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Whale Sighting Report  

In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Photo of the Day
Southern Residents
Fin whale
Humpback whales
Minke whales
Pacific white-sided dolphins
Dall's porpoise

UPCOMING EVENTS


Orca Salmon Alliance
SPONSORED EVENT:  
Intertwined Fates: The Orca-Salmon Connection in the Pacific Northwest


Seattle Aquarium
October 7th, 6:30pm
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Corner of 2nd & Anthes, Langley,
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~~~
Open Thurs - Sun 11 - 5
Displays, videos, gift shop, lending library
~~~

Orca Network recommends:
Puget Sound Whales for Sale: The Fight to End Orca Hunting, by
Sandra Pollard
This important volume recounts the people whose determined efforts ultimately succeeded in ending the captures.

_______________

The Lost Whale, by
Michael Parfit and
Suzanne Chisolm
  An intensely personal story...but this person is a young orca.  

Lost Whale book...ver scaled

______________

 

To learn more  

about orcas: 

Orcas in Our Midst, volume 3, by Howard Garrett

Orcas in Our Midst,

Vol. 3: Residents and Transients, How Did That Happen?

Click here  

to order YOUR copy!

_________________

 

  David Kirby  

The bestseller about orcas in captivity

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Tokitae looking up at us from her tank in Miami, FL in the late 1990s 

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September 23, 2015

We are watching and visiting the whales in their home~

Please observe, love and respect them from a distance.

Having trouble viewing this Sightings Report? Archived Reports can be found HERE.
Humpbacks! We are ecstatic at the number of humpbacks in the Salish Sea and especially in Puget Sound these past several weeks. In general daily reports had the whales around Gig Harbor/Tacoma, Point No Point, Possession Point the past few weeks. This past Sunday we started getting reports of pairs around Richmond Beach in Shoreline & Port Townsend, and we're still getting them today.  We've had at least 4-6 in Puget Sound at the same time the past several days. Clearly they are finding enough food to stay for days/weeks at a time, and we hope this trend continues for years to come. We have been sending whatever ID fluke photos we get to Cascadia Research who is working on IDs.

L pod is off the west side today, with brand new little one L122 and her/his family. Js and Ks are reported to be up north.  An announcement by the Center for Whale Research is our photo of the day on the gender of L117 who is now 5 years-old.

More reports, photos and video of the Pacific white-sided dolphins who have been living in south Puget Sound for over a year and were seen on many days close to the side of whatever humpback was in town.  

A reminder of the latest research project by Brad Hanson and others on the southern residents as was included in reports and our Facebook page earlier this month:
"On Thursday September 10th the NWFSC will begin a 3 week project to assess the health status of southern resident killer whales.  We will be working cooperatively with John Durban of SWFSC.  They will be using their hexacopter to collect images of whales for health assessment and we will be collecting fecal samples and breath samples (using a long pole) from the whales, as well as predation samples.  This is similar to the work we did in 2013. As in previous years we will be working from our research vessel, Phocoena II, a 22' Zodiac. We thank everyone in advance for providing us with space to work. Additional questions can be sent to [email protected]. Thanks, Brad Hanson NOAA-NWFSC


Thank you everyone, we would not be the network we are without you all!
Orca Network 
Photo of the Day
September 21  Center for Whale Research Announcement 
"We finally have a sex on L117! Melisa @sanjuanorcas got a belly shot on September 17.
He is a boy, as we suspected."
Photo above by Center for Whale Research
(L117 was born in 2010) 
  
Southern Residents        
September 23 
We received a report at 3:05 p.m. that the leaders of the Ls (including L91 and L122) are passed Lime Kiln and are at about Pile Point, NOAA is with this group of Ls. Js and Ks are up north somewhere.

September 23 
2:03 p.m. - approaching Lime Kiln
12:45 p.m. - Orcas at Open Bay milling
Barbara Bender

September 23 
10:35- 11:30 a.m. -  Listening to what sounds like some Ls on Lime Kiln while working on the report.
Alisa, ON

September 23 
10:15 a.m. - Hearing calls on Lime Kiln now!
Barbara Bender

************************

September 22 
This was taken of the west side of SJI, and the whale is L95 Nigel w/NOAA-NWFSC.
Photo by Connie Bickerton, September 22, 2015
(A breath sampler with a petri dish at the end of the pole- HG) 
More on NWFSC's current research project can be found in the Intro summary section 

September 22 
People watching people watching whales.Members of J and K pods played in the kelp offshore of Pender Island to the delight of many shore-based whale watchers! Here is Shachi (J19) and her grandson, Nova (J51).
