan on their foray into the inside waters of the Salish Sea on September 9th but was happy nonetheless to immediately confirm that it was them and they were still around. He hadn't seen them since September 9th, and that wasn't for lack of effort! …" [See CWR Encounter #72 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-72 for full summary and photos]
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Mon, Sept 13 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T46Bs) - Today with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales and Humpbacks all off Sooke, B.C. Vancouver Island...Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photo - T46Bs per Melisa Pinnow
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We took a tour out past Victoria. Found 4 of the transients with the big male Galiano T19A [T19B]! -Josh Workman
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Mon, Sept 13 - Possession Sound - ~10:15 - Secondhand report, my Aunt and Uncle saw a group of 5 or 6 orcas heading north at a fast pace around 10:15am today past Edmonds. -Janine Harles
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Mon, Sept 13 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Today with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales and Humpbacks all off Sooke, B.C. Vancouver Island...-Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photo - MMZ0030 (Spindrift) ID: Alethea Leddy - photo - BCY0771 (Bump) ID: Alethea Leddy - photo - MMY0042 (Hydra) ID: Alethea Leddy - photo - CRC-17832/MMX0100 Fiesta ID: ALB - photo - CRC-18015/MMY0149 Honu ID: ALB

September 12
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 12 - Haro Strait - The ideal ending to a perfect weekend was having them come by at sunset in two big groups - with all of J Pod in one line followed by the Ks and Ls. Absolutely breathtaking. -Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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Sun, Sept 12 - Haro Strait (J pod, K pod, L4s) - J-Pod, K-Pod, and the L4 sub-group of L-Pod (L4s, L47s, L72s, L87, and L90) remained off the west side of San Juan Island throughout the day. This would be a total of 60 whales if all members of all expected matrilines were present. While members of all three pods were together, we only call it a "superpod" if ALL members of the Southern Resident population are together, something we have not (yet) seen in inland waters this year.
In the evening, the whales grouped up from between Salmon and Hein Banks and started heading north up Haro Strait. The first group was all of J-Pod together - a stunning sight. The second group was a mix of another 20 or so Ks and Ls. These whales all passed Land Bank and Lime Kiln right around sunset, still going north. There were two matrilines we are pretty sure weren't in this mix, so they either went north further offshore, went north after dark, or stayed south. After midnight, whales were heard going north in Swanson Channel towards Active Pass, probably some or all of these groups. -Orca Behavior Institute
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19:42 - A beautiful line of residents visible on the Lime Kiln webcam, heading toward the camera! And vocals...-Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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19:41 - 5-6 Orcas traveling north by San Juan County Park, 19:41. Too far out to identify. -Teresa Johnson
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19:50 - Next group approaching Bellevue Pt., 19:50, NB.
19:34 - [SRKWs] First (I think) group passed Bellevue Pt., 19:34, NB. -Laurie O'Donnell
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19:22-19:30 - A second group from the south, the sea calmer now and tinged pink and orange in the sunset. This group wasn't as tight as the 1st group and in a ragged double line, closer to shore. They were members of K-Pod and L-Pod. The thing I take away from seeing them all together tonight is their familiarity with each other. They are at home with one another. A single family made up of individuals. Photographed from shore, 1 mile south of Landbank.
18:54-19:07 - The orcas came from the south side by side in a long line. They moved as a group, tight, their collective fins almost undulating. They were the members of J-Pod, family and friends, northbound 1 mile south of Landbank. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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First image is a whole pile of SRKW (I believe this is a mix of K's and L's) last night. Second image is J-Pod. Both were taken from Land Bank. -Images by Snow McCormick of PNW Protectors.
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14:32 - NOAA with a group headed back up island towards South Beach. 2 miles off.
14:25 - 3 miles south of Cattle Point moving away from shore.
13:55 - [SRKWs] Mid Salmon Bank. Southbound, 2 miles off. -Fred Horn
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18:28 - The first big group of about 20 whales is up to Kanaka Bay. Still traveling close together. There's another large group traveling together further offshore. Also, about 15 whales or so. Also heading north.
17:46 - One large group traveling together coming back towards Eagle Point. Looks awesome! Wow. They're coming in side by side and one big long line.
12:51 - The first ones have passed Eagle Point. Close to shore. Whales are spread out from Eagle Point up to Pile Point close in and very far out.
12:28 - [SRKWs] First ones are just about to Eagle Point. Traveling very slowly. -Chris Wilson
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At 11:30 AM today, Sunday, September 12, 2021 I filmed two or three Southern Resident Killer Whales mid-Strait, southbound, from my perch on Ten Mile Point, Saanich, BC, approximately three miles distant. Here's a link to my clip: https://youtu.be/yR_gAlWjaNQ -Gerald Graham
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11:22 - [SRKWs] Slowly continuing south past Land Bank.
----In addition to missing the Southern Residents so much this summer, I have also missed the excitement and comradery of watching them with friends. While we humans have so much to learn from these orcas, in many ways our little dorca community mirrors their society and culture. We greet each other, enjoy spending time together, and care for each other. We have our little ceremonies and customs (like playing Free Willy songs while waiting for the orcas), and we even have a dialect that others don't quite understand.
After months of waiting, J, K and part of L Pod are finally here, and what a wonderful weekend spent with them and the people who love them! There were so many moments of joy that I will treasure. Seeing my phone explode with messages and reports of the whales' whereabouts. Calling to people in the Lime Kiln parking lot and telling them not to leave because THE WHALES ARE COMING, and seeing their surprise and delight at learning that it's the residents, and there are 60 of them! Telling a mother with young children that the orcas are on their way, seeing the frustration of her kids standing in the rain waiting and asking if they can leave to get dinner, then hearing those same kids squeal with delight 15 minutes later when the whales came by, hunger and discomfort completely forgotten. Hearing the crowd at Land Bank cheer and clap when the Fish and Wildlife enforcement boat pulled over the recreational boater who just ran through the middle of a group of orcas with a young calf. Listening to beautiful calls on the hydrophones and hearing the blows of the whales from shore. Seeing a breathtaking close pass in the kelp - and yes I may have cried a little when my special little "nephew" J38 Cookie circled through the kelp and came back for another pass, popping up right in front of me.
These are the moments we must hold on to and rejoice in - the ones we used to enjoy on a regular basis, but have been so scarce in recent years. We must remember them during the long lonely months waiting for the whales to return, as a reminder of why it's worth the heartache and the frustration and the waiting. A friend and I said today that we wouldn't trade this for a million dollars. We truly are so incredibly rich already. Video taken from Land Bank - recording from Lime Kiln hydrophone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFdXSoikRxc -Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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11:00-13:00, The Southern Residents streamed past for a full 2 hours. Estimated by Orca Behavior Institute as 60 members, the sea was dotted with orcas. The first tight group of 4 southbound at Edwards Point were K26 Lobo, K38 Comet, K35 Sonata and K35's mom K16 Opus. Seeing the matriarch with those 3 males was stunning. (J-Pod, K-Pod and L-Pod, Haro Strait, SJI. Photographed from shore, cropped and enlarged.) Some highlights:
12:44 - J27 Blackberry and a companion swimming in unison together are the last orcas to go by, out of sight by 13:00
12:13 - J31 Tsuchi and J56 Tofino, together milling in one area for 15 minutes. J56 seemed more independent today, swimming in a circle away from her mom. She had been staying close by mom on previous days. Meanwhile orcas continue southbound in the near distance.
11:43 - K26 Lobo and mom K14 Lea vigorously porpoising together.
11:10 - The K-Pod males started fluke lobbing. K35 rose so far out of the water that he flopped over sideways, belly up. Then the males began to breach. Firing off one after another, 3 half breaches and 2 full breaches. Orcas continually streamed past, some individuals far out, some close, some in groups and some solitary. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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09:30 - [SRKWs] Still hearing them at 930! [OS] -Cori Durdy
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09:21 - [SRKWs] Still vocalizing and echolocating. [OS]. -T.L. Stokes
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08:53 - Southern Resident orcas vocalizing on OrcaSound Lab hydrophone. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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09:28 - 2 headed SOUTH passed Smugglers'. Super close to shore. Make that 3. 3rd one porpoising. Moving fast.
09:01 - 3 more passing Smugglers'.
08:45 - [SRKWs] Several just passed Smugglers'. -Casy Lozano
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09:55 - Faint vocals audible on Lime Kiln hydrophone.
08:25 - Hearing calls on both hydrophones; Lime Kiln fewer and quieter...and consistently louder on Orcasound Lab (Haro Strait) for some time. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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08:09 - [orcas] See 2 headed north up Haro by D'arcy about 1/4 off shore. Losing them in the fog. -April Van Deventer
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07:58 - Now on Orcasound hydro.
07:33 - [SRKWs] On LK hydrophone now. -Linda Hahn
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08:15 - J16s milling off Lime Kiln.
07:15 - 6-10 passed Lime Kiln northbound including K26, not seeing any more approaching at the moment. -Monika Wieland Shields, OBI
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13:32 - First whales visible from South Beach.
08:38 - A group of 4 just went north past county park pretty close to shore. Hearing breaching far off shore.
07:38 - They're off county park now.
07:05 - SRKW can be heard now on the Lime Kiln Hydrophone.
06:50 - LK hydrophone Edit: 7:01am now that I'm at County Park, I'm updating to say that they SRKW are vocalizing on the Lime Kiln Hydrophone. Non visible from county park yet but they're visible from Land Bank. -Matty Leaman
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 12 - San Juan Islands - ~19:30 - Seen about 5 or 6 orcas passing the south end of Cypress Island heading east, around 7:30pm. We saw them from Washington Park. We lost sight of them but believe they went north between Cyprus and Guemes. -Rachel Seeley
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Sun, Sept 12 - N. of Admiralty Inlet (T65As, T65Bs) 11:45 - Still northwestbound at Partridge Bank.
11:22 - Now they have turned more west. Northwest, really, from my map. Spreading out to hunt.
11:08 - T65As and T65Bs northbound. [NW of Ebey's Landing] -Bart Rulon, PSE
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10:30 - Bigg's killer whales eastbound at McCurdy Point. Chilkat Express on scene. -Christopher Lewman, PSE
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Sun, Sept 12 - San Juan Islands/Rosario Strait (T65As +) - 18:30 - At 6:30 pm Sunday, September 12, we happened upon 6 orcas in Rosario Strait traveling together, eastbound. (Our route was south around west Lopez Island through Rosario Strait headed back home to Anacortes). We continued watch them for about 30 minutes. I have attached a video I compiled of our photos and videos for you to observe so that you may try to discern the location. In one photo you can see a ferry. And I believe Decatur Island is to the NW of them and that the whales are to the west of Burrows Island/Washington Park area. Email w/ YT link https://youtu.be/czeWTP_B96A -Marie Faires
[T65As + per Melisa Pinnow]
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sun, Sept 12 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - The Humpback comeback continues with 40+ off Sooke today! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photo - MMZ0006 (Slalom) ID: Alethea Leddy - photo - BCY0771 (Bump) ID: A. Leddy - photo - MMY0065 Smiley ID: A. Leddy

September 11
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 11 - Haro Strait (Js, Ks, Ls) - 19:30 - [SRKWs] Spread out, foraging, going south of Eagle Cove. -Karen Roemers-Kleven
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19:06 - Some have gone around Eagle Point heading south.
18:51 - Orca north of Eagle Point. -Chris Wilson
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18:30 - [SRKWs] Lost count at about 15 traveling in several groups at Pile Point. Peeled off south into the mist at False Bay. -Suz Howells
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18:28 - [SRKWs] Faint EL clicks on the LK hydrophone. -Fred Horn
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17:08 - [SRKWs] Now hearing them on Lime Kiln. 5:08. -Joe Dreimiller
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16:55-18:00 - J-K-L-Pods southbound, 1 mile south of Landbank. A beautiful procession of the Southern Residents through rain that turned into mist and then ribbons of fog at the surface of the sea. Moving in and out of the fog, the orcas were beautiful, dark against the white and grey. I saw J56 Tofino close to her Mom J31 Tsuchi. Then a long line of orcas appeared including J57 Phoenix with his Mom J35 Tahlequah. Stretched out in a perfect line they moved in unison. A full hour later, bringing up the rear, J26 Mike, alone and majestic as his dorsal fin cut above the low surface fog. Photographed from shore. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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16:44 - Just saw about 8 headed south past Smugglers Cove. -April Van Deventer
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16:27 - Southern Resident orcas can be heard on OrcaSound now. -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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16:11 - Off the tip of Henry by Kellet Bluff southbound. -Pam Cameron Keffer
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16:30 - At least two males already passed CP southbound, closer in shore.
16:08 - [orcas] Seeing a few dorsals far out from SJCP, about in line with Kellett Bluff. -Stephanie Reiss
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15:44 - Faint calls on the hydrophone! [OS] -Meg Sellers
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16:08 - Ls present too.
14:50 - Js and Ks, Turn Point, southbound. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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14:44-16:33 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #70: "… The team arrived on scene with whales near Turn Point at 14:44. Initially, they found a few spread out whales, including members of J and K pod. After a brief look at K44, J35, and J57, they followed K42 and J47 for a while as they made their way south. A bit later, they were able to parallel K26 to get right side photo identification shots. The team then briefly encountered J36, before moving to a large male they had sighted offshore. This large male turned out to be L87, a whale they had seen in previous encounters but had not gotten a chance to get clear ID shots of. The team paralleled the whale for some time, during which he did a large cartwheel followed by an impressive breach. …" [See CWR Encounter #70 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-70 for full summary and photo]
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Sat, Sept 11 - B.C. Gulf Islands (Js, Ks, Ls) - 12:10 - Most of the Southern Resident killer whales going south in Active Pass! The first time we've ever seen this happen. Typically, they come from the south and exit north into the Strait of Georgia. video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3WM8tuqLyk -Rachelle Hayden, SSOS
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS Sat, Sept 11 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T60D & T60E, T65As, T65Bs, T69s) - Today with 11 Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T069s, T060's E&D, T065's A&B's) SE of Sooke! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Sat, Sept 11 - Central Puget Sound (T124A1, T124D, & T124D1) - 17:00 - They made another kill, and they are currently eating. No direction.
