7:51 - Just saw a pod of 5 or 6 orcas heading south past fox island Gibson point area  Jay Gray

 May 18 

6:48 - 2 orcas on the west side of the Vashon pt. defiance ferry. Trying to follow by boat.
Jed Dimaggio

6:38 - Cuurently watching Orcas in Colvos passage across from Salmon Beach and also outside Gig Harbor.
Holly Bukes

6:32 - You can probably see them very well from the lookout in Pt. Defiance. They were mid channel looking like they might go toward the Narrows.
6:19 - I have orcas on the very south end of Vashon and some headed towards the Narrows right now!!
Holly Bailey

6:30 PM - Pod heading south into Tacoma Narrows. Pod heading south into Tacoma Narrows. Looked to be +/-6 Orcas. Spotted them between GH bay and Vashon Island, seemed fragmented. Once entering Tac Narrows all were in a line surfacing almost in sync. Too far away to ID.
Kelly Perrow

John Troup

6:02 - 8 Orcas off south end of Vashon Island.
John Troup

3:15 - saw fins and blows at the north end of Vashon, viewing from Lincoln Park. Too far away to get a count.
Rebecca Sherwood

1:50 - milling just across from Pritchard park mid channel and heading slowly south.
Kim McCormick Osmond

1:19 - Fun to watch a large pod of Transient Orcas pass by this morning!
About 10+ Orcas slowly made their way south stopping often to frolic on this warm sunny morning.
Note: the large dorsal Orca belongs to "Chainsaw" - known for his dorsal's chainsaw resemblance.
Stu Davidson

10:50am - From South of Edmonds, near Kayu Kayu Park, looking across Puget Sound with Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula in the background. Photo by Stu Davidson

12:58 - From Fay Bainbridge they are north of the light house at Discovery Park.
12:48 - From Fay Bainbridge they appear to be in front of Golden Gardens. Heading south.
Dorothy Rosenbladt

1253 - There are appx. 10+
1236 - They are still heading south, very spread out. I'm at Carkeek, they are west of mid channel, still heading south really spread out.
1230 - 4 breaches they had to have made a kill!!
1215 - just saw a blow on the west side of the second sailboat
1154 - Kitsap side almost in front of Carkeek Park, cabin cruiser passing them now. This morning by Edmonds they split into a group of 7 and a group of 4+, they were somewhat close to each other, then they merged and started to head south.
1020 - Watching from Kayu Kayu, spyhops breach, tail lobbing, trending south very slowly, keep turning back towards white boat.
Janine Harles

12:05 - they are pretty much off President Point. mid channel, heading south, toward sailboat.
Joanne Graves

10:49 - Currently directly outside of Richmond beach, mid channel. Been with the whales since 9:30 - the wind has been pushing us at a perfect speed with them. Heading south very slow. Lots of thrashing and spy hopping, and very vocal. One left the pod to come see us and swam underneath the boat and down the side. Sprayed us a few times, incredible experience.
9:14 - With the whales right now south of Edmonds in between Richmond beach and the dog park about a mile offshore. Large pod with one calf.
Max French

9:52 - They are south of Edmonds. Off the oil docks.
8:38 - Heading south. Appears to be a calf among them.
8:32 am - Just kind of hanging out. Can't tell if going north or south.
8:23 - Off Edmonds pier right now. Very close to shore. Just kind of hanging out. Can't tell if going north or south.
Ben Abrahamsen

It sounds as though the famous Chainsaw and gang are heading south from Edmonds this morning. It's probably about 4-years ago since I saw this big guy off Greenbank, Whidbey Island, with a female and calf. His entourage has grown! Seeing him heading towards our boat with that huge dorsal fin slicing the water is something I'll never forget.
Sandra Pollard, Naturalist/Author

8:32 am - they're at Edmonds now.
Rachel Haight

5:18 am - The ferry Tokitae reports a pod of about 5 orcas a mile north of the Clinton ferry dock. No direction of travel was given.

