Support Orca Network - Webshop & Membership

Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Related Resources  & Links

NEW Federal
Orca - Vessel Law

Be Whale Wise

WA State Vessel Law

Whales and Dolphins BC

December 14

4:36 - Just saw them from Lincoln Park. They were going north.
Chris Way

4:30 - Mid channel, directly West of Lowman. Too dark to see much. Until we meet again!
Barbara Bonner

4:18 - They're directly west out from Lincoln Park as the sun sets.
Brian N Nicole Jenkins

From yesterday off Lincoln Park as the sun started to go down. So incredible! Photo by Barbara Bonner, December 14, 2013.

4:35 - Still watching here in the dark! They started moving north and are heading toward Alki from Lincoln Park.
3:47 - At Colman pool, Lincoln Park - many (15-20?) - right between here and N tip of Vashon, heading slowly N. No breaches or tail slaps, just lots of beautiful dorsals!
Trileigh Tucker

3:17 - from Fauntleroy ferry. Almost positive it's Blackberry J27. Photo by Jessica Pagan, December 14, 2013.

3 pm - I am at Lincoln Park and can still see them. It's almost like they have completely stopped moving, resting now.
Meghan Finley

2:40 -  Just south of the Vashon ferry lanes, still heading north.
Jessica Pagan

From the ferry. Photo by Melissa Bird, December 14, 2013.

From the ferry. Photo by Melissa Bird, December 14, 2013.

From yesterday's ferry encounter. It was great to meet everyone on the ferry & at Lowman. Photo by Melissa Bird, December 14, 2013.

2:39 - Just now visible from the south end of Lincoln park. Not to Fauntleroy dock yet but visible from just near it.
Ian Willson

2:21 - slower now (if that's possible), still northbound at north end of Arroyo, too far to see now.
2:03 - still slowly northbound passing Arroyo Beach, closer to east side.
1:37 - I've been watching and filming them at Dilworth for a while. Definitely were resting and northbound, then woke and turned south for a few minutes, now resting northbound again.
Meg McDonald - WildNorthwestBeautyPhotography

Southern Resident Killer Whales: Sleeping in the Salish Sea (HD) Video by Meg McDonald, Wild Northwest Beauty Photography, December 14, 2013.

12:38 - Just watched several spouts for about 10 minutes just south of Three Tree Point. The spouts were much closer to Vashon and heading northerly.
Jill Clogston

1:03 - Still off Dilworth, heading north. They're slow!
12:28 - Definitely heading north, very slowly. Watching them from Dilworth.
Jessica Pagan

12:33 - 10 or 12 seen going slowly north as seen from 3 Tree Point. Babies too
12:06 - From three tree point it seems they are much closer to the Vashon shore.
James Branson

11:55 - We are seeing them from pt Robinson around dilworth or so close to the Vashon side direction is up in the air. Lots of fins and spouts.
Anna Stuart Olive

1:13 - Leaving them now still moving slow straight out from Dilworth point. Should hit Fauntleroy ferry in 1/2 to 1 hour depending on if they pick up speed.
12:38 - Slow as molasses...mid channel. North bound off Dilworth.
10:50 - Can see B. Can't tell if they turned.
11:47 - They are close to Dilworth but we can't see direction.
Amy Carey

11:43 am - They are north of Des Moines they are all clumped together they are moving super slow it looks like they're heading north but almost stationary and they're all really tightly packed together.
10:53 - They look like they are still heading south straight across from Normandy Park Beach on Vashon side.
10:48 - I see them from Normandy Park beach. They are straight across on the Vashon side.
Tanya Jackson Esparza

10:16 - I saw at least seven near Burien headed south.
James Branson

10 am - Southbound. Leaders near the yellow channel marker past three tree point.
Amy Carey

9:37 - Orca spotted headed South along Vashon Island. Just Passes Dilworth Point. Spread out about 1/4 mi. (yippee)
Jan Kubat Staehli

9:28 - Faunterloy headed south.
Jamie Grundhauser

9:25 - WSB saying they're heading south past Lincoln Park!
9 am - A friend just posted that she's seen orcas this morning by the Fauntleroy ferry dock, "playing" and heading south. Not sure exactly when; will let you know as soon as I can find out.
Trileigh Tucker

8:15 - 2 orca heading south 2-300 yards off the Fauntleroy ferry dock.
Trev Dellinger

Report of 10 orcas (most likely transient) off Gabriola Island near Nanaimo BC at 3:15 PM by VMSA researcher Kelsey Cullen.