16:05 - T124A1, T124D, T124D1 northbound after eating a meal off Edmonds. See my map [mid-channel, north of ferry lanes]. Viewing from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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14:41 - Three orcas spotted from the shore of Discovery Park headed northbound. -Hanna Dennis
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14:00 - Very Finest reported one male orca breaching just south of SF, the mid channel buoy off of Point Jefferson. Southbound quickly. -Brian McGinn, PSE
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11:07 - 3 of the T124s, 3-minute dives, northbound at 4 knots. Approaching Yeomalt Point, 1/2 mile southeast of point. -David Scott
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~09:20 - About 20 mins ago [09:20], spotted 3 killer whales between Blake Island and Vashon. Heading north and went out towards West Seattle. -Ellie Bors
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Sat, Sept 11 - Penn Cove to Anacortes (T37As) - ~16:00 - We had the most incredible experience. They made a kill close to shore off Anacortes and the homeowner let us in his yard to watch. It was amazing! They are currently right next to the oil refinery.
---- I caught up with the T37As as they headed east out of Penn Cove past Monroe Landing. They continued east then north following the Whidbey shore. I saw them at the Borgman Road beach access, then Ala Spit, then at Deception Pass Bridge as they continued west. They then turned north up Rosario until Washington Park, at which point they turned east into Guemes Channel. They pushed closer to shore as they traveled east and popped up RIGHT off the Guemes ferry slip. …I thought, to the Cap Sante lookout and hope they come around the corner. But at the T intersection to go right, my gut said 'go left!' I'd never been this way before, but why not! We ended up on a dead-end circle, got out of the car, and you could hear their blows. I spotted them RIGHT in front of the house we parked at. They were circling on a hunt. The owner of that home came out onto the deck and I yelled at him "they're below you!" Then, he shocked us all by offering us to come onto his gorgeous property so we could get closer looks at the 37As. Seriously, this guy is my hero and I cannot thank him enough for giving us the best views. They indeed did continue east and we watched them from the Cap Sante lookout as they circled by the refinery and parked oil tanker before heading northeast. -Rachel Haight
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~16:00-16:45 - What I think were the T37A's spotted first off Washington Park heading East in Guemes Channel. The group of 4, 2 females, a bull and a calf, were travelling and I caught up with them in front of Randy's Pier 66 Restaurant where they were very active and seemed to be on the hunt. Lots of up and down, rolling, spy hopping, and after about 20 minutes they all went down fast and made a big wave with lots of bubbles coming up. One of the females came out of the water and porpoised back in very quickly. I think they made a kill as they stayed under for a bit. I left them by Cap Sante as they were traveling again and heading East toward the refinery This was today @ about 4:00-4:45PM. -Lisa Blohm
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15:15 - [orcas] Just off Washington Park Heading NE. -Keri Pickerill Crawford
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14:20 - [orcas] Rosario Beach. -Diana Martin
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14:05 - From Light House Point looking at Deception Pass Bridge. Lots of boats just waiting for the pod to exit under the bridge with one big whale watching Boat following behind. For some reason a boat came out from behind the whale watching boat in a big hurry, the whale watching boat gave a long loud toot from its horn as the speeding boat came up and cut off many other boats and never slowed down. Sadly, the pod went down deep, so we lost track of them. After a few minutes the pod did pop back up but in a hurry. -Desiree Sauve
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[T37As] Here's some fin shots for the ones that went through Deception. -Alex Funke
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14:05 - [orcas] From the south Deception Pass Bridge. Group of 5 heading west into open water. -Mykayla Kelley
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Finally after missing them every time I have ever went out to see them, and missing them at 3 different locations today alone, I made it to Deception Pass in Oak Harbor at just the right time.... I was crying my eyes out; this was such an emotional moment for me. … -Angie Rada
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14:00 - Spotted at Cornet Bay! -Glynnis Cummings
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13:22 - Ala Spit - still heading toward Cornet Bay at steady pace. -Deb Barge
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13:21 - Approaching Ala Spit, northbound.
12:30 - [T37As] Steady northbound past Borgman Road. -Rachel Haight
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12:55 - Still northbound just off of the west side of Goat Island, east side of channel. Plenty of boats following. Viewing from Dugualla Bay.
12:11 - [orcas] Still northbound further up along the shore from the previous post. -Tanner Sment
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12:00 - Still northbound [near Strawberry Point]. -Bart Rulon, PSE
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11:51 - [orcas] Yes heading east of Polnell Point with 3 ww boats! Thrilled to see them!! -Suzanne Sewester
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11:51 - [orcas] Eastbound [toward Skagit Bay per Jenny's map]. -Jenny Klis
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Sat Sep 11, 11:51 PDT - Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.27844,-122.52348 - Number Sighted: 5 - T37A Inyo, transient pod with 4 little ones- 2yo Crinkle, Inky, Volker - Submitter Name: Sarah [Hulkum], Whale Alert App
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11:42 - T37As headed east just east of Polnell Point. -Tyson Parker Reed, Island Adventures
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10:13 - [T37As] Viewing from Long Point...way over on the north side of Penn Cove almost to the east end, eastbound. -Bonnie Gretz
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Taken just at 10AM this morning from Monroe Landing. -Gracie Malloy
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And then this morning - Saturday - Orcas in Penn Cove!!! It took some sleuthing to find them - the T37As!! After losing them a few times, they eventually left the area and traveled under Deception Pass Bridge. Thanks for the early morning start Volker and family. -Jill Hein
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10:05 - T37As headed east past Monroe Landing.
09:50 - At least 4 trending east, approaching Monroe Landing.
09:45 - At least one tail slapping west of Monroe Landing. 10-minute down time, trending east. -Rachel Haight
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09:01 - 3 Orcas in Penn Cove this morning. Saw them come up 3 times as they headed into the cove, north side, have not seen them again since. -Janet Chaykin
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GRAY WHALES - Sat, Sept 11 - WA Coast - Kalaloch campground - We saw a gray again this morning! Doing the same, happy day. [see Fri, Sept 10 report] -Emmi Jensen
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MINKE WHALES - Sat, Sept 11 - E. Strait of Juan de Fuca - Cascadia Region Whale Sighting - 13:31 PDT - Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.35685,-122.76276 [W. of Ault Field, NAS Whidbey. -gs] - Number Sighted: 2 - Submitted Comments: 2 Minke feeding - Submitter Name: Sarah [Hulkum] - Whale Alert App

September 10
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Fri, Sept 10 - NW Strait of Georgia (T2B, T60s minus T60D & T60E) - Here we have T060C exiting Drew Harbour [Quadra Island] on busy Friday afternoon, with small vessel traffic, kayaks and sailing skiffs through the bay along with all the anchored vessels. ---- We ID'd the T060s and T002B in our area yesterday. Along with the Lags and Pepper the Humpback. -Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale & Bear Excursions
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Fri, Sept 10 - Strait of Georgia (T2Cs) - An epic encounter with the T002c's hunting multiple harbour porpoise off Texada Island yesterday afternoon. I try not to have favourite whales but since my first encounter with the T002c's 17 years they've been one of my favourite families. They were on fire yesterday [9/10] with all members participating in two harbour porpoise predations. -Simon Pidcock, Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching - Cowichan Bay & Parksville B.C.
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Fri, Sept 10 - Haro Strait (T65Bs)
18:17 - [T65Bs] We lost sight of them southbound by Edwards Point after presumably a successful hunt, a tail slap, and a spyhop right in front of us at Landbank!!!
17:56 - Whales facing north now just at the south end of Land Bank.
17:51 - Much much closer to shore now. Still southbound fairly slowly.
17:17 - Passing Lime Kiln slowly. Can barely see the actual whales. -Matty Leaman
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T65Bs heading south down Haro, offshore of Mitchell Bay. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Fri, Sept 10 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T60D & T60E) - Another beautiful day around Race Rocks Lighthouse with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T060's E&D) and a well-known Humpback. -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Fri, Sept 10 - N. of Admiralty Inlet to Dungeness (T65As) - 16:29 - Orcas passed by Dungeness Lighthouse heading west just off of the spit. -Gary Shemorry
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12:31 - Small group of orcas NE of Protection Island. -Al Lunemann
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12:17 - Direction change, due southbound towards Protection Island from my last map.
12:10 - Update on the T65As still aiming at Point Wilson. Viewing from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express.
11:40 - The T65A pod is inbound, swimming southeast towards Puget Sound. See my map. [will share in comments] -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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Fri, Sept 10 - NPS/Admiralty Inlet (T124A1, T124D, & T124D1) - 13:51 - We spotted them again on our way back to the dock. They are eating a meal as we pass by. See my map for location [mid-channel between Point No Point and Mutiny Bay]. (They were circling on a meal.) -Bart Rulon, PSE
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11:17 - [orcas] Almost to the SD buoy headed southeast. -Trevor Tillman
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11:00 - Still southbound. We are leaving them to look for more. Viewed from the MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express. See my map [looks like same locations as previous map]
10:45 - The pod I mentioned above is southbound still. See my map [NW of Double Bluff]
10:40 - This is T124A1, T124D, and T124D1. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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We saw this pod off Mutiny Bay, a container ship passed and we saw 1-2 of those orcas "surfing" on the wake! -Caron McCune
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10:05 - [orcas] They are about 2 miles south of Bush Point, mid channel but still the Whidbey side of the shipping lanes. Slowly heading south. Long-ish downtimes. I can't tell if it is 3 or 4 whales.
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10:02 - Seen from above mid Mutiny Bay. (Admiralty Way) Mid Channel. Southbound. At least 3. -Helen Shamek
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09:49 - [orcas] Just coming into view off Shore Meadow Dr. See at least two dorsal, heading south mid channel. -Bonnie Leavitt
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What a surprise (and a treat) to see Bigg's 124A, 124D and 124D1 as they meandered southward in Admiralty Inlet on Friday - only twice before have I seen these whales, and quite a few years ago. We spotted them south of Bush Point under cloudy skies and dead calm seas. Perfect! Then we headed to Friday Harbor for a fun lunch stop, with more wildlife spotting on the return trip to Port Townsend. -Jill Hein
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09:35 - From 1 mile south of Bush Point 3 orcas traveling slowly south approx. 1-2 miles from shore. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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09:23 - Watching from Bush Pt., mid channel. ----Got out of my pajamas quickly and first headed to Hidden Beach (Saratoga Passage) but nothing there, then heard more orcas going past Lagoon Point in Admiralty. Zoomed over there and saw them from Bush Point, mid-channel, slowly working their way south. -Bonnie Gretz
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09.22 - Confirm two Orcas have passed Bush Point at casual pace. -Sandra Pollard
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09:13 - Karen and Patrick Scott, Bush Point, called to report seeing the orcas, 2 so far, including male. They just showed up at Bush Point, mid channel, loping along southbound.
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09:12 - [orcas] At Bush Pt. -Karla Kross
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08:25 - [orcas] Seen from Lagoon Point. [southbound] -Bunny Destinee Mariee
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~08:20 - Orcas southbound passing Lagoon Point, 3 or 4 mid-channel, per a call from my son on the beach. -Patricia Prochaska
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Fri, Sept 10 - NPS/Saratoga Passage (T37As) - Miracle morning with my dear friends the Orcas. They came out to play today. ["T37As at Holmes Harbor this morning." -Jill Hein]
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17:45 - Saw three Orcas heading north towards Penn Cove from Lawana Beach at 5:45pm. -Randy Zimmerman Furnas
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07:46 - Jill Hein received 2nd hand report 4-5 orcas heading northbound in Saratoga Passage towards Hidden Beach from Holmes Harbor.
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06:45 - I saw two this morning around 645am heading south at a good speed just off Hidden Beach - two days in a row, it has been amazing! -Ann-Marie Darrough
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Fri, Sept 10 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Another beautiful day around Race Rocks Lighthouse with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T060's E&D) and a well-known Humpback. Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations - photo - MMX0084 Scuttle ID: Alethea Leddy
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GRAY WHALES - Fri, Sept 10 - WA Coast - Hi there! At Kalaloch campground on the coast. Looks like maybe a grey whale. Really close to shore. Still breathing with blows. But seems to be rolling and on back most of the time and not sure if that's normal behavior.
Follow-Up: I'm sorry I didn't get any pictures. We were on the bluff so not on the beach. It was just beyond the first shore break and going with the current south. At times I saw both pec fins or pointed flippers. But maybe the whale was still on their side. I've just never seen that before. -Emmi Jensen

September 9
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 9 - Haro Strait (K pod, J pod, L pod minus L12s and L54s) - 22:00-24:00 - A large group of surface-active whales was heard going up Swanson Channel towards Active Pass between 22:00 and midnight. -Center for Whale Research via Orca Behavior Institute
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21:48 - Silent again after what sounded like a LOT of breaches VERY far away [from Land Bank]. -Matty Leaman
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~17:45 - Group of orcas far off shore heading N in North Haro Strait (toward W Henry Island). -M Elise Cannon
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17:37 - [SRKWs] Minimum of 12 approaching Henry Island from the south. -Peter Van Deventer
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~17:30 - For the record, I captured one orca splashing in the water in this grainy video. The whale research Zodiac SR3 is also in the video. The boat and whale were just south of Henry Island at the time. The clip was taken at around 5:30 PM. Here's the link to the video: https://youtu.be/ND5JVTsSELc -Gerald Graham
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17:22 - [SRKW] Getting more clear on Orcasound (Haro Strait) hydrophone, 5:22. -Meg Sellers
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17:28 - Whales passing north of county park now, 5:28.