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Lots of whales today... A number of transient orca, including our old friend Chainsaw (TO63), made a foray through the whirlpools and swirling currents into Deception Pass before separating later into northbound and southbound. Those northbound had a hard job bucking the 7-knot current and eventually took the easier route out through Canoe Pass, while southbound whales headed towards Saratoga Passage. A rare treat to see so many transients together socializing and hunting with some full breaches and tail-slaps thrown in for good measure.
Sandra Pollard, Naturalist/Author
It sounds as though the famous Chainsaw and gang are heading south from Edmonds this morning. It's probably about 4-years ago since I saw this big guy off Greenbank, Whidbey Island, with a female and calf. His entourage has grown! Seeing him heading towards our boat with that huge dorsal fin slicing the water is something I'll never forget. (Photo from yesterday's collection - May 17, 2015 - off Dugualla Bay, Whidbey Island).
Sandra Pollard, Naturalist/Author

Off Dugualla Bay, Whidbey Island. Photo by Sandra Pollard

Just spent 3 1/2 hours watching the large group of Ts playing in the same spot in Penn Cove that I saw earlier under the Deception Pass bridge. It was amazing and made better by sharing it with some good friends and many new whale watchers!
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

8:30 pm - Just a handful of pictures of the large group of transients who had been in Penn Cove for at least 4 hours and still in the same area where we left them at dark. First time seeing Chainsaw! Plus, they were very active, lots of tail lobbing and breaching. Beautiful day!
1:09pm - Watching orcas from on top the Deception Pass bridge. Dreams do come true!
Rachel Haight

T063 "Chainsaw" in Penn Cove. Photo by Rachel Haight

Transients were in Penn Cove all afternoon at least until dark about 8:30, roaming unpredictably but mostly in the same general part of the cove, just north of the mussel rafts except a brief visit to the Captain Whidbey Inn by T063. They were in small groups or singles, seemingly meandering, each surfacing headed a different direction. Gradually they became more active, slapping the water and dive-bombing, probably on seals.
Howard Garrett

T063, "Chainsaw" with the Coupeville Wharf in the background. Photo by Howard Garrett

T087, the other adult male in the group in Penn Cove. Photo by Howard Garrett

Plenty of tail-slapping and dive-bombing later in the afternoon. Photo by Howard Garrett

7 pm - Trisha Silvera called to report 4-5 orcas in Penn Cove.

7:30 PM - Sighting in Penn Cove. A pod of Orcas with 2 males and 3 calves in Penn Cove by the Penn Cove Mussel rafts. 2 males.
Linda Noack

T063 Chainsaw in Penn Cove. Photo by Linda Noack

4:30 to 6+ pm - Orcas in Penn Cove. Appears to be 2 pods of about 4 each, maybe @ 6 total in Penn Cove after coming by Coupeville Wharf - now near Shellfish rafts!!!  Am sitting on bank of Penn Cove on Madrona across from house at 1849. They were closer to Coupeville Wharf about 4:30, then headed past the OC Shellfish rafts & now closer to Capt Whidbey. Could be about 8!!
Vicky Reyes.

In Penn Cove on Schooner Suva, and then saw Killer Orca Whales

We were out at Penn cove Crewing for the Schooner SUVA, a vintage all teak 68' Ted Geary designed Schooner built for Frank Pratt (An important person in Coupevilles/Island County's history). When after wrapping up the schooner for the night a Pod of Orcas came through... Probably looking for a seal a meal :) It was a fun day so I thew this together to share and remember the fun and the whales :)

5:45 - Suzanne Marten reports orcas actively breaching and splashing in Penn Cove.

8:22pm - Pod of about 10 orcas heading south, mid channel between Meadow Point and North end of Bainbridge. Must be residents, there are seals and porpoises nearby who don't give a damn. About 6 in the first group, looks to be a calf among them. Another 4 or so bringing up the rear.
Ben Blankenship

11 am - We got a call from Dave Anderson saying there were orcas off Mutiny Bay, south Whidbey in Admiralty Inlet, headed south. Sure enough we saw them about 5 miles south of us. The only other report of them was by Ben Blankenship, above, and the IDs or ecotype of this group is still unknown.
Howard Garrett

App. 9 orca in Penn Cove. 2 males. We watched until nearly dark, there appeared to be feeding, from the red that showed in the photos, most likely on seal they stayed in the same place circling, lots of tail slapping,
Sue Owner