Josh McInnes

Jefferson Point (about 2 miles south of the Kingston ferry dock), 2:30 pm (while J and K pods were between W. Seattle and Vashon Island) - females had a large sea lion that they were playing with. Seemed to be teaching their younger ones. Sea lion got away and headed for the beach and whales stayed only 20 yards away watching him. Don't know the outcome but probably not in the sea lion's favor, he looked beat up and tired. Lasted about 2 hours.

Large male 25 yards off beach showed off his moves for us, doing all kinds of tail slapping, breaching, slow barrel roles and other fun. Always stayed about 100 yards away from the females playing with the sea lion.

Whitney Sackman

Approximately 8-12 orcas were off President's Point for approximately 1 1/2 hours. One observer (a former Alaska fisherman) said they were training their young to hunt. A sea lion was injured or killed as they breached, swam in a circle, and hunted. Approximately 4:20 p.m. the orcas swam north toward Whidbey Island.

Pam Wilson

3:40 - I'm looking west with binocs from north beach at the shore line south of apple tree cove at a very active group maybe only 100yds off shore. There's a lucky bunch of watchers on that beach getting done good pics for sure! So much splashing, full body breaching, tail slapping etc.

Jennifer Greiner Clark

3:22 - The first two just moved out of my sight from Lincoln Park, West Seattle. They were at the Southworth ferry dock, heading north.

2:48 pm - spotted one orca off the N. end of Vashon Island, near the ferry dock, heading north, closer to the west/Vashon side of the passage.

Trileigh Tucker

3:00 - the southern group is now visible from the north end of Vashon!

Whale Scout

2:27 - Right next to the Kingston ferry drop. Small group with huge male.

Whitney Sackman

This afternoon off President Point. The pod spent the afternoon here, playing for several hours. Photo by Becky Yee Perry, December 13, 2013.

2:44 - After that last group dive, they came back up waaaaay over on the Kitsap side. Not easy to make out from Shoreline/Edmonds now, impossible without binoculars. Every so often the entire group stops surfacing and disappears under water for up to 2-3 minutes. Wonder what they're up to... Herding/shoaling fish maybe?

1:40 - Seeing some of the most active killer whale behaviors from 2 or 3 of the many animals across from Richmond Beach (Edmonds/Shoreline), approximately mid channel. Been watching full body lunges, porpoising and many other behaviors since around 1:15 PM. Just watched an inverted full body breach through binocs!Three other animals were doing sync'd surfacing. Overall group is slowly making their way north.

Dave Haas

12:14pm - More Orcas at Dash Point (north of Tacoma).

Kelly Burns Keenan

12:16 - the group off Rolling Bay is still headed north and trending more toward mid channel now rather than close in to Bainbridge. Only occasional dorsals spotted in the haze.

11:47 - they appear to be headed north - staying under for long periods

11:38 - at least 2 dorsal fins in rolling bay very close in on the Bainbridge side.

Lynn Batson

11:42 - Sounds like north group is northbound near Rolling Bay and the south group is northbound somewhere near Dash Point, which means likely to head up the east side of vashon.

Amy Carey

11:02 - John Rogstad of WA State reports the ferry Tacoma on the Seattle/Bainbridge run slowed down for 12 orcas frolicking and spyhopping in the traffic lane just off Eagle Harbor.

I was on the 10:40 Bainbridge ferry and saw 7-10 orcas up close! The ferry had to stop so they could swim under us : ). Seems like they were headed north and swimming pretty fast.

Michelle Haines

11:08 - They have us quite a show. Passing Vashon headed slowly towards dash point from Browns point.

10:55 - They're in a line headed east at Owen Beach.

10:38 - They're now circling near a small fishing boat that anchored off the point.

Jason Cook

9am - boat Fauntleroy to Vashon 6-7 orcas looked like they were feeding and headed south towards Vashon - mid Channel.

Aimee Demarest

4 pm - We spotted 4 whales in the Salish sea near Yellow Point (Gulf Islands, about ten miles SE of Nanaimo). We have a condo at the Inn of the Sea and they were right in front of us. They stayed for about 20 minutes feeding. There was a mother with a baby next to her and two others.

