August 30 

Another from the evening of August 30th - no filters needed! That's K25 Scoter. Photo by Monika Wieland, August 30, 2015

Today was spent with many members of all three pods! Whales everywhere in all directions! I rarely ever spend any time with L pod, so that was a nice treat. There was a lot of socializing going on and the whales were just milling about off Hein Bank. In one large group, there were 4 whales hanging out with just their rostrums above the surface and there were some above water vocalizations at this point. There was some snuggling going on and it was a precious moment to watch. A pair showed off some seriously awesome synchronized tail lobbing. Lots of kelping! Today was my first real chance at getting some kelp shots! It was surprisingly beautiful on the water...today the family joined so I'm really glad we had such an encounter with so many whales!
Rachel Haight

J46 Star (born 2009) surfaces in front of mom J28 Polaris (born 1993) Photo by Rachel Haight, August 30, 2015

J36 Alki (born 1999) and her son J52 (born 2015) Photo by Rachel Haight, August 30, 2015

'Kelping' Photo by Rachel Haight, August 30, 2015

Trip report: The weather cooperated yet again, and the report was Resident killer whales near Hein Bank!! We headed past a seal haulout with a few pups still hanging out, then onward to Hein bank where we found members of all THREE resident pods - with beautiful calm seas - and unbelievable magnificence as these whales, spread out over several miles, graced us with their presence. Members of J-pod, including Granny, K-pod and L-pod, whales seemed to be all over the area. What a treat. After reluctantly heading homeward, we had harbor porpoise swimming very close to us, another treat. Amazing day, again!
Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist.

J-2 Granny Photo by Jill Hein, August 30, 2015

K-37 Rainshadow (born 2003, he was practicing "big boy" behavior today) Photo by Jill Hein, August 30, 2015

K-16 Opus (born 1985, mom to K35) Photo by Jill Hein, August 30, 2015

11:30 a.m. - Had an amazing day on a tour in the Salish sea! Saw orcas and a humpback! There were SO many orcas! Looked like multiple pods! Here's my favorite photo from the day!
It was at 1130 and we were in the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca in between Sequim and San Juan island! We were with them for an hour or so and when we left they were still there. We were told there were two different pods. The whales were spread out but there had to be 20 or more of them. A couple babies, and a couple really defined males. They were all very active spy hopping, cart wheeling, and breaching! It was breath taking!
Grace Seidel

Active Southern Residents in the middle of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Photo by Grace Seidel, August 30, 2015

I went out on a very long bumpy ride to see the superpod. We saw all the residents in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Photo by Steve Ellwood, August 30, 2015

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Today with L-Pod in Haro Strait - I've never seen L's this active! Breaches and more breaches, spyhops and more spyhops, with a bit of belly-flopping, tail-slapping, and cart-wheeling, too! Photo by Michelle Rachel, August 29, 2015

Photo by Michelle Rachel, August 29, 2015

4:00 a.m. - Woke to the canary-type calls at 4am on Lime Kiln. I heard them for over 40 mins. Ls? I recorded it. Very odd to hear those whistles and nothing else the entire time.
Barbara Bender

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Amazingly wonderful day with most of K pod and a big part of J pod south of Discovery Island....long trip but well worth it! Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 28, 2015

K44 Ripple Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 28, 2015

K21 Cappuccino Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 28, 2015

Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 28, 2015

A huge spyhop from J47 Notch (pretty sure) this afternoon in Haro Strait Js and Ks passed Lime Kiln heading north in spread out groups between 1415-1530. By 1600 Ls had "hit the island" but were milling in the Hannah Heights/ False Bay area. Photo by Monika Wieland, August 28, 2015

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9:53 p.m. - calls on both Lime Kiln and OS
8:54 p.m. - Calls on OrcaSound hydrophone
Barbara Bender

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San Juan Islands, WA- Heading out of Roche Harbor into Open Bay to circle Henry Island.... We moved our kayak as close to the cliffs and in the kelp as possible to be out of their way and stopped paddling while we watched them in Open Bay - PART ONE Video by Michelle Feis, August 26, 2015

Southern Residents, Henry Island - PART TWO Video by Michelle Feis, Augsut 26, 2015

September 2 

September 2 

September 2 

11:00 a.m.  T's have moved back west and are right off Rolling Bay, Bainbridge Island.
10:30am. (from South Beach, B.I.) Seeing them off the point at Discovery Park. Heading up to watch from Rolling Bay again.
Kimberly Sylvester-Malzahn

