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K pod left Admiralty Inlet Tuesday evening and seems to have gone out to the wide Pacific, just a few hours ahead of a group of Transients who departed right behind them, but were seen yesterday off Victoria. Through it all, another group, known as "the twins" - two adult males (from different matrilines) with almost identical double nicks on the trailing edges of their dorsal fins - were seen around south Puget Sound, and are still there - today they were in Eld Inlet. The other group exited Admiralty Inlet yesterday. Those reports were coming in at about the same times Tuesday and Wednesday, so the Transient reports below are marked with their respective ID numbers to distinguish them (to the best of our ability). Yet a different group, this one with no adult males, was seen early today off Port Townsend and was later seen heading toward Ebey's Landing, Whidbey Island.

We saw at least 3 orcas heading into the Straight off of the Pt Wilson light house (North end of Admiralty Inlet) at approximately 5:30 PM.  They were heading northwest at a pretty good clip.  Could not see any markings.

Thomas Barnhart

5:30 PM - Pod of Orcas, maybe 10, Point Wilson from Ft. Worden, Adults and young's breaching and fin/ fluke slapping. traveling slowly north.

K O'Tyler

5:30 - Orcas off of Fort Worden now seen from ferry, lots of spy hopping and splashing.

Christy Korrow

505pm - 5 or so orcas sighted off Point Hudson, Port Townsend headed north. Pretty far off but on the west side of the shipping lanes. At least one adult male.

3:50 pm - Sandra Pollard is looking from Lagoon Point over to the other side of Admiralty Inlet at K pod moving northward.

3 pm - the leading group is nearing Bush Pt, the last half is further south, NOAA and one Prince of Whales WW boat with the last group, all are closer to the Jefferson County side.

Susan Berta

3 pm - the leading group is nearing Bush Pt, the last half is further south, NOAA and one Prince of Whales WW boat with the last group, all are closer to the Jefferson County side.
2:23 - they are just NW of Hansville, some are at the buoy between Hansville and Foulweather Bluff - way out there, but can see fins and spouts and the NOAA boat with them. Thanks to Rachel for finding them!

Susan Berta

April 15
Christopher Hanke

10:24 - Whee, lots more! Between Restoration pt and Blakely, heading maybe south? Lots of breaching.
Trileigh Tucker

10:21 - I see them from Rockaway (Bainbridge Is). Heading north. Not close enough for IDs with the glare yet but I'll keep you posted.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

9:45 - A pod of about 10 ORCA's passed very close to Blake Island on the east side of the island. They were moving at a pretty good pace north at 09:45.
Paul Rupert

9:40 - WA State Ferries just reported 6-7 orcas headed north off the Southworth ferry dock.

9:22 - About 10 orcas northbound Colvos passage near Southworth ferry. Pod of harbor porpoise trailing close to shore also northbound about 1 mile behind the orcas.
Tim Ferris

8:06 am - a report came in of 15 orcas, including 3 males, in south Puget Sound off Spring Beach heading north in Colvos Passage.

The K's as they traveled down Colvos Passage on Monday. Taken from a dock in Olalla. Photo by Katie Schmelzer, April 14, 2014.

Kpod heading down Colvos Passage, Vashon Island. I would not have believed it if I did not see them for myself. Photo by Kelly Burns Keenan, April 14, 2014.

April 17

Mystic Sea Charters reports 2 Gray whales (#49, Patch, and #53) feeding off the south end of Hat Island, and a third unidentified Gray whale heading toward Sandy Pt, south of Langley, from Hat Island, at 11:30 am. A good gray day!

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 info@orcanetwork.org, 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.