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, September 22, 2015 

September 22 
Someone stops for an aerial scan as Js and Ks were swimming along the Pender Island shoreline, heading for Swanson Channel.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, September 22, 2015  

September 22 
Blackberry (J27) and his younger sister, Tsuchi (J31)
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, September 22, 2015 

September 22 
Spock (K20) with others.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, September 22, 2015  

September 22 
3:45 p.m. - Left Ls milling at Open Bay.
Monika Wieland

September 22 
3:15 p.m. Js, Ks (not sure if I saw the K14s or not yet) were heading up Swanson Channel, Ls south.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

September 22 
11:25 - Lots of mews (K pod?) on the hydrophone right now.
Lauren Davis-Robeson

September 22 
9:47 a.m. - Jpod on Lime Kiln
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

**********************

September 21 
Had a wonderful wildlife filled day on the water. We headed west to find most of J Pod almost out to Sherringham point. We headed home via Race Rocks, where the highlight was three elephant seals. Just southeast of Race, we had at least 3 humpbacks feeding.
Photo by Connie Bickerton, September 21, 2015
(All photos taken with a 400mm lens and cropped

September 21 
Beautiful tail slap by 9 month-old J50 
Photo by Connie Bickerton, September 21, 2015 

September 21 
J16 Slick and her daughter J50 Scarlet, Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Photo by Connie Bickerton, September 21, 2015  

September 21 
Pod's big boys. J26 Mike in the foregound, and J27 Blackberry in the background out west in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Photo by Connie Bickerton, September 21, 2015  

***********************

September 20 
L122 and mom, L91 taken  just south of Victoria BC.
Those are the Olympic Mts. in the background.

Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, September 20, 2015 

September 20 
We saw SO MANY whales today! I can't recall the last time I saw this many of them so close together. They were traveling for sure, but there was also a lot of social behavior as well as what looked like a resting line at times. Here is a sampling of groupings we saw between J's and K's, possibly L's. An interesting mix. Its gonna take a while for me to figure out who all was there! But we had a few guest appearances along with the usual suspects. And, of course, the J16's were, for the most part, dancing to their own tune away from the rest
Renee Beitzel

September 20 
A line of Southern Residents near Victoria, BC
Photo by Renee Beitzel, September 20, 2015 

September 20 
The big boys were hanging out in their own group, for the most part. Here we have K21 Cappuccino on the outside edge of the group, while J27 Blackberry flanks.
Photo by Renee Beitzel, September 20, 2015 

September 20 
5:53 p.m. -  Ls still vocalizing
4:45-5:27 p.m - Been listening to members of K and L pods vocalizing on Lime Kiln hydrophone.
Alisa, ON

September 20 
4:35 p.m. - Faint calls on Lime Kiln
Barbara Bender

**********************

September 18 
Sometimes an encounter can become quite special in the blink of an eye. We were out hanging with some orcas, when we approached a small group. It became very apparent that this particular orca had a tiny, blip of a shadow. Turns out I got to meet L122, the new L Pod baby with Mom, L91. I don't like going out of my way to find a new calf, I am just happy knowing they are out there and I thought I would see it when I would see it. Little did I know it would be today. 
Traci Walter

September 18 
L122, the new L Pod baby with Mom, L91.
Photo by Traci Walter, September 18, 2015
(*taken with a 600mm lens and cropped) 

September 18 
Today, we first came across a humpback who was nice enough to cartwheel, then we moved on to a visit with members with J pod. It was an incredible special to see J51 Nova be very playful with lots of spyhops and breaches, traveling alongside his mother J41 Eclipse and grandmother J19 Shachi. We had a nice close passby with J34 Doublestuf as well. Baby orcas are the cutest! SW of Eagle Point San Juan Island.
Rachel Haight

September 18 
J51 starts to breach in front of the splash created by his mom breaching.
Photo by Rachel Haight, September 18, 2015 

September 18 
J34 Doublestuf off the west side of San Juan Island today.
Photo by Rachel Haight, September 18, 2015 

September 18 
J28 Polaris and J17 Princess Angeline. West side San Juan Island.
Photo by Janine Harles, September 18, 2015 

**********************

September 17 
Here is a selection of photos and surface sequences of the L54's from Sept 17 off False Bay, San Juan Island. As a result of L54 Ino and her two offspring L108 Coho and L117 Keta coming to check us out off the bow , some photos have not been cropped or edited but all are zoomed.