10:05 a.m. - I just caught a glimpse of them from lower Queen Anne (with binocs) surfacing right around the orange buoy. From here it looks like the buoy is just south of Rockaway, but I could be wrong on that. Saw them surface once and they've been back down for the last five minutes or so.
Katie Kirking

September 2
9:15 a.m. - Watching from Rolling Bay on Bainbridge and see 6-7 fins, long dives, still trending south, mid channel. South of 2nd marker.
Kimberly Sylvester-Malzahn

8:09 a.m. -  Pod just came into view from Skiff Point, Bainbridge Island (from the bluff on the north side) looks like the Victoria Clipper stopped to watch, still southbound.
Lynn Batson

8:35 a.m. - Clipper has left. They were doing 6 plus minutes dives in a resting mode. Edging into the southbound traffic lane.
8:07 a.m. - Abeam Point Monroe moving south at 6 kts
Jason Mihok

8:30 a.m. - Rolling Bay, Bainbridge slowly southbound
8:05 a.m. - From a Richmond Beach, I just spotted a lot of fins southbound out from Faye Bainbridge park, west of mid channel.
Alisa, ON

7:15 a.m. - My sweetheart on the ferry out of Kingston says they saw orcas just now. Southbound toward Jefferson Beach.
Doug Hayman

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1:44 p.m. - Seen a beautiful wild pod heading south by Marrowstone just now. All looked well! Large male. Huge dorsal fin with a distinctive notch on the upper back side. I believe there were about 5-6 and we believe a baby was also on board.
Niboreel Sreyas

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7:50 p.m. -  Last visual on one male who was mid channel guy, he surfaced still mid channel Kingston/Point Wells (tank farm) transected, still northbound. Shallow surfaces.
7:42 p.m. - 2nd male mid channel at mid channel yellow buoy south of Kingston.
7:30 p.m. -  spotted an adult male northbound at Jefferson Head...Kitsap side.
Alisa, ON

Our 5:30 p.m.  ferry departing Bainbridge Island just got cut off by a pod heading north back towards Bainbridge Island. So lucky to have been standing in front of all the cars on the floor deck with my two young sons and husband and we actually saw them before the captain of the ferry did and had a chance to cut off his engine. They casually came right in front of the ferry, to the great delight of everyone that caught a glimpse. One of the calves was with this pod, though I have no idea who they were. Awesome experience- we were about 20-30 feet from them and exactly on their level.
Chelsea Morgan Ramsey

5:13 p.m. - Just spotted again from an Argosy tour, between Blake island and Bainbridge. Northbound. Too far to identify.
Cameron Quinn

2:25 p.m. - Aboard the Point Defiance ferry, just saw spouts north of Gig Harbor to the west of Vashon Island, looked to be heading north.
Neil Hathl

1:50 p.m. - Orcas just went past Salmon Beach, north of Tacoma Narrows, traveling north toward Point Defiance.
Zeno Martin

1:45 p.m. - Pod of 4-6 heading north past the Tacoma Narrows bridge toward Gig Harbor.
Dale Blackburn

11:35 a.m. - My aunt just saw an orca on the southwest side of Fox Island headed out towards Chambers Bay. That's all the information we have.
Kelly Lauricella

11:00 a.m. - Boating south around east shore of McNeil Island, saw pod of 8 orcas (including 2 males) due west moving SSE on starboard side.
Matthew King

10:00 a.m. - Pair of mature Orca, a large young bull and a female, nosing around the seals on the beach at Cutts Island. Presumably transients. Hunting but didn't observe any feeding.
David Paly

8:58 a.m. - A little bird tells me that there is a large male off Raft Island/Allen Point (Henderson Bay, Pierce County) right now...there isn't much more bay north so he would probably have to head back southbound soon.
Aaron Hart

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T046E near Race Rocks on August 29th. Photo by Mark Malleson

2:02 p.m. - In Case Inlet between Olman Point and Treasure Island--several adults and two juveniles.
Carolyn Treleven

12:21 p.m. - Seeing pod of Orcas in Pickering Passage across from Harstine Point Marina.
Miche Ennis

12:50 p.m. - Looks like they are headed up Case Inlet to North Bay or will they trick us and circle Harstine Island and head toward Olympia. Spotters on the shore up and down Pickering and Peale passages.
11:55 a.m. - Orcas heading out of Hammersley. Waiting to see if they turn toward Olympia or Allyn.
Bivalves for Clean Water