T063 Chainsaw cruises past a boat in Penn Cove. Photo by Sue Owner

5:18 - Group of orcas in Penn Cove heading towards mussel beds.
Susan Green Lee

5:16 - Orcas deep in Penn Cove NOW! Never thought I'd say this, but taken from Deception Pass bridge! They were trying so hard to move west against the current and never getting anywhere. Then, suddenly, they turned and went out the smaller Canoe Pass, and I didn't get the shot of them under the bridge. But, still amazing to see!
Rachel Haight

Transient orcas struggle against the 7 knot current in Deception Pass. Photo by Rachel Haight

5:10 pm - saw 3-4 orcas, one was very large heading into Penn Cove. Last saw them shortly after 5 around the Coupeville dock but haven't seen them since. Don't know if they went into the cove or back out to the sound.
Carla Peterson

7:00 PM - Whidbey island sighting, Penn Cove west of mussel rafts. 9 or more whales. Two adult males and two very young babies.
John Burns

"My FIRST time to see Chainsaw! Taken from 'land' at Cornet Bay 11:30 this morning. Zoomed and cropped, WW boat not as close as it appears to be in photo". This group was last seen heading south towards Polnell Point, approximately 1:30 pm. Photo by Jill Hein

At approx. 2:00 PM, we saw an Orca Pod with a number of whales about two miles south of Deception Pass in Skagit Bay. They were heading south.
Jim Chicatelli

T123's and T049A's treat weekend campers at Ruckle Park,  Beaver Point on Saltrspring Island as they cruise along the shoreline. Photo by Mark Malleson, taken under permit # MML-001

I came across the T049A's and T123's in Satellite Channel on my way home from Saltspring Island on May 17th. I left them traveling north  along the south side of Saltspring Island at ~1500. Photo by Mark Malleson

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We have had unbelievable T encounters the last three days! Large, active groups, three days in a row! There have been over 35 individual Biggs killer whales that we know of sprinkled throughout the Salish Sea the last few days, the bulk of them traveling in a large group. Wow!!
Among them is T121A, a whale that we encountered on May 8th, 2013, which was the first time this lone female had been recorded in our area ever (according the the Center for Whale Research). Cool stuff!
Tasli Shaw

T23C3 having a look. Photo by Tasli Shaw

Two youngsters interacting in the midst of a "super group" of Ts (over 20 whales!). Photo by Tasli Shaw

Guess what I saw today!! Another Biggs superpod but this time with T63 "Chainsaw". Here he is in all his glory! Photo by Gary Sutton

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Center for Whale Research Encounter #32
Pods or ecotype:Transient

A large pod of 20 or so orcas in Baynes sound between Fanny Bay and Union bay (NW Georgia Strait, south of Comox). At least one large male with very tall dorsal fin. Playing and possibly feeding. Lots of tail slapping. Looked like 2-3 babies. They were in this area for at least 6 hours from noon till at least 6:00pm.
Karen Macgruther

A pod of Orca are south bound at Dodd Narrows just south of Nanaimo at 1347. 4 whale watching vessels have gathered at the narrows to watch the whales transit the current that is 4.7knots N/B.
Rodney Grounds.

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Well, the biggest group of Biggs killer whales I've ever seen today! Identified 27 different whales today but presumed there was about 32!!! Ok here we go! A few highlight shots from the largest groups of Biggs killer whales I have ever seen yesterday just off Entrance Island. We had the T23's, T36, T36B's, T86A's, T100's, T101's, T124's and the T124A's!
Gary Sutton

A meeting of the matriarchs ... This was during a large congregation of Ts, there were at least 25 whales, likely more. They were split into groups that were roughly organized by age and gender, the adult males (T102, T100C, etc) were more-or-less on the outskirts of the entire thing, doing who knows what. There were two groups of predominantly calves and juveniles that were, as to be suspected, pretty bouncy and surface active. Then there was this main group which consisted almost exclusively of the older females and mothers. There was a lot of physical contact between them and they were not spending much time below the surface. There was also lots of vocalizing happening. One can only imagine what was being exchanged between them.   
Tasli Shaw

Matriarchs socializing. Photo by Tasli Shaw

Back to front: T101, T124A, T37, and T36B. Photo by Tasli Shaw

We spent the afternoon with the T124A's and watched as they made a successful harbor seal kill. Transients aren't always flashy when they make a kill, an often will disperse of their prey underwater. This time, however, they brought the seal to the surface before the "degloving" process started! The seal is below the orca, you can just make it out! Photo by Heather McIntyre