7:11 - [SRKW] Whales moving fast heading north off of Lime Kiln, 5:11. -Ezra Garfield
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16:53 - [SRKW] Seeing some of the incoming group from Land Bank now. -Cindy Hansen
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16:45-17:00 - As identified by Orca Behavior Institute, K-Pod and the sub-group L4 of L-Pod northbound mid-channel across from Landbank/Westside Preserve. They flew up the channel literally jumping over the surface porpoising. Their blows and splashes gleamed bright against the dark blue sea. They were traveling north to meet up with J-Pod and I guess they were running late. Or very excited to meet up again. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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16:43 - [SRKWs] Lime Kiln Hydrophone is active right now!! -Alex Lochlann
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16:40-19:19 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #68: "… We got on scene at 1640 about halfway between Hannah Heights and Discovery Island a little over the Canadian border. Most of the whales were spread out in singles and small groups heading quickly north up Haro Strait. Some whales were porpoising and, except for grabbing some quick pics as some whales flew by us, we were left in the dust. We were forced to play catch up for the first part of the encounter but we did see enough whales to confirm to us that we had K pod and the Ls that Mark had out west the day before. … There were several groups of whales milling and socializing in the Gooch Island area. We quickly identified some J pod whales mixed in with the Ks and Ls. The whales were behaving in a Superpod manner with tight groups of socializing whales spending lots of time at the surface. Several whales vocalized in the air. …" [See Center for Whale Research Encounter #68 for full summary and photos"] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-68
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16:35 - [SRKW] I swear I hear faint calls on LK. -EJ Evans
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Thu, Sept 9 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (Ks and Ls) - 11:38 - SRKW INBOUND OFF Sooke! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Whale Spotting FB group
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Thu, Sept 9 - W. Entrance to Strait of Juan de Fuca (L12s, L54s) - 11:10-1305 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #67: "… After an hour of this back-and-forth behaviour, Mark and Joe had yet to see any whales outside of the L12 and L54 sub-groups, and with reports of J pod in the southern Strait of Georgia and a large group of Southern Residents reportedly inbound off the Victoria waterfront, Mark and Joe concluded that the 14 present were the only ones yet to move into the inside waters of the Salish Sea…" [See CWR Encounter #67 for full encounter and photos] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-67
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Thu, Sept 9 - B.C. Gulf Islands (J pod) - 07:06 - J pod just went north through Active Pass. video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oev_g6_qvys -Rachelle Hayden, SSOS
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 9 - San Juan Islands (T18s) - 15:49 - [T18s] Just left these whales between Cypress and Guemes headed north. -Matty Leaman
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14:55 - They passed by close to shore at Washington Park! (headed northeast towards Cypress and Guemes Island)----These guys were seen on the Friday Harbor ferry this morning, near Shaw Island, awhile later I saw the boats pick something up off south end Lopez and they headed east til they hit Whidbey by Deception Pass then traveled north til they got past Washington Park. They then went north up Bellingham Channel. -Rachel Haight
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08:15 - This morning around 815 from the Washington state ferry, Near Canoe island… Headed towards Friday Harbor around the south side of Shaw. I saw three. -Nancy DeVaux
[From Nancy's photo: "Looks like T19B!" -Monika Wieland Shields, OBI]
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08:10 - Laura Baker, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: SUQUAMISH sights 3 Orcas, 9/9 Log entry 0810hrs: Vessel reports via 800MHz spotting three orca whales headed in a southerly direction off Flat Point in Upright Channel.
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Thu, Sept 9 - NPS/Saratoga Passage - ~07:20 - At least 3 whales off of Hidden Beach heading south. Heard them before I saw them. Saw 3 spouts very close together so assuming 3 or more. -Nancy Culp Zaretzke
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~07:00 - I saw these Orcas when walking my dogs on Hidden Beach just after 7am. Absolutely breathtaking as the water was like glass with the sun coming up still (very little fog at that time). I definitely saw two but could have been three. Follow-up: They were fairly closer to shore so the last I saw it would have been Holmes Harbor direction (they went under and didn't resurface until past my view being blocked by my neighbor's tree). They definitely were going fast on a mission! -Ann-Marie Darrough
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COASTAL ORCAS - Thu, Sept 9 - Oregon Coast - ~11:00 - I saw an Orca today, probably more than one. He (they) was/were just out from Bandon, Oregon this morning just after 11:00 a.m. They were about 200 yards offshore traveling north. A bunch of dolphins, at least dozens, were just off shore traveling north, and the orca(s) were clearly to me, tracking them. Thanks for what you do. I reported a sighting a few years ago. -Mike Claassen, Bandon, Oregon

September 8
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 8 - W. Entrance to Strait of Juan de Fuca (K pod, L pod minus L12s and L54s) - 11:00-15:51 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #66: "… For the next 3 hours, he worked through the group, hoping to find some of the ones that weren't seen on the 6th. He was able to confirm L125 along with her mom, L86, although she was swimming with L83. None of these three were seen on the previous encounter. He was fairly confident that it was all of K pod and Ls less the L12s and L54s." [See CWR Encounter #66 for full summary and photos] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-66
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Wed, Sept 8 - NW Whidbey to Haro Strait (J pod) - 23:18 - Hearing some whistles on OS hydrophone. Difficult to hear through vessel noise. -Matty Leaman
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21:04 - Whistles on Lime Kiln hydrophone, mostly drowned out by northbound container ship "Seaspan Yangtze". -Gayle Swigart, Orca Network
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17:45 - LK Hydrophone, 5:45, single call. -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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17:15-18:03 - J POD hanging around milling at Deadman's [Cove] between 5:15- now. We were snorkeling and they've been milling forever!!! -Caitlyn Blair
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23:46 - Val reports hearing blows at Orcasound Lab through open windows. Possibly southbound?
23:33 - Orcasound Lab hydrophone: repeated S1 calls as ship noise fades.
18:11 - Lime Kiln hydrophone single S4 call over SB fishing vessel noise.
17:54 - Intermittent calls on Lime Kiln hydrophone after fishing vessel noise abates.. but there's two more coming.
17:22 - Multiple, overlapping click sequences.
17:17 - SRKW calls (x3) + clicks
17:11-17:16 - Slow clicks in rising ship noise.
17:09 - SRKW call in the clicks.
17:07 - 25 intermittent slow echolocation on the Lime Kiln mp3 stream. (About to get drowned out by SB container ship, plus multiple fishing vessels...) -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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~17:00 - I think I hear clicks now and a few very faint calls on the Lime Kiln hydrophone! -Lucy Quayle
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20:13-20:45 - After it was dark J-Pod headed back north. The entire group, some very close to shore surfaced often, big blows like exclamations in the night. Breaching over and over punctuated by fluke lobs and splashing, the sounds were exhilarating. Breaching close to shore, boom boom boom. Never have I ever!
17:35-19:20 - Direction change as J-Pod begins to turn southbound at 17:35. Spread out, some moving quickly and some slowly milling in big circles. Most in small family groups although the big males were solitary. J40 Suttles with J37 Hy'Shqa. J58 Crescent and J41 Nova with their Mom J41 Eclipse. J56 Tofino with Mom J31 Tsuchi observed milling for almost an hour and then joined for a short time by J16 Slick and daughter J36 Alki who I believe was with J53 Kiki (or did Nova circle back on his own). By 19:10 only on large male in sight, slowly moving south, big blows golden in the fading light, majestic against the backdrop of the mountains. Photographed from shore 1 mile south of Landbank.
16:46-17:35 - Blows to the south (1 1/2 mile S of Landbank) and visual of 1 male NB and within minutes J16 Slick going ahead northbound. Hard to count in sun's glare and choppy water, 9-10 members of J-Pod northbound towards Edwards Point and Landbank while 4-5 remained south of me, milling and hunting (my guess). Choppy seas, glare and heat distortion made viewing challenging at times.
12:48-13:30 - A single orca seen 1 1/2 miles south of Landbank, milling and trending north. As she got closer, I could see it was J16 Slick. She was hunting in big circles with long dives, changed direction at 13:20 and hurried south out of sight. I could hear a few blows to the south as I watched her. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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A couple photos of J-Pod from 9/8/21, southbound between Edwards Point and Pile Point in the low sun. Michelline Halliday kindly loaned me one of her cameras - already set up for conditions - and I got some lucky shots. The leaping kid is shortly after J57 Phoenix and J35 Tahlequah were seen going past Hannah Heights, but I never got a good look at the adult's patch to confirm ID. Thanks! -Ben Bama
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16:12 - Circling off Eagle Cove. -Suze Howells
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14:14 - A few milling off Pile Point, maybe slowly northbound again.
11:30 - Spread out in front of American Camp. Seeing a few individuals approaching Granny's close in quickly. All traveling NW. -Stephanie Reise
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16:00 - Js are spread and milling off False Bay.
12:40 - Half dozen whales milling at Pile Point.
10:04 - SRKWs reported near Smith Island heading NW towards San Juan. photo - "J40 at dusk in Haro Strait on September 8" -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Wed, Sept 8 - North Puget Sound/Admiralty Inlet (J pod) - 07:59 - [J pod] I can also hear some faint high pitch calls [PT]! -Cherie StOurs
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07:59 - [J pod] I can hear faint calls right now [Port Townsend]! -Torrey Hall Volk
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10:00 - Faint calls and echolocation coming in on PT hydro again.
08:28 - Still hearing them but it's EXTREMELY faint.
08:13 - Been listening for 30 minutes and they have yet to build or decrease in volume.
08:11 - Still going but being drowned out by vessel noise.
07:43 - Ariel Yseth called & texted to alert us to the lovely news she was hearing very faint J pod calls on the Port Townsend hydrophone. -Ariel Yseth
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 8 - San Juan Islands (T18s) - ~18:00 - These guys (I later learned were T18s and T19s, T19B) were seen tonight on the southwest tip of Orcas [Island] (Reuben Tarte) around 6 pm headed west across San Juan Channel. -M Elise Cannon
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Wed, Sept 8 - Holmes Harbor/Saratoga Passage
18:47 - Right by Dines Point going towards Greenbank Farm.
18:40 - Momma and 2 babies just left Holmes Harbor. -Tori Cook Thomas
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Wed, Sept 8 - Penn Cove (T37As) - (12:15) 13:00 - [secondhand] Report of orcas in Penn Cove. (Actually, text came in at 1215, doesn't see them now.) -Rachel Haight
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Looks like a pod of four orcas made the round in Penn Cove around mid day. -Deborah Jackson [PSWS]
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Wed, Sept 8 - Skagit Bay to Rosario Strait (T65As, T65Bs) - 12:15 - The T65As and T65Bs have exited Puget Sound, presumably through Deception Pass. They are now northbound in Rosario Strait near James Island along with the T37As. -Justine Buckmaster, Naturalist, Puget Sound Express
[T37As were photographed in Penn Cove "around mid day" -gs]
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08:08 - Trisha Ferreira called to report 4-5 orcas near Goat Island off N end Oak Harbor, Whidbey. First watched them heading towards Deception Pass but then pod circled back, then while on phone they popped up close to shore, then head directionally toward Goat Island so no clear direction at this time. Sounds like they might be hunting.
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UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES - Wed, Sept 8 - Saratoga Passage - 15:35 - 3 Whales in Saratoga Passage heading south, very close to Whidbey side. South of Onamac Point. Not orcas. Follow-up: 3 spraying, very clear breach but no dorsal or tail fin. Was sure it was going to be the orcas that were reported north of my location earlier in the day. Based on previous viewing from my home, my thought was humpback but I didn't think any were in the area. Very odd. -Marie Heil

September 7
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 7 - Admiralty Inlet to Seattle (J pod) - 19:23 - 4-5 surface at a time, all committed north. There is 1 or 2 still milling at the mouth of Elliott Bay/ferry line where the research boat was with them earlier.
19:15 - [Js] The pod is heading northbound quickly. Mid to east side of channel, approaching the Discovery Park Lighthouse shortly. Should be able to see them from the west side of Discovery Park. -Tanner Sment
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19:05 - A few seem to have now swapped northbound.
19:00 - [J pod] At my location [BI/Seattle ferry lane, mid channel] trending south but milling and changing directions often. -Joey LaMarche
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18:55 - [J pod] Viewing from Alki, whales across the whole bay for miles on the north side of the ferry lanes still. Two big breaches! Milling and very slow SB travel. -Pia VanHanen
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18:34 - [orcas] Viewing from Creosote on BI. In front of Olympic Sculpture Park, 6:34, foraging, breaching, spy hops, northwest of research zodiac. Group spread out. Others closer to research boat. -Chris Merritt
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18:27 - [orcas] Seeing blows from Alki, looks like some are south of West Point now. -Stephanie Raymond
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19:20 - Look pretty committed northward bound from our perspective at Alki.
18:46 - Looking north from the beach at Alki, it doesn't look like they're in the [Elliott] Bay yet. Milling around at the mouth though, all spread out across a lot of the eastern channel. Blows are pretty much constant.
18:15 - Looks pretty close the Bainbridge ferry lane.
18:00 - [J pod] Blows just visible with binoculars looking north from Alki Ave. SW, east of the lighthouse. -Patrick Hutchins
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17:54 - [J pod] Viewing from Magnolia Blvd W. LOTS of activity spread all out approx. mid-channel. Line of sight Yeomalt. -Stephanie Schulte
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17:34 - [J pod] Passing Discovery Park, SB. -Hillary Burgess
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16:58 - [J pod] Watching from Skiff Point, Bainbridge. with the NOAA boat mid-channel, hopefully getting lots of food! -Alison Hatletveit
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I'm at Discovery Park. -Kaarina Makowski
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16:23 - [J pod] Straight out from giant dock at Golden Gardens, 4:23, southbound. Small (research) boat with them. -Emily Peterson
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16:13 - [J pod] Seeing blows and fins now mid channel straight out from Fay Bainbridge at Sunset Hill. Not sure how many but they're southbound at a steady clip. 4:13pm. -Lucy Gao
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15:49 - [J pod] Spotted way out from Carkeek. -Chris Czarnecki
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17:42 - Leaders visible north of Creosote Park. One blow and one splash from a breach. Looks like mid channel or slightly east side.
17:02 - Passing Yeomalt, trending toward midchannel. SB. Not a lot of surface activity. Spread out and somewhat long down times.
15:47 - [J pod] Blows visible from Fay Bainbridge. -Ashley Whitman
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16:58 - Consensus here at Sunset Park is milling for last 1/2 hour, but possibly resuming southbound travel in last 15 surfacings.
16:25 - From Sunset Hill, SB group spread on west side of shipping lanes. Leaders nearing Skiff Point (breach!), trailers mid Fay-Bainbridge.
15:35 - [J pod] Watching from Richmond Beach, leaders SB mid-way across entrance to Port Madison, west of mid-Sound. -Scott Veirs
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15:35 - [J pod] Almost to Carkeek. 335 p.m. -Kersti Muul
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15:18 - Several breaches just past President Pt.
15:03 - [J pod] Mid channel, approaching President Pt. All spread out. Southbound. -Trish Moylan Davis
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14:26 - [J pod] Seeing dorsals and a breach from Edmonds fishing pier. Whales are still north of Kingston (at least the ones I'm seeing) sb. -Whitney Neugebauer
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14:15 - Off Apple Tree Point, Kingston. Spread out, mid to west channel. News chopper here now. Some breaches.
13:57 - Seeing some on the west side of the shipping lanes now. Still N of Kingston.