Noon: We saw maybe 5 orcas (I think 2 males, a female w/ baby and one other) in front of our place is the narrow part, and deep channel, in Hammersley Inlet. (Shelton) Neighbors in a wider place say they were playing (?) So I just saw them traveling by.  
Meg Callea

Noon: Orcas just passed under the Harstine Bridge and moved north in Pickering Passage, heading towards Jarrells Cove. Peaceful, gentle sight. Nice to see them without a dozen chaser boats.
Gretchen Stewart

10:02 a.m. - They are moving up and down the inlet (Hammersley). From Walker Park down to Church Point and back. Thanks for the map addition.
Bivalves for Clean Water

9:30 a.m. - 4 in the group (including one calf) at Hammersley Inlet. Photo by Barbara Andrews, August 29, 2015

9:00 a.m. - Four or five orcas in Hammersley Inlet just east of Shelton this morning. At least two large males and two or three others.
Thomas Pearson

7:30 a.m. - We just saw three or four whales of Arcadia point this morning, they were approximately 15 feet offshore. It was amazing.
Cheryl Cerkan

7:00 a.m. - In Pickering passage woke up to 4 Orcas slapping their tails heading south towards Olympia. There was one big one and one little one. All 4 were close to shore. They stopped slapping their tails once they got past our home. Photo by Diane Sushak, August 29, 2015

Photo by Diane Sushak, August 29, 2015

6:45 a.m. this morning four orcas spotted coming south through Pickering Passage. Tail slapping and jumping completely out of the water! Beautiful! I thought the neighbors were putting their dinghy or kayaks in the water and making a lot of noise until I looked out onto the water.
Christy Rowe

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7:45 p.m. - We just saw 6-8 orcas traveling north in Case Inlet, heading up past the Herron Island ferry.
Marianne MacTurk

There are seven orcas (three large males and at least one juvenile) in south Sound. They came down the east side of Harstine Island and through Dana Passage to the souther tip of Harstine. They then headed west, passing between Hunter Point and Squaxin Island and around Steamboat Island. They then headed south into Totten Inlet. Milled around to the far south end and then headed back out again. ...following the same locations in reverse. As of 6:00 they were heading north through Dana Passage. Thrilled lots of fishermen/women in the rain. Scared lots of seals and harbor porpoises.
Kim Merriman

T102 (unconfirmed) Photo by Kim Merriman, August 28, 2015

Bigg's/Transients in south Puget Sound. Photo by Kim Merriman, August 28, 2015

Photo by Kim Merriman, August 28, 2015

Photo by Kim Merriman, August 28, 2015

Photo by Kim Merriman, August 28, 2015

4:00 p.m. - 4 Orcas (including at least one adult male) playing in Dana passage where it meets Bud Inlet across from Boston Harbor. We saw the surface and spout for 20 minutes before they headed toward Hope Island. We saw large dorsal fins. What beauties they are.
Irene Dunlop

3:00 & 5:00 p.m. - We saw 6 for sure and possibly 7 orcas off the north end of Steamboat
Island then going south down Totten Inlet around 3 pm. There were 2 large males
and 3 other adults with 1 or 2 smaller ones.  About 5 pm we could see several by
Hunters Point going toward Boston Harbor.
Chad Clinton

3:00 p.m. - Orcas, maybe 5?,  heading northwest past Hunter Point toward Steamboat Island in South Sound.
Betty Keller

1:30 p.m. - Orcas headed south in Case Inlet, past Fudge Pt on Harstine Island...Not sure of exact number, but at least 2 males, 2 females, and a juvenile.
Dave Berliner

10:30 a.m. - 4 orcas, One of the group of four was a male and they were patrolling the shoreline between two groups of seals approximately 400 feet apart. This activity was on the north side of Violet Point, Protection Island north of Miller Peninsula, Clallam County. It appeared they were feeding and attempting to scare seals off the beach.
Jeffery Corliss

9:18 a.m. - Five Orcas hunted seals near shore in a meter or less near Eagle Island Seal Haul-out in Balch Passage. The large male several times approached the colony which numbered between 80 to 90, with many pups. The Orcas remained in the area near shore for approximately 10 minutes. I did not see the initial strike but from the splash the orca apparently came out of the water.
Paul Proctor