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Mellow encounter with the T124A's in waters traversing both Candian and US waters in Haro strait. Photo by Traci Walter

T124A spyhopping. Photo by Tasli Shaw

Got to see one of my favourite groups today, T124A's off Prevost Island. Here is T124A and T124A2. Unfortunately, we never did see T124A5 with the group. Photo by Gary Sutton

Orcas off of Fort Warden in Port Townsend. We saw several orcas very near the shore off of fort warden in port Townsend on Wednesday from about 730-830 pm. I have some fun video. I think there were 6 of them. They look to be rolling up on the rocks.
David Murman

7:45 pm - The Ts just went past Port Townsend, heading north up Admiralty Inlet. Just got a call from Jennifer Matchem at Point Hudson marina in Port Townsend. She said it looked like they just made a kill within a few hundred yards of shore.

7:40 pm - Just saw 4-5 adults and looked like 2 babies from the Port Townsend ferry. They are heading toward port Townsend
Jonathan Middleton

3:20 pm - I found them! Close to shore north of Point No Point (Kitsap) heading slowly west!
1:30 - pod has stalled the last 20 minutes-sightline my location/Pt No Pt. 
1:10 - they are actually just east of mid channel, could go either way around Whidbey.  
1:01pm - first saw one Orca in the lead then following about three (or so) more heading north fairly fast.. Currently north bound east of point no point.
12:50 - from Sunset Ave N. In Edmonds see 7 orcas with little one steady northbound mid channel sightline me and south of Eglon, Kitsap.   
12:35 - I'm. Only getting brief glimpses they're always ahead...last saw veering Kitsap still mid channel past Apple Tree point.
Stu Davidson

3 pm - Vern DiPietro saw 7-8 orcas heading into the Suislaw River in Florence OR.

The Suislaw River in Florence OR. Photo by Vern DiPietro

The Suislaw River in Florence OR. Photo by Vern DiPietro

The Suislaw River in Florence OR. Photo by Vern DiPietro

The Suislaw River in Florence OR. Photo by Vern DiPietro

The Suislaw River in Florence OR. Photo by Vern DiPietro

The Suislaw River in Florence OR. Photo by Vern DiPietro

The Suislaw River in Florence OR. Photo by Vern DiPietro

Here is some video taken by Lisa Horn  yesterday of killer whales that were quite a ways up this Suislaw River; feeding on something. (They claim that it was the same pod seen last week, with two small juveniles. "They were going towards the bridge, then disappeared for a while, and then they came back up," Horn said. "So it was about all of 25 minutes." Horn watched them reappear on the inland side of the bridge, and then they disappeared before coming back up where Horn caught the Killer Whales on camera. She said she saw them quite a ways up the river, all the way near the Mo's restaurant a few blocks away".
Orcas, Their Babies on Oregon Coast, Caught on Video
 
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Had several transient orcas a few miles of shore off Depoe Bay, OR for the whole day. They have recently killed a baby grey whale in the area that washed up on Thursday and they were seen eating a Stellar sea lion yesterday. I have attached some of the better photos of the transients I have from the trip. I would love to help you in any way possible and if you hear of any orcas in the central Oregon region please keep me posted. Thank you!
Stephanie Young
Dave Ellifrit: I'm pretty sure the bull is T165.  The last pictures I have personally seen of him were from 2007, also off Depoe Bay.  In those photos, another kw had raked him good and his fin has drooped a little since then.  He wasn't in the last DFO catalog but perhaps he has centralized his range down the coast rather than in inshore waters.  I had several encounters with him along with T166 and T167 in SE Alaska in the 1990's with NMML.  It's nice to know he's still alive.

A few miles of shore off Depoe Bay, OR. Photo by Stephanie Young

A few miles of shore off Depoe Bay, OR. Photo by Stephanie Young

A few miles of shore off Depoe Bay, OR. Photo by Stephanie Young

A few miles of shore off Depoe Bay, OR. Photo by Stephanie Young

A few miles of shore off Depoe Bay, OR. Photo by Stephanie Young

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Incredible Close Encounter with Orcas on Central Oregon Coast

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7:00 AM - Orcas off of Columbia River Mouth. We saw a pod of 9 Orcas off of the mouth of the Columbia River while headed out halibut fishing. Playing, feeding.
Mark White