13:55 - [J pod] Seeing them from Apple Tree Point, steady SB. Mid channel with a research boat. -Sara Frey
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13:49 - [J pod] From Eglon steady southbound. -Stacey Crofoot
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12:54 - They (J Pod) are now spread and actively foraging from southern Useless Bay to south of Point No Point. ["it was a big spread, most of them were midchannel. Direction was varied." -Brian McGinn] -Justine Buckmaster
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11:57 - [J pod] Just passed the southern tip off Mutiny Bay, heading south a bit quicker than they've been traveling. WFWD boat is with them. -Delaney Marie
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11:35 - [J pod] Whales are east of the northbound shipping lanes still southbound and highly active in Mutiny Bay. Viewing from Shore Meadows. -Sandra Pollard
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~11:30-15:00 - I had a chance to go try to see J pod today on their way southbound. I saw them first about 11:30 from Norwegian Park, then moved to Eglon and Kingston and left them about 3:00. Definitely a binoculars only viewing kind of day. So fun to watch with lots of tail lobs and cartwheels. My pictures are all teeny tiny because they were all the way across but so special to have seen them. Glorious day on the beach with other orca fans. -Stacey Crofoot
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11:21 - [J pod] Still seeing them off Mutiny Bay. -Dori Chandler Windsor
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[J pod] Leaving Lagoon Point Sept. 7th, 2021. -Adam Henry Schwinn
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11:07 - Sara MacDougal called to report seeing the Admiralty Inlet orcas out off Adams Road, Freeland, heading southbound quickly. Grouped.
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11:50 - Looks like DFW is with them and keeping other boats away, south of Bush Pt.
11:00 - Seeing a tight group off Mutiny Bay, heading south with cartwheels, breaches, taillobs, and every kind of surface activity. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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11:30 - It is hard to judge distances and angles, but they seem to be about level with the southern end of Mutiny Bay, still headed S, perhaps further into the shipping channel. There is a small boat with them, that is doing an admirable job of keeping other boats away. The Orcas are still quite active, spyhops, tail lobs, etc.
11:01 - The orcas are about mid Mutiny Bay, between the shipping channel and Whidbey. They are still going slowly south and they are still quite active.
10:27 - [J pod] They are having a party just off bush point. Lots off jumping, trail slaps and spyhops. They are slowly going south. -Mike Meyer
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Saw the pod swim by while fishing at Bush Pt this morning. [video] https://www.facebook.com/OrcaNetwork/posts/10165937737360601 -Eric Wittenmeier
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10:50 - Seeing now from north side of Mutiny Bay, between midchannel and Whidbey side, slowly southbound.
09:59 - [J pod] Group just made close pass at Bush PT, still southbound moving fairly quickly. -Katie Watkins, Langley Whale Center/Orca Network
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09:41 - [J pod] Definitely hearing them on the Bush Point hydrophone now! -Kari Back
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09:32 - [J pod] They seem to be getting closer to Bush Point. -David Haeckel
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09:28 - [J pod] Hearing distant calls 0928 Bush Pt. -T.L. Stokes
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10:17 - Wow ***Wow. So close to Bush Point! And a little friskiness going on.
09:30 - SRKWs about midway between Lagoon and Bush Points. I see at least 2 males and maybe 10-12 orcas. Viewing from Bush Point Boat launch.
08:55 - Viewing from Bush Point, they are south of Lagoon Point, Whidbey side. SB. -Marilyn Armbruster
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08:15 - Vocals we've heard on Bush Point hydrophone confirm SRKWS! Sounded like Js, but was faint and brief. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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08:08 - [J pod] I can hear faint Orca vocalizing on the Bush Point hydrophone. -Nancy Erikkson
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08:45 - Still just south of Lagoon Point on Whidbey side. Some surface activity, but seem more committed to southern travel. I believe it's part of the same group. We've had eyes on them the whole time. They were broken up into several groups though, so possible that one slipped ahead while we were distracted with another. In total, a lot more than the 7 I originally reported. Hard to say how many, but saw 2 babies and multiple males. (We did get a visual with an open saddle patch on a male this morning.)
08:28 - Thought I may have seen 2 babies up at the same time! Yay, residents!!!!!
08:20 - Still at very southern end of Lagoon Point, but have moved further out towards Whidbey side of midchannel.
08:00 - There are more than I first realized. At least 10. Seems to be a baby with them. Continuing with lots of surface activity.
07:40 - [J pod] At least 7 orcas in Admiralty Inlet off southern end of Lagoon Point. Lots of surface activity. Appear to be hunting while heading slowly south. Bear Whidbey side of channel. -Margaret Marshall
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07:05, 07:47: first human detections at Bush Point hydrophone. No previous detections today at Port Townsend or Orcasound Lab. No automated detections at any of the 3 Orcasound hydrophone network locations. -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 7 - Haro Strait (T18s) - 10:25-10:33 - Hearing the blows before I saw them, 4 Bigg's Transients southbound 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve. I saw T019B Galiano with his wide impressive curved dorsal fin followed by T018 Esperanza and brother T019C Spouter. To my left I saw that mom T019 Mooyah had already passed me. This is an impressive family to see and they really impressed me this morning as they came within less than 100 yds from shore. Gleaming black and white against impossibly blue waters under a morning sun... loud inhalations and exhalations; 8 minutes of bliss. Photographed from shore. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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Tue, Sept 7 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T60D & T60E) - What a beautiful day with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T060's D&E) and 3 mugging Humpbacks out west with many others around! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Tue, Sept 7 - Central Puget Sound - 19:01 - At 19:33 John Miller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: WALLA WALLA Orca Sighting 9/7/2021 1901hrs: Vessel reports via 800MHz vessel has slowed due to 4 orca moving NB, in the SB shipping lanes. [Bainbridge/Seattle run -alb]
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Tue, Sept 7 - North Puget Sound (T65As, T65Bs) - 19:04 - Lone orca heading northwest very close to Whidbey just south of Langley harbor. -Luanne Seymour
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19:00 - Have entered Saratoga Passage about a mile in. Camano side of channel. Long downtimes. NB viewing from southend Sandy Point. I just see the male, and from my vantage point he was mid or just Camano side of mid. I didn't see the rest of the family. -Marilyn Armbruster
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18:45 - Lone orca heading north to Clinton/MUK ferry lanes. Video taken from Possession Sound Preserve. -Trent Schneider
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18:00 - [orcas] The leaders were aiming toward Saratoga pass so far as I can tell. -Ariel Yseth
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18:23 - They have moved north. About halfway up Hat Island. Seeing directional changes still.
18:06 - The male has caught up with the rest of the group and they are starting to show hunting behaviors in line with slip #2 Clinton ferry dock.
17:57 - Passing the Clinton ferry slip. Angled to pass between Hat Island and Whidbey. Drifting away from Whidbey towards Hat Island. 3 in the leading group and 1 male trailing behind.
17:50 - [orcas] Seeing 3 heading northwest from the Clinton ferry dock. -Danielle Pennington
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17:37 - One at the lighthouse park now.
17:35 - [orcas] At least three west of Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, on the Whidbey side, heading north. At 17:35 PM. -Greg Heiss
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17:30 - [orcas] Northbound, Mukilteo side, at least 2. One male. Now off of lighthouse. -Joe Dreimiller
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16:05 - Current sighting of orca pod off of Meadowdale (north of Edmonds) ... we are at a distance (telescope), so cannot give any further details at the moment. (only a few dorsal fins sighted before they went out of view, we are south of Meadowdale, no sighting here near the Edmonds ferry terminal) -Shelley Schwinn
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15:30 - [orcas] Southern tip of Whidbey Scatchet Head community, just saw 4 pass by, aiming SE. Watching from Driftwood Dr. -Kimberly Beck
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16:57 - We also just picked up the T65Bs as well! On Possession Bank pointed the same way as the T65As. Mostly mid channel, maybe a bit closer to Whidbey. We left them stopped on a kill.
16:21 - The T65As seem to be committed to Possession Sound. Spread way out and northbound off Norma Beach.
15:24 - We have the T65As in Puget Sound too!! They are 2.5 miles SE of Point No Point heading towards Edmonds! -Justine Buckmaster
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14:06 - South of Double Bluff now heading east into Useless Bay.
13:57 - [orcas] Watching 3 just passing Double Bluff heading SW. -Roxane Jackson Johnson
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Tue, Sept 7 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - What a beautiful day with Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales (T060's D&E) and 3 mugging Humpbacks out west with many others around! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photos - MMX0149 (Swiftsure) ID: GS

September 6
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Mon, Sept 6 - W. Entrance of Strait of Juan de Fuca (Ks and Ls) - 13:00-16:16 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #65: "… The encounter began at 1300 at 48° 30.7' N / 124° 49.6' W, with most members of K pod tightly grouped and charging north toward Nitinat on the Vancouver Island shore. The Mike 1 crew noticed several more animals ahead of the K pod whales, so they made their way there and found L25 and the L54s, including L88. The L12s and L22s, along with L85, traveled near this group as all continued toward the Island. K16 and K35 were just ahead of this loose grouping with L82 and L116 and appeared to be leading the charge today. [See CWR Encounter #65 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-65 for full summary and photos] [video] https://www.facebook.com/CenterForWhaleResearch/videos/190174606545426/
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Mon, Sept 6 - Haro Strait (J pod) - 9/6, Labor Day, 7:45 pm, Hannah Heights. -Petra Schindler-Carter
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19:25-20:00 - 1 mile south of Landbank - J-Pod traveled northbound in loose groups after the sun set. Over a calm sea with no breeze, the sound of their breaths was strong and abrupt. The orcas were spread out with one group coming close in to shore, their bodies split the calm flat water turning it into dark ribbons behind them. Photographed from shore. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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16:26 - …more brief echolocation.
16:20 - Faint whistling then kazoo, followed by brief echolocation on Lime Kiln hydrophone. -Gayle Swigart, Orca Network
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19:05 - At least some including J16 northbound near False Bay.
18:15 - Heading south with more purpose near False Bay.
16:35 - J37s, J39, J47 at Pile Point treadmilling. Others visible spread to the north and south.
15:55 - Js spread between Eagle Point and Hannah Heights, facing south but treadmilling in the flood.
----It was a classic "westside shuffle" day for J-Pod and a record-setting day for us with over 8 hours of data collection. We spent quite a bit of time with J31 Tsuchi and J56 Tofino this afternoon (all our viewing was from shore) and J56 was energetic, actively foraging and breaching several times. She does not show any sign of "peanut head" from what we could tell. While her designation as a "vulnerable whale" indicates she's at an increased risk for mortality, what we saw today gives us hope that she can make a full recovery. -Orca Behavior Institute
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14:44 - There are some up here just south of Landbank. But no clear direction yet. -Matty Leaman
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12:15 & 12:33 - I have been hearing calls on Lime Kiln on and off since around 12:15PM. Hearing them again at 12:33 PM. -Linda Aitkins
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10:27 - [orcas] Headed north again! Lots of tail slaps in front of Granny's Cove. -Brenna Normann
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10:47 - [orcas] Trending south again. Lots of tail slapping.
10:25 - All seem to be heading north.
10:14 - Multiple whales milling in front of Eagle Cove. Seem to be foraging. Spread out. -Karin Roemers-Kleven
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10:03 - Hearing Cattle Point. WDFW is here.
10:00 - [orcas] -Off South Beach headed south. -Fred Horn
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09:58 - Js hunting at Salmon Bank. Viewing from Cattle Point Road. -Ariel Yseth
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12:27 - Breaching near pile Point. Some orcas still way back here near Eagle Point.
12:18 - They seem to be on the move. Starting to go north. Some are already near False Bay.
10:43 - Definitely catching some fish over here. Seagulls are coming down to get the little pieces afterwards. Lots of playful behavior as well. So lovely. north of Eagle Point.
09:04 - They have made it to Eagle Point. But can't see a thing because of the fog. Heard two breaches out of the fog. Pretty cool! -Chris Wilson
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08:17 - [orcas] Passing by Kanaka Bay. Marine fog is thick but you can hear several of them coming up for air 300 meters from shore. They are moving slowly southbound. -Juli Hammond
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9/6, Labor Day, 8:00 am, Hannah Heights. -Petra Schindler-Carter
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19:33 - To the south of me I can still see 3 orcas milling, including J16 Slick with her son J26 Mike. They're about 1 1/2 mile south of Landbank (Westside Preserve).
17:13 - There are still a few orcas far south of me probably 2 miles south of Landbank, CWR is idle but present, I think with a drone. AND to the north, southbound, J27 Blackberry, J38 Cookie, and 2 females possibly J17 Slick are just coming into view having passed Edwards Point.
16:56-17:30 - I can still see a few orcas to the south, no direction but trending south, milling and I assume fishing 1 1/2 + miles south of Landbank (Westside Preserve).
14:37-16:15 - J26 Mike, J16 Slick and one other orca just south of Edwards Point - long dives and a significant direction change to the south. More fishing, spread out they switch north again to Edwards Point. Followed by J38 Cookie, they pass Edwards Point to Landbank and out of sight.
14:00-14:32 - Just coming into view from the south, 1 1/2 - 2 miles south of Landbank (Westside Preserve), 3 orcas, including J26 Mike slowly milling, inching north. Looks like circles of hunting to me. Lots of direction changes but continuing NB they finally reach the southern side of Edwards Point.
07:49-08:15 - Spread out from Edwards Point to Hannah Hts. J-Pod southbound, moving quickly as the fog bank rolled in. I could ID J31 Tsuchi, J56 Tofino, J42 Echo, J47 Notch, J39 Mako and J40 Suttles. The trailing orca disappeared into the fog at 08:15. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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07:45 - Lovely SR vocals off Lime Kiln right now. -Susan Marie Andersson
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07:22 - [J pod] Faint clicks and calls on Lime Kiln hydrophone! -Lucy Quayle
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07:00 - [J pod] Faint calls and clicks on OrcaSound hydrophone. -Brittany Noelle
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06:35 - 2 groups southbound.
05:30 - [orcas] Smugglers Cove Rd. San Juan Is. They went north, 5:30am, lots of blows nearshore. Lots of surface time - pretty synchronous resting. -Fred Felleman
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03:58 - J pod is back on Lime Kiln hydrophone starting at 3:58 am. So nice to hear them. -Linda Aitkins
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07:45 - J-Pod passed Lime Kiln heading south.
04:45 - Faint calls on LK again, I never heard anything on Orcasound.
04:13 - Crystal clear J-Pod calls, amazing.
03:55 - SRKW calls on Lime Kiln hydrophone. -Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Mon, Sept 6 - San Juan Islands - ~18:45 - Monday, 9/4 [6?], around 6:45 pm. Sighted north of Pearl Island (San Juan Island). 4 orcas.