Renee Beitzel

September 17 
"This is my absolute favorite from this series!
L117 Keta surfaces next to mom, L54 Ino, who can be seen just below the surface".

Photo by Renee Beitzel, September 17, 2015

September 17 
L54 Ino
False Bay, San Juan Island

Photo by Renee Beitzel, September 17, 2015 

September 17 
L108 Coho and his mother L54 Ino.
Photo by Renee Beitzel, September 17, 2015  
 
Fin whale          
September 21 

THE Fin whale! It was still west/northwest of Smith and feeding in the vicinity of two minkes. We were watching the minkes as they were fairly active at the surface and all of a sudden the fin surfaced with its huge exhalation!
At 85-90 feet long, Fin whales, also known as Finbacks, are the second largest animal on the planet! Second only to the blue whale. These guys were hunted out of the Salish Sea before commercial whaling was banned in 1966. They have not been seen in these inland waters for several years and some say even over a decade. We are hoping this is the first of many yet to come.
Renee Beitzel

September 21 
Fin whale, west/northwest of Smith Island, eastern Juan de Fuca Strait.
Photo by Renee Beitzel, September 21, 2015 
 
Humpback whales         
September 23 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
12:57 p.m. - I could see them feeding through the binoculars, looked to be a large and a small one. They have worked their way closer to the east side now.
12:15 p.m. - Appears to be 2 Humpbacks heading north off President Point/Kingston out in the middle.
Chris Otterson

September 23 - north Puget Sound - Point No Point 
9:27am - humpback near Kitsap side just south of Point No Point heading southerly
Stu Davidson

September 23 - north Puget Sound -Point No Point 
7:15 a.m. - One humpback whale at Point No Point
heading north towards Whidbey Island.
Photo by Savanna Troka, September 23, 2015 

*************************

September 22 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
6:15 p.m. -  seeing blows & tail flops from Richmond beach mid channel...6:35 still seeing blows. Not familiar with area but appears to be 2 humpbacks.
Brittany Gordon

September 22 - north Puget Sound - east of Point No Point 
6:20 p.m. - Like Stu, I also see two humpbacks NW of Edmonds, about a mile north of a huge mass of birds.
Sherman Page

September 22 - north Puget Sound - east of Point No Point 
6:17 p.m. -  There are actually two southeast of Point No Point!
6:11 p.m. - now southeast of Point No Point heading south - close to Kitsap side near shipping lane - watching from north Edmonds.
6:03 p.m. - watching a humpback feeding east of Point No Point back and forth north and south - from shore north Edmonds
5:40 p.m. -  watching a humpback out east from Point No Point heading northerly.
Stu Davidson

September 22 - Port Townsend 
5:30 p.m. - Whale sighting; close enough to hear her blow. Humpback? Grey? I'm new at this. Looked as though the fishing might be good; likely 2 or more. Between Port Townsend and Protection Island, heading towards North Beach in PT.
Laura Lewis Thayer

September 22 - San Juan Islands 
5:30 pm this evening - a humpback headed west-to-east past Flint Beach, Lopez Island.
Tom Reeve

September 22 - Strait of Juan de Fuca 
Out in the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Victoria and Port Angeles. I'm not exactly sure where we were, and I forgot to snap a picture of the route map before I left the boat.
Photo by Connie Bickerton, September 22, 2015 

September 22 - San Juan Islands 
The humpback whale was swimming against the Blakely Island shoreline in Rosario Strait. It made a large circle and then continued heading south.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, September 22, 2015 

September 22 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
2:50 p.m. - 2 humpbacks spotted from the top of the hill at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. One has breached 5 times, mid channel! Very active at the surface.
Kayli Ann Breitweiser

September 22 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
1:19 p.m. -  surfaced further north again. Kayli saw a second fluke within 1-2 minutes, we think we have two whales.
12:58 p.m. -  Surfaced further north midway between mid channel and shore north Richmond Beach probably off from Kayu Kayu Ac park.
12:37 p.m. - single whale surfaced just now northbound north of the weather buoy off Richmond Beach. Very shallow exhalations making sightings more difficult today.
Alisa, ON

September 22 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
12:12 p.m. - Humpback sighted South of Richmond Beach Saltwater Park (12:12pm) heading North bound!
Kayli Ann Breitweiser

September 22 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
11:48 am yay, finally resighted the (a) humpback... south of Richmond Beach off point between me and Carkeek. Very close to this side!