Karen Green

Took this just a little bit north of Olympia at Burfoot Park. 10-15 transient orcas consisting of adult females, juveniles and an adult male. They were gradually making their way out of Budd Inlet but had just made a kill as seagulls were feeding on scraps and the orcas were being very active with spy hops, back dives, tail and pec slaps. T037 may have been of the females but they were too far away to tell for sure. Photo by Melisa Pinnow, December 12, 2013.

2 pm - My friends and I found them as they headed that way. They were T's, one adult male, lots of juveniles and adult females.

Melisa Pinnow

Douglas George

11:50am - There are now whales or other big marine mammals spouting, feeding and playing in Budd Inlet in front of Gull Harbor and north, not as far as Burfoot Park; (cannot see to the south).  A neighbor sighted them by 10 am.  There was a small boat respectfully watching. Any reports or confirmation - please let us know.  I saw 2 with large fins and a group with 2 large and 3-4 with smaller fins not far away.  I want to say orcas.

Wendy Eklund  

11:31 - They are still here and now watching them I think there may be more than 10, there seem to be quite a few.....

11:15 - They were headed south but they have been staying put for about 15 minutes.....

11:10 - We can see maybe 10 orcas in Budd Inlet off of east side in front of Gull Harbor.

Caty Whiteford

Chris Keller Galvin

At 10:30AM I counted 8 Orca heading south from Hunter Pt. toward Olympia. At least one male and one baby.

Keller galvin

10:35 - I saw 4 Orcas swim by - between Carlyon Beach (off Steamboat Island Rd) & Hope Island - I think it's Eld Inlet - I';m so excited I can hardly type. Anyway, it looked like a mom & baby & 2 other adults. Hope others can confirm.

Joy Loffler

This morning at around 10 a.m. a pod of five orcas cruised by in front of our house on Pickering Passage. We are about 1.5 miles south of the Harstine Bridge. One was in the lead and the other four were a little way behind.

Christy Rowe

11:10 - Apparently there is a group (10-12) that just passed under the Harstene Island bridge, heading south. That means they're possibly coming into Budd/Eld inlet territory OR Totten Inlet or both.

9:57 - There are at least EIGHT orcas currently heading south in Olympia by Boston Harbor into Budd Inlet.

Kim Merriman

December 12   

Saw what we believe were eight orcas in Pickering Passage, between Harstine Island and the mainland, 2 miles north of the bridge to Harstine, about 9AM. We initially saw a group of four, which was followed by a second group of four, swimming very fast toward the bridge that connects Harstine Island to mainland. I was struck that the white patches on them seemed more gray than white

John Hamilton

4:30 pm - 8 orcas just came through the Narrows heading south.

Dino

2 pm - At least 10-12 orcas were seen for over an hour feeding near Pt. Defiance! One very big bull and a small calf! Three of the males stuck close together, they all worked together to round up fish (or seals) to edge of the shelf where it dramatically drops off, they could pin em up to the wall of the shelf! Absolutely beautiful to watch! Boats were getting to close irritating the whales! We watched the whole hour from where the lighthouse use to be!

Dayna Campbell

ABOUT ORCA NETWORK  
Orca Network is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats.
Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network involves citizens in helping researchers track the movement of whales, and encourages people to observe whales from their homes, businesses, ferries, and beaches.
Whale reports are sent in to our Sighting Network and emailed out to researchers, agencies, and citizens on our network, and posted on our website (MAP of sightings also on website). Whale reports and observations are sent in by a variety of sources, and Orca Network does not guarantee the accuracy of any report or whale identification.

 

TO REPORT WHALES, CALL: 1-866-ORCANET (1-866-672-2638), email [email protected], or post sightings on our Orca Network Facebook page.

 

*BE WHALE WISE! BOATERS - NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS IN EFFECT AS OF MAY 16, 2011:

 "The new rules prohibit vessels from approaching any killer whale closer than 200 yards and forbid vessels from intercepting a whale or positioning the vessel in its path. This doubles the current approach distance of 100 yards. The rules go into effect May 16 and apply to all types of boats, including motor boats, sail boats and kayaks, in Washington"

 

For more information on the new Federal Regulations, visit the NOAA Fisheries website. 

 

 
To report harassment of whales in US waters, call NOAA Enforcement: 1-800-853-1964;

In Canadian waters, call DFO's Observe Record and Report (ORR) Violations Hotline: 1-800- 465-4336

Report the boat name &/or a description of the boat, & get photos if at all possible.