~12:30 -

Monday, 9/6, around 12:30 pm, Sighted south of Steep Point, Orcas Island. 4 orcas. -Erinn Dornaus
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- Mon, Sept 6 - San Juan Islands - At 10:09 Donna Sanders, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: [MV] SAMISH@1007 Master reports 4 Orca heading North near Upright Channel . Likely our same pod from this morning.
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~09:30 - Hello! I'd like to report an orca sighting off of northern Lopez Island on September 6 2021 around 9:30 am. They were heading northwest. There were about 4 of them, one male that I could see, and although I don't have a photo the male's dorsal fin was fairly straight. They were swimming and surfacing often, every few seconds, until a ferry came by, at which point they didn't surface that we could see as they went around the bay. -Brontë McKinnis
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09:25-0940 - I just saw three orcas from Spencer Spit Campground. It was 9:25-9:40 and they were circling a rock. Headed west. -Keegan Lewis
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06:53 - At 06:55 Donna Sanders, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: [MV] YAKIMA@0653: C/M reports orca 3-4 heading North, 1 mile south of Reef Point junction buoy…Just outside of Anacortes terminal.
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Mon, Sept 6 - NPS/Admiralty Inlet (T37As, T65As) - 17:28 - [orcas] Watching from Ebey's Landing. On other side of channel. -Tiffany Jo Cheyann Waldner
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16:40 - [orcas] Watching from Admiralty Lighthouse as they make their way north. Mid channel. -Bonnie Gretz
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16:15 - [orcas] Viewing from Fort Worden - looks like they are south of Fort Casey, again, maybe going into the bay. -Erin Merklein
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15:54 - Porpoising East from Casey.
15:45 - [orcas] Close pass by Fort Casey at 3:45 - Sea Lions running away as well. -Deb Barge
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15:36 - [orcas] Just southeast of Fort Casey ferry area now. Hugging the shore. 5 or 6 of them. -Jared Phipps
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15:18 - In Admiralty Inlet! Labor Day. Pack of 5. We saw them along the Admiralty shore, heading west down Keystone earlier today. So very cool!!! -Kaila Wyman Lightner
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15:12 - Looks [like] six heading towards Ft. Casey. Three hundred yards off shore? Admirals Cove Beach.
15:01 - [orcas] Just spotted from Driftwood Park, looks like they are near Lake Hancock. -Kathy Newberry
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Wowzer - whales at the Coupeville/Keystone ferry dock today!!! By the time I'd run and grabbed my camera, I'd almost missed them. Fort Casey campground is in the background of the first few pics - what a sight for a lot of those campers and fishermen!! The T65As and T37As - what a treat! --Jill Hein
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16:45 T65As and T37As northwest-bound [between Pt. Wilson and Ft. Casey]. 13:23 - [orcas] Northbound. [NE of Pt. Marrowstone] -Bart Rulon, PSE
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13:13 - The T65As and T37As are milling and pointed north at Point Marrowstone! -Justine Buckmaster, Naturalist, Puget Sound Express
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11:22 - 5-6 NB off Craven Rock on Marrowstone Island. Might be T37as that were near Port Townsend yesterday. They should pass next to Marrowstone Point soon. -Adam Domanski

September 5
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 5 - Haro Strait (J pod) - 20:25 - Hearing blows north of Eagle Point. -Chris Wilson
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19:55 - [orcas] Two milling 200-300 yards offshore at Kanaka Bay. -Juli Hammond
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20:01 - Main group here now...lots of calls and clicks on LK hydrophone!
19:59 - Hearing clicks and calls on Lime Kiln hydrophone now!
19:54 - They must be pretty spread out because I am still hearing calls and echolocation clicks on the Haro Strait [Orcasound] hydrophone. No sounds on the Lime Kiln hydro but I swear I saw two fins surface on the webcam. -Stephanie Mclaughlin
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19:45-20:10 - Someone please let me know if the 6-7 orcas we saw on September 5th between 7:45 pm and 8:10 pm at Lime Kiln Park were J pod? Thank you! [yes!] -Yuan Zhao
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20:45 - Full dark, I can still hear very distant blows and my guess is they are moving southwest away from the island but still trending down island.
20:20 - The orcas are milling in a small patch of the last light reflected on the water, 1/3 mile south of Edwards Point.
20:10 - I hear several blows and can just make the orcas out in the dark. Passing Edwards Point, southbound, 2-3 members of J-Pod spread out - estimating 1/3 mile from shore.
19:50-20:30 - Lovely J-Pod conversations on the Lime Kiln Hydrophone. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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19:45 - Multiple orcas at Bellevue Point. Close to shore, slow moving south towards Lime Kiln. Spread out. Multiple breaches. -Kristi Jones
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19:15 - J pod vocals & echolocation on the Orcasound Lab hydrophone (Haro Strait). They are currently making their way south on the west side of San Juan Island. -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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19:15 - Visual from County Park (still well north of County Park but southbound). -Brittany Noelle
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19:24 - We counted about 8 spread out over a 1/2 mile or so, 1/4 mile offshore. Approaching county park now.
19:08 - Just approaching south end of Henry heading south. -Peter Van Deventer
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19:35 - Audible on LK hydro.
19:13-19:14 - Vocals on Orcasound Lab, 7:13-7:14pm.
19:05 - faint single vocal on hydro Lime Kiln, 7:05p -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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18:15 - J-Pod southbound between Stuart and Henry Islands in Haro. -Orca Behavior Institute
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17:13 PDT - (Lat/Lon): 48.70613,-123.08616 - Number Sighted: 4 - SRKW, viewing from 3/4 mile. J-pod individuals: J22, J38, J45, J49. -Sara Hysong-Shimazu - Whale Alert App
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Sun, Sept 5 - Boundary Pass (J pod)> - 15:26-17:56 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #63: "In the early afternoon, Dave got word from the SR3 research team that J pod was approaching East Point from the north, after foraging by the mouth of the Fraser River for several days. At 14:42, the team left Snug and headed north towards Boundary Pass. The team arrived on scene with the whales south of East Point at 15:26. The whales were very spread out, and headed down Boundary Pass. Several small groups were close to shore, with other groups and singles spread well across the pass. …" [See CWR Encounter #63 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-63 for full summary and more photos]
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 5 - Haro Strait - 19:19 - There are three or four orcas just north of Eagle Point. They're starting to go north now. We watched them "play" with a seal for about 15 or 20 minutes. Poor little guy. At one point one of the orcas had the seal in their mouth and had launched up into the air with the seal. Incredible.
18:42 - Three or four orcas just north of Eagle Point near the kelp beds near the shore. No direction yet. -Chris Wilson
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Sun, Sept 5 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T65As minus T65A3 and T65A5) - 17:45 - The T65A pod is milling southwest of Protection Island. (Update: It was only T65A, A2, A4, and A6. We left them northbound.) -Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express
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Sun, Sept 5 - Haro Strait (T60D & T60E) - 17:03 - Now looking like they are headed north towards the Gulf Islands.
16:45 - Two orcas just off the north entrance to Prevost Harbor, moving towards Turn Point. -NW Sailing Adventures, LLC
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12:30 - T60D and T60E aiming for San Juan County Park. -Orca Behavior Institute
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12:50 - Direction change, looks like milling around the Kelp Reef mark.
12:10 - Orcas spotted 4.5 miles west of Lime Kiln, moving N. -Fred Horn
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Sun, Sept 5 - NPS/Admiralty Inlet (T37As) - 19:33 - [orcas] Hearing calls on Bush point hydrophone 7:33PM. -Linda Aitkins
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19:00 - Now the whole pod is due west of Bush Pt. in the hazy sunset, up for five minutes in a loose bunch, meandering south, still on Marrowstone side.
18:45 - One fin and bright backlit blow NW of Bush Pt. on Marrowstone side. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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17:23 - [orcas] I do see them now from Bush Point but far away. Looks like they may be angling this way! -David Haeckel
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17:14 - [orcas] They're still west of Lagoon Point, just hanging out, barely moving. -Jason D. Davis
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18:20 - Orca SB. About 1/4 mile north of channel marker [NE of Nodule Point, Marrowstone Island]. This time viewing from up above lighthouse on Scurlock Rd. Higher vantage point.
18:05 - We found them, way way across from Bush Point Lighthouse, Marrowstone side. Barely can see them with binocs. SB still.
17:25 - Got them, viewing from high bank off Spyglass Rd. See pinned location [48.050981,-122.659071] sb still.
16:35 - Viewing from high bluff mid Lagoon Point, could see at least 3 orcas but way across at Marrowstone Island side. Please see pinned dropped location on map [48.073671,-122.675281]. They are SB. -Marilyn Armbruster
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16:37 - Leaving the scene now. T37As are still southbound.
16:09 - T37As are now southbound, a quarter mile offshore from Fort Flagler.
16:00 - Northeast-bound at the north end of Marrowstone Is. Viewing from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express, on our second trip today. Just arrived. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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14:40 - [orcas] Off Kala Pt. heading north northeast. Middle of bay. -Kimbrly Lynn Wickens
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~14:15 - Hello, we saw 5 orca while kayaking in the bay off Port Hadlock. First time seeing them from a kayak and I prefer land sightings. They were headed towards Port Townsend. We have some not great photos as we only had cell phones. It was about 2:15 in the afternoon today. -Jennifer Riker
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13:30 - T37As at the north end of Indian Island southwest-bound. Viewed from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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13:02 - Possibly heading south along Marrowstone now.
12:46 - Orca off Port Townsend at least 3 - milling around, no direction. At least one male. They are heading into Port Townsend Bay. -Erin Merklein
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12:30 - Betsy Carlson, PTMSC, reports orcas heading into Port Townsend Bay from Pt. Wilson. Addendum: They were pretty far out, I think perhaps 5-7. One large male.
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12:00 - Counted four individuals heading toward Puget Sound from the Strait at noon, between North Beach, Port Townsend and Whidbey Island. One big male and three females, one quite small. -Annette Huenke

September 4
BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 4 - Haro Strait (T100s) - 20:06 - [orcas] 4 eastbound, slow through Spieden Channel just now. -Carrie Dehuff
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18:57 - [orcas] Headed east down Spieden Channel. -Deborah Deb
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17:38 - [orcas] They're now well past county park. -Matty Leaman
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T100's (T100 and T100C) Saturday the 5th [correction: Sept. 4th] at SJI County Park. -Cy Scammell of PNW Protectors.
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16:28-16:45 - Just coming into view 1 1/2 miles south of Landbank's Westside Preserve, 4 Bigg's transient orcas, the T100 family, northbound 400 yds from shore. Matriarch T100 with her offspring, T100C, T 100E and T100F. T100C has a huge dorsal fin which towers over his family. They traveled close together then broke up and at 16:40 veered away from the shore a bit as they approached Edwards Point and beyond towards Landbank. Perfect timing too as it started raining just after they passed. Photos from shore, cropped and enlarged. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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16:45 - Passing Land Bank, northbound, couple hundred yards offshore.
16:09 - T100s, now northbound off False Bay. -Orca Behavior Institute
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16:12 - They're just about to Pile Point. Still very close to shore.
15:52 - Four orcas one large male just passed Eagle Point going north very close to shore. -Chris Wilson
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Sat, Sept 4 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T18s, T37As, T60D & T60E, T65As, T137s) - TODAY with 26+ Bigg's/Transient Killer Whales on our 3-hour adventure. First with T037a, T065a's, T065b's, &T137's than the T018's T019, than the T109as and finally the T060's D&E...WOW! Breaches, tail slaps, hunting with a kill (check out big chunk of seal in orca mouth) -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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MINKE WHALES - Sat, Sept 4 - N. Admiralty Inlet - Spotted a Minke off Ebey's Landing this morning not long after dawn. He was headed northwest at a leisurely pace not terribly far off shore. Didn't think to get a picture but confirmed the definite hook fin and the size was right. -Carson Allen

September 3
BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Fri, Sept 3 - North Puget Sound/Admiralty Inlet (T65Bs) - 17:50 - Approaching Bush Point.
17:30 - [orcas] South of Lagoon Point close to shore southbound.
---- With 5 matrilines around the area, I headed south after work. I was surprised to see boats close to shore at Lagoon Point, and I pulled up just in time to see the T65Bs southbound close to shore. I headed to Bush Point to wait for the T65Bs to head south. I also had a hunch the T18s would come from the south at Bush Point. Sure enough, I pulled up to the light house less than 5 minutes before Galiano popped up about 50 feet offshore, wow! They met up with the T65Bs just north of Bush Point then travelled north together. They passed by close to shore at Lagoon Point before pushing northwest towards Port Townsend. -Rachel Haight
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17:24 - [orcas] Heading south again from Lagoon Point. -Deb Barge
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At 16:48 Kit Turner, Lagoon Point, Whidbey called to report seeing the group of 3 (2 large and 1 smaller), presume the 65Bs, steadily traveling north, out from the south end of Lagoon Point on the Marrowstone side.
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~18:05 - Turned around at Bush Pt. and headed back north to Lagoon Point, then set their sights on a course toward the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
17:20 - David Haeckel called to report the T65Bs are headed south again from Lagoon Point. They looked to be headed for Fort Casey but then turned around. They are now at harbor entrance at Lagoon Point southbound.
16:40 - Still out from the harbor entrance at Lagoon Point, mid channel going north.
16:15 - they are here! [off of South Whidbey State Park per map]
---- It's been a while since I've had a chance to see Orcas from land. Today, got a chance to see the T65Bs from Lagoon Point. While there, they went north, then south, then north again! What a treat! -David Haeckel
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15:45 - [orcas] Seeing some blows at south end of Marrowstone Island (looking from Lagoon Point), definitely on the west side of Admiralty, northbound - 3:45 pm. -Jill Hein
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12:56 - T65Bs still northbound off Bush Point. Viewing from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express, but we are leaving the scene now.
12:35 - These are the T65Bs, 3 orcas. 65B, 65B1, 65B2. Northbound off Bush Point. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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12:20 - Now about a mile further north. PSE boat is with them.
11:55 - [orcas] They are now 2 miles south of Bush Point. On the Whidbey side of the shipping channel. Heading steadily N. -Mike Meyer
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Kim Paige called at 10:14 to report 3 orcas (1 male, 2 females) Admiralty Inlet at mouth of Hood Canal, on west side of Admiralty heading northbound fairly quickly.
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Fri, Sept 3 - North Puget Sound/Saratoga Passage to Possession (T65As)
19:20 - Moving pretty quickly well past Possession Point heading southwest in Possession triangle. Towards Kitsap side.