10:09 a.m. - at least one humpback about 200 yards off shore off north end Richmond Beach Saltwater Park in Shoreline. Glassy calm water!
Alisa, ON

September 22 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach  
9:00-10:00 a.m. - This morning I saw this beauty. The Whale stayed about an hour. Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, Shoreline.
Photo by Susan Pope, September 22, 2015 

 
Humpback fluke off Richmond Beach this morning.
Photo by Susan Pope, September 22, 2015  

September 22 - central Puget Sound 
11:18 - A humpback whale was reported in the same location just east of the north end of Vashon Island, so this is probably just one humpback and not a gray whale. Susan, ON 
September 22 - central Puget Sound
11:10 a.m.  - A small gray (probably humpback) whale was just reported about a mile east of the north end of Vashon Island by Maia of WA State Ferries.

September 22 - north Puget Sound - Point No Point 
9:40 a.m. - A humpback was just seen off Point No Point.
Reported by Mark Loughlin of WDFW.

************************

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Possession Point 
6:50 p.m. - Saw a humpback 3-4 miles NW of Edmonds, heading W or SW. Swimming right to left then back again every 5-10 minutes.
Sherman Page

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
6:45 p.m. - Just saw humpback whales at Richmond beach going south towards Elliot Bay. Monday September 21 2015.@ 6:45.
Gina Nolan Cohen

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
6:20 p.m. - Been watching them for more than an hour. Back and forth, Richmond Beach.
Wendy Hagel

September 21 - Admiralty Inlet 
What looks like a humpback whale just passed fort Casey headed north. Doing shallow dives every 4-5 minutes!
Steven Seidel

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
4:30 p.m. - Lots of spouting just south of the refinery near Edmonds, pretty close to shore. 3 whales? The train was going to fast to see them well.
Caleb Thompson

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
1:00-3:00 p.m. - Came back down to the beach and with many others watched these two humpbacks travel in tandem northbound, southbound back and forth. Down times seem a bit shorter than this morning, more like 9-12 minutes vs. 15-18 this morning. These two are just trolling back and forth. Beautiful! Beach goers in awe!
Alisa, ON

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
 
Two Humpbacks, Richmond Beach,  Part Two:
Clips from 8:00am - 3:00 pm off Richmond Beach, Shoreline, WA
Video by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
September 21, 2015
 

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
1:44 pm - report from Sandy Barnard, watched the two humpbacks head south past Richmond beach an hour ago, then just watched them (plus possibly a third?) heading back north past Richmond Beach.

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
1:30 p.m. -  two humpbacks still feeding parallel to Richmond beach... A little north then south back and forth. Currently a couple hundred yards west of weather buoy off of Richmond Beach.
12:24 .p.m -  just surfaced from long dive. Two are staying close together. They look awesome in parallel !! Still directly out from Richmond Beach
11:46 a.m. two humpbacks close to shore from Richmond Beach - long deep dives
Stu Davidson

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
Two humpbacks foraging all day around Richmond Beach, Shoreline, WA.
Photo by Stu Davidson, September 21, 2015 

Fluke of one of the two humpbacks off Richmond Beach.
Photo by Stu Davidson, September 21, 2015
 

Blow from trailing whale under the fluke of the one leading - at Puget Sound just offshore from Richmond Beach.
Photo by Stu Davidson, September 21, 2015
(You can see more of Stu's humpback photos HERE ) 

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
12:23 p.m.  Humpbacks still off Richmond close to shore. 12:40 p.m. surfaced again south end.
Stephen Hullin

September 21 - Admiralty 
11:19 a.m. - Humpback just spotted off Port Townsend, northbound in the shipping lane.
Mitch Bogrand

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
Noon - was last surface I saw out from Kayu Kayu beautiful tandem surfacing and dives. Long 15 + minute dives.
10:48 a.m. -  surfaced again same general area, logged then deep dive.

10:24 a.m. - After nearly and hour I  just re-sighted this pair just east of mid channel between Richmond Beach and Jefferson Head.
Alisa, ON

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Possession- (3rd whale) 
9:33 a.m. - Just saw the Possession humpback heading north, foraging near a bird pile, closer to Kitsap side
Janine Harles

September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach 
 
Two Humpbacks, Richmond Beach,  Part one:
This video is primarily 7 of the 15 amazing continuous minutes of tail lobs as filmed from the shores of the Richmond Beach neighborhood of Shoreline.