Five Bigg's/Transients hunting the shores of Eagle Island seal haul-out. Photo by Paul Proctor, Augustt 28, 2015

8:15 a.m. - 2 Orcas sighted 8:15 AM traveling east through Carr Inlet between Fox and McNeil Island.
Cory McCool

7:55 a.m. - 2 orcas (dorsal fins spotted) off norther sand spit Fox Island traveling south
Dave McEntee

7:45 a.m. - this morning, 2 orcas heading south on Carr inlet just south of Kopachuck state park, very close to the eastern shore. Hoping to get some pictures from my neighbor tomorrow.
Sarah Richey Guenther

7:00 a.m. - I just saw what I think were 5 or 6 orcas out by Cutts Island, in Carr inlet. In noticed what looked like 2 orcas at the north part of the island, close to the sand spit. They looked interested in the seal sleeping on the beach? Then I noticed 3 more orcas south of the island. All of the orcas were swimming south past Kopachuck State park.
John Falskow

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6:50 p.m. Five minutes after departing the ferry dock on Vashon in the early evening the captain announced an orca whale was swimming in front of the ferry. The ferry paused to let the whale swim by, and when we continued we saw another one with it, both of them now off to the starboard side. A few minutes later a group of three whales, including a calf appeared on the starboard side. 5 orcas, no males, they were probably all females. What an amazing sight!
Melanie Austin

John Miller of WSF reports six orcas heading S just west of southbound ferry lane off north Vashon Island.
Day report- I had an amazing experience with a transient killer whale superpod that congregated in front of my house on 08/27/15.  The night before I was out on my own with the T37As, and the T65As at sunset approaching Smith Island from Lopez Island, so I expected they might be somewhere in northern Puget Sound the next morning.  Sure enough, in the morning I spotted them swimming southward near Lagoon Point.  Later, just north of Bush Point the T37As and the T65As appeared to chase and kill a few harbor porpoise (judging by the speed at which they had to chase)!  The gulls were circling and the celebrating began with tons of tailslaps, spyhopps, and some breaches.  Then I noticed that T102, T100C, and one other male swam in to join the mix and that's when the party really began!  Between Bush Point and Point no Point the killer whales put on an acrobatics clinic, including probably 200 breaches, cartwheels, and lunges!!!  In over 20 years of photographing killer whales this was the most action packed transient experience I've ever seen, without a doubt!  It was so exciting that I was shaking as I took pictures, in total awe of being able to witness such amazing behavior.  At Point no Point the T37As and T65As split off from the others and they swam right next to the beach to make another kill, probably a seal this time, with salmon fishermen watching from the shore.  Then the breaching started up again as they continued to travel southward.  As I left the scene they were spreading out and appeared to be heading toward Edmonds.
Bart Rulon

T37A & T65A and their offspring.

T37A Photo by Bart Rulon, August 27, 2015

T37A Photo by Bart Rulon, August 27, 2015

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Here are a couple of pictures from my experience with the T37A, and T65A pods on August 26, 2015.  I started with them at the north end of Lopez Island and when I arrived there was a distinct smell in the air as if they had just made a kill.  T65A2 spent a lot of time upside down attempting to get frisky.  They swam southward along the western shoreline of Lopez Island, then out Cattle Pass as a tight knit group.  Next they tucked inside the rocks and kelp and aimed toward Long Island.  At the east end of Long Island they finally made a kill on the edge of the kelp, then they breached and played around for a while, followed by a session of logging at the surface as if to decide what to do next.  They turned around and pushed offshore aiming toward Smith Island as they spread out into smaller groups at sunset.
Bart Rulon

T65A2 and family aiming toward Smith Island at sunset. Photo by Bart Rulon, August 26, 2015

T65A5 Photo by Bart Rulon, August 26, 2015

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9:40 a.m. - Saw 2 Orcas breaching off Otis Perkins Park, at southern end of Fisherman Bay on Lopez Island. Photo by Fausto Poza, August 23, 2015

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A pod spent time in front of Lagoon Point (Admiralty Inlet). I think there was a baby with them. I They were quite a ways from shore when they came by our place. Photo by Paul Kukuk, August 21, 2015

Photo by Paul Kukuk, August 21, 2015

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3:30 p.m. A group of mammal-eating, transient (Bigg's) orcas stalk and chase Pacific white-sided dolphins next to the Lagoon Cove Marina in British Columbia, Canada. Video by Tim  Cole, August 18, 2015