19:05 - [orcas] Passing by Chennault Beach now. Closer to Whidbey side of channel. -Alice Thuy Talbot
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18:39 - Orca sighting. Southbound between Clinton and Mukilteo. Able to see between Columbia Beach and Glendale. Looks like at least 3, with 2 surfacing. -Kristen Wagner-Patterson
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18:22 - Maija Holston, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: [MV} CHELAN 1822 hrs 9/3 Master reports 2 orca whales 1/2 mile from CLIN [Clinton] dock headed SB. -
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18:23 - One male sb from Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. -Joe Dreimiller
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(~18:50) 19:05 - [orcas] I just saw one about 15 min ago right off of Muk shore on Marine View Dr. I heard it first and looked down and there it was. It went down and it's been down for a while, so I've lost it. -Jodi Krause Poissant
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18:22 - The ferry has rumbled to a slow lope approaching Clinton and announced the orcas to the south of the boat. See you at Glendale! -Durand Dace
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16:33 - T65A4 and T65A6 finished off the hunt of a seal and they are eating it right now. Milling. Viewing from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express. [NW of Hat/Gedney Island] -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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15:41 - T65A2 has passed Sandy Point southbound. There were two whales ahead of him traveling together plus one single whale ahead of them. Brief surface action. Whidbey side of mid channel. -Sandra Pollard
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15:23 - Single male southbound towards Camano Head, closer to Camano side. -Katie Watkins, Langley Whale Center/Orca Network
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15:00 - Whale sighting; Sept 3, 2021; 3pm; west side of Baby Island. We were heading to Holmes Harbor and spotted the pod! How exciting to see them today!!!! They were just offshore. I grabbed my camera and started shooting. Here are some of the photos I took! -Jan Willis [another report has them between Lowell Point and Fox Spit at 13:52, which fits with overall reporting/timing -gs]
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14:45 - [orcas] Confirmed still heading south, a couple miles south of Holmes Harbor on the Whidbey side. -Ryan Wright
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18:50 - Middish channel south of Glendale Beach and north of Possession Beach Park, SB.
18:20 - Now south of Clinton/Muk ferry lanes, Whidbey side of mid channel sb.
17:49 - Viewing from southend Brighton Beach, orcas middish channel past SE end of Hat Island. Sb quickly.
16:00 - Somewhat bunched up out from Winery off Witter Rd., which is off Wilkinson Rd., possibly on a kill. Still on Whidbey side but out a bit. Can't give a direction right now. Milling for the time being.
14:44 - Big Boy closer to Whidbey and others middish channel possibly Cam side of. SB. Have just passed south end of Bells Beach.
14:25 - Marilyn Armbruster texted to report the T65As are at the north end of Bells Beach very close to Whidbey heading southbound. -Marilyn Armbruster
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13:52 - Between Lowell Point and Fox Spit, closer to Whidbey. Still SB.
13:19 - Still slowly southbound off Camano Island State Park, now moving away from Camano.
12:53 - [orcas] Visible from Camano Island State Park, just now rounding the point between the parks close to Camano. Still southbound. -Serena Tierra
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12:50 - T65A's still slowly south, just south of Cama Beach headed toward Camano State Park/Lowell Point. -Tyson Paker Reed, Naturalist, Island Adventures
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12:40 - 4 orcas off Cama Beach, Camano Island. Southbound. -Kelly Rader
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12:20 - [orcas] At least three right off Cama Beach. They are heading south but they're moving more parallel so hard to say for sure. -Aaron Gill
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09:50 - Single large orca passing Woodland Beach, Camano. Cruising slowly northbound. There may be more, but our bluff trees are blocking view. -Krista Paulino
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Fri, Sept 3 - Puget Sound/Bainbridge Is. to Port Townsend (T18s) - 19:23 - [orcas] Viewing from Ft Casey. Closer to Port Townsend. -Erika Hansen
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19:08 - San Juan Clipper found them mid channel and left them pointed toward Point Wilson. -Stephanie Raymons, Naturalist
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18:20 - Numbers are good but will check ID's later, T18s and T65Bs northbound close to shore, Lagoon Point, northbound.
18:10 - Approaching Lagoon Point...65Bs may have joined, not sure yet. Northbound.
17:50 - T18s passed close to shore, Bush Pt., northbound. -Rachel Haight
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~16:00 - I had arrived over at my parents' property Wednesday evening after dark. … Jump to Friday afternoon around 4pm… Their property is in a small community of North Kingston, WA. … I was just relaxing and enjoying the afternoon sunshine and glanced up at the water and saw the unmistakable black dorsal fins of orcas come up out of the water. I leaped up out of the lounge chair faster than I have in probably my life. I grabbed my camera which is always out on the deck with me. I bolted down the stairs and running into the house to announce to everyone that there were orcas off the property like a ten-year-old excited on Christmas morning because Santa brought him his number one gift. My Mom was the only one awake and my dad was off doing an errand. I took a few photos from the house deck and then decided I'd have a better vantage point from the property edge. I figure they were upwards of a mile offshore moving north. There was a lead boat and a whale watching boat behind at a safe distance. -Brendan Ramsey
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15:28 - T18s northbound from the spot on my map [around Eglon] on the Kitsap side. Viewed from MV Saratoga, Puget Sound Express, but we are leaving to look for more. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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16:10 - T18s past Norwegian Park. 410 pm. Kitsap side still but moving pretty fast and lots of downtime.
16:02 - They came fairly close by PNP, but they are past there now.
15:25 - Still continuing north to Point No Point.
15:00 - [orcas] Directly out from Eglon beach now. 300 pm. Still northbound. Closer to Kitsap side. Saratoga is following now. Saw 4. -Tisa Annette
photo - T19C ID GS
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14:30 - Large male seems to have split from the rest of the group just as they passed Apple Tree Cove with sightline to Edmonds - he is now NB heading to Eglon and we haven't been able to re-spot the rest of the group of 3-4. 2:30pm.
14:20 - Passing Apple Tree Cove, 2:20, nb, westside.
14:10 - Eyes on, approaching Apple Tree Pt. There were 4-5 individuals traveling close together at that time.
----We tracked the one boy towards Eglon and lost the rest between 2:20-2:30 from Apple Tree Pt. -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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13:59 - [orcas] 3 spotted near Kingston ferry docks headed north. -Jenny Klis
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13:58 - Two or three orcas, Kingston, Apple Tree Cove. -Julia Miller
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14:09 - They were angling towards Edmonds but have since turned north west again, steady pace.
13:56 - Two of this group heading steadily northwest, lost track of one of the boys...
13:53 - Puyallup ferry stopped just before dock for whales. They are heading southwest in the bay by dock.
13:34 - All T18's accounted for, milling just south of Kingston ferry dock on edge of shipping lanes.
13:30 - T19B near Kingston, circling, no sign of other family members yet. -Janine Harles
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12:15 - Chilkat Express left them eastbound in Port Madison where the pin post is [northern]. Christopher Lewman, PSE
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11:26 - [orcas] One group is just off Fay Bainbridge right now with a WW boat with them, still heading north. They were moving pretty quickly…-Kevin Green
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10:05 - Just between Yeomalt and Wing Point. Trending north along Bainbridge. There was another group moving north in central Sound. I saw at least two, one bull. They were about parallel if not a little north in mid channel between Yeomalt and West Point. -Matt McCulloch
[per review of Matt's video: "Looks probable for the T18s" -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network]
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At 09:55 Donna Sanders, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: [MV] Walla Walla Master reports 3 orca heading North East just outside of BI. [Bainbridge Island, likely near Eagle Harbor]
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~09:30 - ~09:30 sighting: At 10:55 Ken Preston, Sgt of the Yukon, called to report seeing orcas earlier around 09:30 while anchored off Blakely Rock, Bainbridge. Ken was approached by 2 mature orcas, 1 female & 1 male. The pair made numerous passes close to the boat, at times within 4-5 feet, both submerged and at surface. They'd then circle out around 100 yards then approach again, he thinks seal was near. It seemed like they weren't going to leave him alone so he left, they did not follow him. He is happy to see orcas at a distance, but 4-5 feet was little bit unnerving. Orcas looked plump and in good condition. As he was leaving the rock, he encountered two porpoise reported as Dall's, but he did not see white markings so can't say for sure if Dall's porpoise, he saw two more once he was at Blake Island, both at 200 yards, and both pairs circling around as if fishing. [he was not familiar with harbor porpoise and thought likely them since no white seen -alb]
Email Follow-up: Hello, I called in a sighting of two adult orcas, male and female at Blakely Rock, off Bainbridge Island this morning at about 0930. I'm embarrassed by my overall failure to get any good photographs, but I'm not accustomed to being so close to such large creatures. They both (separately) made many passes at my anchored boat (15.5' long cabin skiff) at very close quarters. . .mostly closer than 10 feet and only in about 10 feet of water. Anyway, here are the only three photos that might possibly have some identifying marks. The male's dorsal fin seems un-marked, but the female's does have a small nick in the edge, which might be useful. Both of them had some very minor scratches on their backs but I didn't get any useable photos looking down on their backs as they passed. . .I don't think you'll get anything from the photo of the flukes and I'm only fairly certain that was the male. He'd just finished a close-up pass and then went off in that general direction. . .but really it could have been the lady just as well. -Ken Preston
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Fri, Sept 3 - Puget Sound/Rich Passage to Admiralty Inlet (T37As, T137s)
19:35 - Second group a mile behind first group, closer to Whidbey side. Northbound. No males.
19:25 - Beautiful backlit blows heading north up Admiralty just north of Bush Point, midchannel. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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18:38 - [orcas] Passing Double Bluff right along the beach heading north...-Janine Harles
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17:45 - T37As northbound into Useless Bay. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, PSE
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16:48 - [orcas] Viewing from Eglon now. 448pm. Closer to Kitsap side. Still heading north towards Point No Point. -Tisa Annette
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16:20 - Passed Apple Tree Point. 2 males, 1 female. Males were west side of shipping lanes, female closer in. Heading towards Point No Point, steady travel. -Sara Frey
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16:07 - [orcas] About 5 minutes ago, saw 2 pass Kingston/Edmonds ferry docks heading north. -Lizzie Ulrich
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16:18 - Smaller one separated from males now hanging back closer to shore toward Rose Point, 4:18.
16:00-16:10 - At least two males plus 1 nb passing Apple Tree Pt. 4:00-410 pm, west side, steady travel heading to Eglon. -Donna Van Renselaar
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15:30 - [orcas] From Kingston ferry dock. Seem to be in the middle of the channel still headed north towards Edmonds. -Jenny Klis
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14:20 - A group of at least 4, maybe 5, heading north very close to the shore on Bainbridge side toward Fay Bainbridge. Looks like one male and probably a juvenile in the group. -Heather Parr
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14:15 - Left T137s at 215 pointed towards Port Madison and just north of Skiff Point. Second group headed south. -David Scott
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14:14 - [orcas] Two traveling north toward Fay Bainbridge...-Barbara Rusinko
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13:28 - Now north of Wing Point moving fast nb, west side of channel.
13:12 - Two orcas nb at Eagle Harbor, Bainbridge side, view from 64th and Alki. (Actually 3, one male 2 smaller orcas.) -Mary Hartmann
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17:23 - Saw 2 split up groups. Spotted 2-3 passed around PNP going north/northwest, moving quickly, trending towards west Whidbey side, including 1 male and 2 females. Another lone one was spotted between PNP and south Whidbey moving east.... Spoke with another observer who said they saw it flip salmon in the air. Do not know which direction the lone one ended up going!
15:21 - The 6-7 passed Point Jefferson and are headed northbound quickly mid to closer east channel, possibly trending towards Edmonds if they go east side of channel.
15:08 - Viewing 6-7 from Point Jefferson. Grouped back together. Trending east towards Shoreline, look to be heading north, northeast a bit closer to Shoreline. Just saw a spyhop!
13:28 - We were with Noelle Morris and they (137s & 37As) were trending northeast when they left Manchester/Rich Passage. Looked to be headed up Bainbridge, so may be some of the ones who were passing Wing Point hugging Bainbridge going north at 13:28 as sighted by someone else? -Jessica Richter
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12:02 - [orcas] Spotted them from Manchester State Park. Close to Bainbridge shore. -Steve Herron
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11:33 - [orcas] MV Chimacum sighting enroute to Seattle. Western entrance to Rich Passage. Bainbridge side. -Eric Newcomer
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11:25 - [orcas] They're off Lytle Beach near the red buoy milling around. -Robin Warshaw
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11:17 PDT - Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 47.59210,-122.57000 [Point White/Rich Passage] - Number Sighted: 6 - -Charisa Moore - Whale Alert App
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11:17 - They are slowly approaching Manchester Park, traveling eastbound [out] of the passage hugging the Bainbridge side. -Ryan Richter
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10:50 - [orcas] Looks like they went SE around Point White back into Rich Passage. -Miriam Lau
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11:37 - Rich Passage group moving very slowly southbound toward BI fish farm, east of mid channel.
10:50 - Orcas moving south into Rich Passage. -Sue Larkin
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10:45-11:45 - I don't have a very powerful camera on my phone….sorry this was the best I could do… partial fin of largest orca… looked like 2 adults and 2 juveniles… hugging the Port Orchard side, then crossed the passage to Fort Ward side. Never got very close to where I was standing. Ferries are being extremely cautious. At least one recreational boater was cited and ticketed for passing too close… I'm guessing that was the Bainbridge Police marine patrol who watched after them through most of their journey out of the passage. Thank you! -Deborah
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The Gods (especially Neptune) smiled upon me today. I checked Orca Network this morning and found that there were Orcas close by. Found them by Bremerton and watched them from required distances for about 1 1/2 hours. Just finished tying back up to the mooring buoy and they started coming my way. Please excuse the salty language. This truly made my day. This was between BI and Illahee. [video] https://www.facebook.com/scott.macdonald.564/posts/10224213717323751 -Scott MacDonald
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~10:00-10:15 - Seen from Illahee State Park around 10-10:15 AM. -Benjamin Sy
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11:00 - We left the T37As and T137s southeast-bound. See my map [northernmost point of Manchester S.P. in Rich Passage].
10:25 - T37As and T137s are milling. See my map [mid-channel between Enetai and Illahee S.P.]. -Bart Rulon, Naturalist, Puget Sound Express
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10:21 - Between Point White dock and Illahee.
09:51 - [orcas] Near Illahee now. -Linda Pedersen Thompson
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10:16 - They are still there just going in circles.
09:36 - [orcas] They are going north between Bremerton and Bainbridge. [Viewing from Illahee State Park. Orcas on Bainbridge side per map]. -Alayna Oury Vuylsteke
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12:27 - Just got out of Rich Passage, hugging close to fish pens, southbound, Bainbridge side.
10:04 - Looks like they might have had a kill, lots of tail slapping in front of Illahee.
09:52 - Milling right at entrance to Port Orchard Passage between Bainbridge and Illahee.
09:09 - Cruised past the ferry at Bremerton headed up Dyes Inlet. -Noelle Morris
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08:56 - [orcas] Just passed Bremerton Marina heading towards Dyes Inlet. -Crystal Delahanty
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08:45 - I see sprays! They are leaving Port Orchard headed towards Bremerton. They're in the ferry's route.
08:38 - They were exploring the bay. I last saw them closer to the shipyard.
08:27 - [orcas] No less than 7 near the Bremerton shipyard. -Brandi Marie
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10:18 - Still in the same place. Saratoga just showed up.
10:00 - They have been in the same place for the last 20 minutes, I believe making a kill just off the point of Bainbridge Island just inside Rich Passage.
09:50 - Viewing from Illahee, close to the Bainbridge shore, look like they might be hunting, lots of circular directional changes.
09:25 - They passed Manette about 5 minutes ago heading north.
08:40 - Heading back out, approaching Bremerton Marina on the Bremerton side.
08:20 - They're moving slowly along the line of boats up against the Port Orchard side, past marina, moving deeper into the harbor. I counted at least six whales. -Jim Pasola
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08:06 - [orcas] Currently off the Annapolis dock on the Port Orchard side. Viewing from Bachmann Park, looks like 3-4 whales. (slightly towards Port Orchard at 8:09). -Chris Waldbillig
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~07:18 - Orcas in Rich Passage Sept 3 about 7:18am. Heading from Point Glover towards Waterman Point. Hugging the Port Orchard side as they exited the passage. -Sandra P. Wilcox
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07:00 - Almost on my beach, 7 am, Rich Passage, heading northbound. Directly across from Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island. Close to me, Port Orchard side of Rich Passage. I've never seen them so close to my beach, in the shallow water! It was interesting the females were all close to my beach for a bit, the male(s) were out further. They all joined up when they got to my neighbors down a couple blocks. Fascinating! I just went out to lower my blinds on the deck and heard them, turned around and there they were! -Jan Fuller
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06:14 - Thanks to Noelle Morris for relaying a sighting from her neighbor Kim Norton who observed orcas off Manchester heading westbound into Rich Passage at 06:14 this morning. -photo (by Kim Norton)
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MINKE WHALES - Fri, Sept 3 - San Juan Islands - This is the Minke that was in Cattle Pass today! -Ezra Garfield
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Minke in Cattle Pass. Last sighted 13:20 milling on east side of Goose Island. -Stephanie Reiss

September 2
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 2 - San Juan Islands (L54s & L88) - 23:00 - Exhales are still present, but sound to be moving towards Salmon Bank. Seems like they are doing a big loop out there for the past 90+ minutes!
21:45 - Hearing exhales and occasional tail slaps to the south of the mouth of Eagle Cove. 9:45PM. -Lodie Laurieanne Gilbert Budwill
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17:20 - NW of Hein Bank aiming slow NE towards Eagle Point
16:00 - L54s and L88 near Hein Bank heading north towards San Juan Island. -Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 2 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T60D & T60E) - We found Transient Killer Whales (T60's D&E) heading east past Sooke! Then we headed SW to find 8 Humpbacks feeding in the Juan De Fuca Strait...Another great day! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Thu, Sept 2 - South Puget Sound (T18s) - 21:00 - [orcas] A group went through Hale Passage, north side of Fox Island, at 9:00 pm last night [9/2]. Amazing to hear breathing and see their outlines in the dark. -Cindy Dille
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19:47 - South of Herron Island, east of Fudge Pt, 4 orcas (2 males) heading steadily south mid-channel. Long down times. Was out on a paddle-board; had no idea they were in the area until they surfaced nearby. Took a few pics with a compact camera in the fading light as the sun set. -Dave Berliner
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19:17 - [orcas] Saw a couple heading south from Harstine Island State Park at 7:17. -Lizzie Ulrich
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18:50 - Orcas continuing south in Case Inlet. Just passed the north tip of Herron Island. -Jerilyn Evans
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~18:30 - [Seen] from Grapeview looking southeast. This bunch was snacking in Allyn this afternoon. I loved seeing the mama and baby especially. -Cammy Malm LaRiviere
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18:20 - Looks like at least 2 big fins and one very small one milling around at the north end of Harstine Island….too far for pictures but decent view with binoculars. Heading south. -Sammy Malm LaRiviere
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18:15 - [orcas] We counted 4. 2 larger males and 2 smaller possible females. Just north of Herron Island. Still southbound. -Toni Hi
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16:57 - Seem to be milling around the same area. Boats all around.
16:45 - Three orca near north end of Treasure Island. Closer to Treasure Island side. -Beverly Lynch McCallum
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16:28 - Sitting at the kayak park in Allyn with binoculars...4:28pm,, 3 larger fins and long down times, now heading south out of inlet. -Bonnie Collins
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16:45 - Here [just south of Vaughn Bay] at 4:45 heading south
16:39 - They are milling around but look like they are heading south again
16:00 - [orcas] Just down from Allyn now, 4:00, I can see them hunting with binoculars. I'm standing on the pier watching. -Sarah Murphy
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14:44 - [orcas] They are diving and staying down for a long time. You might be able to see them from shore on the Key Peninsula, north of the Heron Island ferry dock. -T.j. Smith
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14:27 - [orcas] At the north tip of Herron Island, 2:27 PM. Headed northbound up Case Inlet. -Danielle Sayebrook
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14:25 - They are still heading north in Case Inlet, at the north end of Herron Island.
13:35 - [orcas] They committed to heading north in Case Inlet. Long dives. (Report relayed to me from a friend). -Kim Merriman
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12:50 - [orcas] Seeing 3 spread out and slowly moving to the Point between Johnson Pt. and Key Peninsula. -Joan Ahre
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12:11 - [orcas] 4 spotted heading towards Tolmie. -Stephanie Mballo
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12:09 - It looks like they stayed at this intersection for a while, occasionally popping up. Now slowly going up Nisqually Reach.
12:00 - [orcas] Just saw one!! My first time! [SW of Treble Point, Anderson Island]. -Madelyn Vlas
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(~11:12) 12:12 - ]orcas] We saw them from Anderson Island straight across from Tolmie. They looked like they were heading north- about 45 to 60 minutes ago. -Jude Arvidson
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09:44 - [orcas] Going south of Ketron towards Nisqually. -Aimee Christine Lafave
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13:08 - They have been moving slowly all morning, I think I saw 2 kills. Took them over an hour to make it from north of McNeil to Anderson this morning.
09:10 - 4 orcas (2 large) southbound between McNeil and Anderson [Islands].
08:54 - Orcas are at the north end of McNeil Island moving slowly south. -Lisa Rockwell
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Thu, Sept. 2 - Possession Sound to Tacoma Narrows (T34s, T37s, T37As, T65As, T137s) - 20:45 - [orcas] Passed across Hale Passage, still SB in the fading light. "7:00 from Pt. Defiance Marina." -Stacey Crofoot
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19:44 - 5 orcas outside Gig Harbor. (Updated: There were 6 in all, one small juvenile. One huge one too.) -Liz Shute Mullin
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20:02 - There are orcas under the Narrows bridge. West side of bridge.
19:14 - Group of 6 heading southbound, back side of Point Defiance, heading towards Narrows 150 yards off PD side.
19:04 - Counted 5 female and 1 bull, milling near all the boats just north off Owens beach! -Tanner Sment
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19:00 - @7:00pm last night [9/2], midway between Point Defiance and the southwestern tip of Vashon, viewing from Dune Peninsula. -Glen Casebeer
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18:57-19:23 - I took some photos yesterday, 9/2/21, from Dune Peninsula in Tacoma, of 3-4 orcas passing through Dalco Passage and eventually going around Point Defiance and continuing on towards the Narrows. My first photo was taken at 6:57pm and the last photo I took of the day was at 7:23pm just before they passed the very tip of Point Defiance and continued south towards the Narrows Bridge. -Sally Milligan-Smith
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19:04 - Scratch that, milling at the point.
19:02 - Group that's closer to shore is nearing the point of Point Defiance heading towards Salmon Beach.
18:54 - Some are here [north of Pt. Defiance] heading SW, 6:54.
18:47 - [orcas] Midish channel heading SW from the Tahlequah ferry. -Jami Cantrell
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18:37 - [orcas] Viewing from Owen [Point Defiance] Marina, by container ship in front of Quartermaster Harbor saw 3 dorsal. Heading west. -Cherie St.Ours
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18:36 - T65A group, Yeomalt Point. -David Scott
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18:00 - Passed Gold Beach, grouped up travel mode southbound, Vashon side, Jack and one other closer to shore trailing about 5-10 min behind.----Here are the pics of the T137's and T37A's as they hugged the east side shores of the Island. They spent a lot of time hunting close to shore in the Glen Acres area, then meandered south following the curvature of the beaches all the way down the Island. The core group was loosely grouped up with T137A and T137D trailing 5-10 minutes behind scouring the shore, surprising all of us at times. -Marla Smith
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My favorites from Point Robinson. -Jami Cantrell
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17:25 - At least 7 orca southbound just off Point Robinson, approximately here: (47.3785221, -122.3817351). -Raphael Fennimore
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17:14 - Chilkat Express left the T65As northbound just east of Blake Island. -Alex Patia
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~16:30 - North of Beals Point on Vashon Island (east side of island). Al least one large and one small killer whale. -Evy Horton
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16:10 - Passing Dilworth near Vashon shore, tightly grouped. Southbound. -Cindy Eckes Waddington
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16:00 - At least five orca headed south along Vashon shoreline at Glen Acres. 4:00. -Richard Staehli
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16:15 - T37A's and 137's continued south. T34s, 37's and 65's turned north.
15:50 - Chilkat Express on scene. Currently milling in area. [NE Vashon] -Christopher Lewman, PSE
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14:55 - Supposed to be working, but... orcas. Looks like the T137s are in front of the T65As. Both pods trending south and appear to be hugging the eastern side of Vashon Island. Currently between Blake Island and Vashon Island.
14:45 - Watching from Salmon Creek, Shorewood on the Sound. Orcas are on the west side of ferry lanes, directly in the middle of Blake Island and trending south. Ferry, again, giving them wide berth. -Shari Tarantino
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14:58 - Closer to Vashon side headed S. I saw them well off the stern 300-400 yards. At least 2 large males.
14:45 - A group of 4-5 orcas passed within 20'-30' of Vashon/Fauntleroy ferry according to several onlookers and a ships officer. -Chris Wilke
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14:43 - Approaching Dolphin Point, sb. All I see are blows from Emma Schmitz. Still being followed by small boat way over on Vashon side.
14:28 - 6 to 8 orcas committed to east side of Vashon, just north of the ferry dock, seen from Emma Schmitz, closer to Vashon side. Southbound. -Mary Hartmann
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14:08 - [orcas] Several spotted midchannel northeast of Blake Island. -Jennifer Farley
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14:21 - There was a lot of splashing and tail lobbing like they'd found a meal, but now they seem SB again, very difficult to see even with binoculars. East side of Vashon.
14:05 - [orcas] They're north of north end of Vashon, SB, closer to west side. Can see from Constellation Park with binoculars. -Ray Shea
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14:01 - [orcas] Looks like 4 of them are mid channel off of Blakely Is. (seen from Me Kwa Mooks). Heading South. -Greg Snyder
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13:02 - At 13:12 John Miller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: KALEETAN Orca Report 9/2/2021 1302: Vessel reports via 800MHz they have slowed due to one orca between Alki Point and Duwamish Head. moving in a SB direction. Vessel reports another group of five animals further north, also moving in a SB direction.
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13:00 - [orcas] Off Blakely Rocks headed south - seen from Constellation Park. -David Smart
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12:14 - [orcas] More whales off Elliot Bay, in the traffic lanes. -Trevor Tillman
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13:00 - They are spread out now… 4? Still heading south [of Blakeley Rocks]. Midchannel. Still followed by San Juan Clipper.
12:52 - They are still a little north of the ferry as they are lining up. (It got a little confusing watching them. I lost track of the other one in lead as they started to turn north and milling around. The second group was easier to follow as they were closer to the Kitsap side. Last I saw the first group was northwest of elliot bay marina area. a possibility of what just happened was that the first group spotted by Elliot Bay Marina turned north & met with the trailing male and joined together at that point. The timing on that would make sense.)
12:47 - Heading towards the ferry leaving Seattle. Towards Alki now.
12:42 - Big male is trailing a little but the others are grouped tight. Out from Elliot Bay heading south still.
12:38 - Southbound. Viewing from Pritchard Park. They might be split up. Seeing others…unsure of number yet. In front of San Juan clipper. Off Bainbridge. Closer to kitsap side.
12:19 - Only Saratoga is with them now… in front of Elliot Bay.
11:56 - [orcas] They are past Fay Bainbridge now & heading south. -Tisa Annette
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10:20 - Sara Frey called to report this group is off Apple Tree Point, Kingston in general, southbound. 1 male was in lead, not sure where he went, and 3-5 others (females & juveniles) slow southbound and engaged in a lot of surface activity including 4-5 spy hops. Maybe on a hunt? They are closer to the Kitsap side, west of the southbound shipping lanes.
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08:07 - At 08:14 Laura Baker, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: Whales spotted just off MUK dock. Log entry 0807hrs, 9/2: Vessel reports via 800MHz spotting 3-4 orca whales moving in a southbound direction located approximately 1 mile off the MUKILTEO dock.
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Fri, Sept 2 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - The fog lifted and we had the pleasure to visit some humpback whales west of Sooke today. -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photos - MMY0077 Entropy ID: GS - photo - BCZ0180 Monarch ID: GS
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Thu, Sept 2 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - We found Transient Killer Whales (T60's D&E) heading east past Sooke! Then we headed SW to find 8 Humpbacks feeding in the Juan De Fuca Strait...Another great day! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
photos - CRC-17360/MMY0063 Hornet ID: ALB - photo - CRC-13704/BCZ0180 Monarch ID: ALB

September 1
SOUTHERN RESIDENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 1 - Strait of Georgia/Pt. Roberts (J pod, L54s) - 11:18-16:48 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #62: "… Around 10:30, the whales were re-acquired off the coal docks north of Point Roberts. The team arrived on scene at 11:18 and began their encounter. When the team arrived, the whales were very spread out, generally heading northwest. The team first found a trio of whales, which turned out to be the J41s, including new calf J58. After this group passed the team, J40 and J53 began foraging in the area near the research vessel, followed by J46, J35 and new calf J57, also foraging, with J47 near by. J57 and J35 took a moment to socialize with each other near the boat for a before continuing on their way. J19 was the next whale encountered, followed by J45. The whales changed direction, and began moving southeast down the strait. The team spotted an adult male a few hundred yards away. A distant photo showed that this was L88, a slight surprise as previous reports of the group suggested it was only members of J pod. L88 joined up with J45, and the two males travelled together for a while. They were soon joined by a third whale, J46, who stayed in front of the two others. A short way ahead of this group, the team located J31 and J56. L88 broke off from J45 and J46 and began following this mother and daughter pair. The team moved over to a group of young whales and sprouters they had seen in the distance. They found J39, J44, L108, and L117, all young males, socializing together in a tight group. Ahead of them was a single female, L54, confirming that all members of the L54 subgroup were present with the J pod members. …" [See CWR Encounter #62 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-62 for full summary and photos]
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Wed, Sept 1 - Gulf Islands, B.C. (J pod) - J pod went north through Active Pass at 9:20 this morning. [video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9rjpIISsQs] -Rachelle Hayden, SSOS
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~09:20 - We were lucky to see a very spread-out J pod zoom through Active Pass around 9:20 this morning. They were moving quickly with the tide, porpoising in tight knit groups. A breach, a spy hop, and a tail slap but not much other activity. Photos taken from the shore of Galiano Island. -A couple of clips from Gary's video: https://youtu.be/DS9drGwOXDE Karoline Cullen
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Wed, Sept 1 - Haro Strait (J pod) - 03:52 - Orcas on hydrophone at Lime Kiln. From Land Bank they sound spread out. This is AMAZING. -Matty Leaman
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03:50 - Calls stopped just as abruptly as they started ~3:50, a few faint vocals after that. A kazoo party of S4s that is J-Pod!
03
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:30 - Echolocation on the LK hydrophone followed by SRKW calls starting at ~3:40. -Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 1 - NPS/North Admiralty to South Whidbey (T34s, T37s, T37As, T65As, T137s)
20:20 - Losing light but they are still in the same spot. I really haven't had to move my telescope at all. Milling.
19:40 - The trailing group still eating in same spot. Lots of little birds hovering above now to pick up some scraps.
19:10 - Actually, trailing group probably has 6-7 orcas and splashing around. Likely hunting now kind of circling around.
19:05 - There's a smaller group trailing about 1/4 mile behind with maybe 4ish orcas also.
19:00 - Lots of blows maybe 6 orcas? In the wide waters south of Whidbey. Mid channel heading south towards Edmonds/Kingston ferry. -Alice Thuy Talbot
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17:10 - Left orcas at 5:10, viewing from Point No Point. Still heading south, mid channel......out near Edmonds, as much as I can tell. (Viewing @PNP with binoculars from distance) Several individuals plus looked like 2 bulls. -Katherine Crossett Montalvo
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~16:30 - Point No Point, Hansville, WA on Sept 1, 2021, about 4:30pm: pod of maybe 3-4 Orca heading south past the lighthouse, came within a few dozen yards at the closest. V. cool! -Scott Kuykendall
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~16:00 - Hi, Reporting seeing orca whales breaching near the safety fairway point marker near 47 degrees 55 minute north and 122 deg 35 minutes west. We were sailing J40 "White Rabbit" and stayed well clear…Yes, it was Admiralty Inlet near Hansville area. It was Friday afternoon about 4pm. Thanks! -Jessica Ainsworth
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13:40 - Large group surfaced together heading south 2.5 miles from shore, 1 mile south of Bush Point. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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14:00 - They are now about 2.5 miles south of Bush Point. Slowly drifting south. A little on the west side of the main shipping channel.
13:20 - [orcas] They are pretty tight bunched together, mid channel a little south of Bush Point. They seem to be headed toward the Kitsap side, maybe. -Mike Meyer
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13:20 - Whales have passed Bush Point, steady southbound, mid-channel.
----A quick dash to Bush Point was rewarded by sight of the T18s passing close to shore at speed, the tide in their favor, before fast receding into the distance as they continued on their southbound travels in Admiralty Inlet. photos - by RJ Snowberger: "The distinctive T19B (Galiano), with his tall dorsal fin leaning to the left." -Sandra Pollard
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13:09 - [orcas] Watching from Sandpiper Rd, just south of Bush Point. Clipper is with them. At least 2 big males. -Wendy Sines, Orca Network
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12:19 - Kit Turner called to report this group of orcas off the north end of Lagoon Point, heading southbound on the Whidbey side of Admiralty. She sees at least 8 orcas.
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12:19 - And the 137s! -Brian McGinn
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12:13 - This group #2 is now southbound near Lagoon Point. It is the T34s, T37 w/37As & 37Bs and T65As. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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12:03 PDT - Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.12162,-122.60176 [N of Lagoon Point] - Number Sighted: 2 -Joseph Rush - Whale Alert App
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11:06 - Big pod of orcas in front of Casey Campground heading west. -Sandy Willoughby
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9:06 PDT - Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.03991,-122.59787 [N of Bush Pt] - Number Sighted: 3 -Joseph Rush - Whale Alert App
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Wed, Sept 1 - Admiralty Inlet to North Vashon (T18s) - 19:15 - [orcas] Just saw about four sprays from blow holes. They are way out by the south end of Blake Island. -Gina Cunningham
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19:34 - They're past the Vashon Ferry Terminal, now in the west side of the shipping lane.
19:27 - They are almost past the halfway point between Blake and Vashon. Still trending south. On east side of ferry lanes.
19:22 - I lost the lead bull. But the others are mid channel at the south end of Blake Island.
19:15 - Two or three more mid channel in front of Blake Island. Ferry gave them wide berth. Heading south.
19:01 - Lone bull between Blake Island and Vashon Island, trending south, west side of channel. -Shari Tarantino
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18:54 - [orcas] Seeing two dead center point of east side of Blake heading south. -Mickiala Gonzales
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18:53 - North of Southworth dock now on Kitsap side moving NW away from Constellation Park.
18:48 - [orcas] Between Vashon and Southworth, mid channe,l trend north. They've been zig zag SW to NW from Constellation Point for 40 minutes. -Mary Hartmann
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18:42 - Still headed SW towards Southworth.
18:15 - [orcas] Very close pass, Constellation Park, now headed west between Vashon and Blake, mid channel. Slow milling. -Sonya Chin
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18:15 - [orcas] Spotted one near Alki, West Seattle. What a cool experience to witness!!!! -Addis Gezahegn
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~18:00 - The orcas made a fairly close pass along Alki Beach around 6pm. I saw approximately 3-4 dorsal fins. I first spotted them from Alki Ave. SW near 63rd Ave. SW. They swam up to the little boat off the right side. -Lorrie Scott Cardoso
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17:56-18:02 - T18 orca pod off Alki between 61st and 64th SW 17:56 to 18:02 September 1, 2021. I think we have 4 members in this pod, 2 big males and 2 smaller orcas. This is the same group off Duwamish head earlier (17:36).
17:36 - Close pass off Duwamish Head, 17:36 ,September 1. Two large males and couple of smaller orcas. I believe 4 total…-Robin Sinner
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17:54 - [orcas] Directly out from Alki Beach close to shore… seeing blows from Sea-BI ferry. -Sue Larkin
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17:50 - [orcas] Directly in front of Alki Beach, heading west. -Paul Steyn Benade
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17:50 - [orcas] About 3-500 yards off Alki Beach, we're at 56th and they were NW of us headed southwest following the shore. -Deb Effron Holbrook
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17:43 - Fairly close to Alki Beach now heading Southwest again.
17:34 - Just turned back towards Seattle skyline.
17:31 - going southwest, almost to Alki now.
16:47 - [orcas] Heading south, 4:47. A little over halfway to Elliott Bay Marina. -Brian Hollomon
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16:40 - Today at 4:40 from West Point Lighthouse moving south toward West Seattle on west side of the shipping lanes. -Bill Barks
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~16:30 - Orcas South of West Point. I and many folks at the beach and on the bluff saw three orcas frolicking about 300 yards SE of West point for at least a half hour around 430 pm today. Looks like they may have been doing that bubble fishing thing a couple times as I noticed them swimming in a tight circle on the surface of maybe 30-50 feet in diameter for 30 seconds or so with much white water in the center. Other times they would jump out of the water a bit or thrash around but mostly they were just swimming around and hanging out. They seemed to then head into Elliot Bay and came within a quarter mile of the SW corner of Elliot Bay Marina. We drove to an overlook on Magnolia Drive and I think I saw them then heading straight south towards Luna Pt. in W Seattle but they were far away by then and I'm not sure. There was a ~45' powerboat and a ~40' sailboat watching this event as well from several hundred yards away, too. -Eric (no last name provided)
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16:26 - Discovery Park! Milling! Viewing from Sandy Beach 7! South side! -Mykayla Kelley
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15:55 - Should be right off Discovery Point.
15:53 - [orcas] Straight out from Shilshole Bay, east of mid channel, still southbound. Possible hunting action in the shallows! -Sandra Prow
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17:25 - Now skirting around Elliot Bay, southbound directly towards Alki!
17:11 - SB into Elliot Bay - Magolia Park!
15:29 - Golden Gardens, southbound past green buoy!!! At least 3, 1 male!! -Tanner Sment
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14:15 - [orcas] Seeing 2 off of Point Wells!! Heading south!! Woohoo!! -Joni Barnes Pollino
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14:14 - [orcas] Approaching Kayu Kayu now!! -Bekki Bielas
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15:14 - They passed Carkeek, still heading south.
15:04 - Approaching Carkeek, they are on a dive..
14:54 - So close to shore! Heading very slowly to Carkeek...
14:42 - They slowed a bit but now seem to be continuing south, a couple close to shore, heading to Carkeek. Definitely in hunting mode...
14:30 - Passing Richmond Beach...
14:24 - Approaching Richmond Beach. They are split up a bit, a few heading closer to shore, really long dives.
14:15 - Approaching Kayu Kayu, in close to shore.
14:04 - Kayu Kayu [Ac Park] would be a good spot to view, they are going in closer to Point Wells as they approach.
14:02 - [orcas] Almost to Point Wells, on a deep dive, still heading south. -Janine Harles
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13:56 - [orcas] Just saw them from the ferry! On south side I think past the fishing pier. -Anne Sesnak
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~13:54 - On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at around 1:54 pm, at Mukilteo Beach we spotted a small pod of orcas headed north. -Howie Silver
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13:41 - We were just at Brackett's Landing [Edmonds]. My family and I were blessed to see three orcas right outside of the dive park, one beautiful huge male. (Updated: At 13:41 and they were headed south towards Bainbridge.) -Jenny Williams
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13:38 - Viewing from Sunset Ave. Looks like they made a kill. Currently milling. Trending south towards ferry lanes, mid closer to Edmonds side. -Tamara Kelley-Woods
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13:37 - At 14:00 John Miller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: [MV] PUYALLUP - Orca Report 9/1/2021 1337hrs: Vessel reports via 800MHz three (3) orca meandering off the Edmonds Dive Park. No particular direction of travel.
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13:59 - They came around the corner really close to the breakwater at Marina Beach, swam along the beach and then disappeared for a little bit, reappearing further off the shore. Still steady southbound.
13:10 - North of Sunset Ave. in Edmonds, very close to Edmonds side. Southbound.
13:23 - [orcas] Just north and along the outer edge of the Underwater Park. -Michelle Goll
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13:48 - Edmonds ferry now whale watching.
13:30 - Now 2 off Edmonds ferry still heading south.
12:38 - 2 heading south off Haines wharf. (200 yards from the beach. 1 male. Perhaps 4 total, they were spread apart and not surfacing often.) -Ken Richmond
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11:42 - Headed south and possibly east.
11:34 - 3 orcas passing Possession Point. One small fin two BIG fins. -Moira Whidby
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11:56 - I see two fins about 1/4 mile apart? Changing directions but seem to be going south again. They're being stealthy, hard to keep track.
11:48 - Currently aimed right towards me in Chennault Beach. Looks like they are coming north and east now.
11:34 - [orcas] I see them south of Possession Point. Heading southeast, 1134. -Alice Thuy Talbot
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11:11 - [orcas] Just passed southbound between Point No Point and Maxwelton about 5 minutes ago. -Jayn Goldsen
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09:30 - Text received by Trent Schneider at 09:30 from earlier sighting at Bush Point (video he included shows 2 bulls): "Went over to Bush Point and spotted the orcas. Moving quickly southbound. I'm at Robinson Beach now to see if I can spot them again."
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10:35 - We saw them again shortly at Double Bluff (10:35), just east of the north point of Useless Bay. They were pointed into the bay, but not committed.
09:26 - Big guy just came around the corner of Shore Meadows, Mutiny Bay. -Katie Watkins, Langley Whale Center/Orca Network
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09:38 - Viewing from Shore Meadows, the group of 3 including 2 large males (T18's maybe?) have passed at speed, continuing southbound with purpose. Still mid-channel north of green buoy. -Sandra Pollard
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9:30 - [orcas] 2 miles south of Bush Point. Still heading purposefully south. They are on the Whidbey side of the shipping channel. There might be more than three. -Mike Meyer
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09:09 - The Scotts just called to report the pod of 3 orcas, including male, just went by the lighthouse at Bush Point, very close to shore still southbound.
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08:52 - [orcas] Heading south about 300 yards off shoreline. Traveling about 4kts halfway between Lagoon and Bush Point. Long down times. -Sadie Youngstrom
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08:51 - 3-4 orcas traveling southbound south of Lagoon Point very close on Whidbey side, one very large male, couple others with. Heading directly toward Bush Point at this moment. -Mike Wait
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08:40 - My son just called me about orcas at Lagoon Point southbound close in to Whidbey. They were moving fast so no pictures. -Patricia Prochaska
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08:39 - Kit Turner called to report at least 3 orcas, including large bull, at the entrance to Lagoon Point, Whidbey, now would be at south Lagoon Point. They were very close to shore heading southbound.