Video by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
September 21, 2015  


September 21 - north Puget Sound - Richmond Beach  
9:25 am - 15 minutes plus of tail lobs...between Kayu Kayu and Presidents Point, mid channel. White sailboats with red parade flags you need to back off!
7:50-8:50 a.m. - they've been foraging back and forth but trending north in general. Now both are off north Richmond Beach/ Point Wells. 3-4 surfaces then deep dives, 10-15 minute down times. 
7:50 a.m.- 2 Humpbacks off south end of Richmond Beach (Shoreline) where I left them last night. Foraging.
Alisa, ON

************************

September 20 - north Puget Sound 
7:20 p.m. -  they went a bit south and have turned back north bound...getting dark & rainy.
6:55-7:15 p.m. -  Found and am watching at least 2 humpbacks off Richmond Beach. Surfacing and fluking in southerly direction. Talked with Jeannie and Anan who said they've just been foraging around this general area off Richmond Beach Saltwater Park in Shoreline. Those two talked with a kite surfer who said there were 3 whales. 3rd whale may the southbound whale in Michelle Goll's 4:50 report.
Alisa, ON

September 20 - north Puget Sound-Richmond Beach  
6:37 p.m. - Yes they are still here about 1 mile south of Richmond Beach. Still about 500 yard off of Innis Arden Beach.
6:15 p.m. - there are two humpbacks just south of Richmond Beach. They seem to be hanging out in the same area for the past 2 hours.
Diane Strecker

September 20 - north Puget Sound 
4:50 p.m. - Saw humpback on ferry from Kingston to Edmonds out in shipping lanes, still southbound
3:15-3:50 watched the humpback from Point No Point in front of the lighthouse, trending south.
Michelle Goll

September 20 - north Puget Sound 
3:40 p.m. - The humpback is still there ...the white caps and wind make it difficult to see the blows and whale.
3:10 p.m. - I saw several blows and finally a humpback back and tail before its dive, 3-5 miles NW of Edmonds, which probably puts it a bit south of the line with Point No Point and Possession Point.
Sherman Page

September 20 - north Puget Sound 
3:42 p.m. - Just saw him/her again. Mid channel, headed towards PnP/ Useless Bay.
Laura Finch
3:06 p.m. - We just saw some blows between Point No Point and I think what would be Possession Point... Anyone else see anything? They were pretty large, thinking possibly the humpback... We're still trying to spot again. I'll post if we see anything else.
Laura Finch

September 20 - north Puget Sound 
I arrived at Point No Point today @ 3:00 spotted a Humpback just South of Possession Point. We continued to watch for hours, over & over , many times we saw the Humpback surface, 1-4 blows and then take a big dive with the fluke way up in the air... This whale headed North towards the yellow buoy, directly across from Pont No Point. and continued milling further North just South of Double Bluff. Turning back around in the area , going away from PNP and then coming back for a closer look, keeping perimeters south of Double Bluff then treading south of the yellow buoy , towards Possession Point. I left @ 6:30 last sighting was just south of the yellow buoy closer to Possession Point. Days like this makes my heart happy,  and a reminder to buy a powerful lens/camera.
Kathe Bradley

September 20 - north Puget Sound 
Many people on shore left in awe at the sight of the humpback at Point No Point.
Photo by Kathe Bradley, September 20, 2015 

September 20 - south Puget Sound 
Happy Monday, everybody! I was encouraged to post this image that I took yesterday of our humpback friend breaching in the Colvos Passage. Still can't believe it!
Photo by Tara Brown, September 20, 2015 

September 20 - south Puget Sound 
12:30-3:00 p.m. - Saw two full breaches! One about 12:30pm other maybe 1:30pm. Made lots of observations until about 3 pm in Colvos area, no observed evidence of any fishing line entanglement.
Zeno Martin 

September 20 - south Puget Sound 
1:00 p.m. - South End of Colvos Passage.
Photo by Zeno Martin, September 20, 2015
(photo taken with zoom) 

September 20 - south Puget Sound 
1:02 p.m. -  From entrance to Gig Harbor, it took a long dive heading north.
Jill Clogston

September 20 - south Puget Sound 
1:47 p.m. -  closer to the Gig Harbor side, boats still surrounding him. Haven't noticed any fishing gear on him.
1:00 p.m. - south of Point Defiance out from Salmon Beach about mid channel
12:48 p.m.  Just blew under viewpoint (Gig Harbor ) on the 5 mile drive at Point Defiance headed south.
12:27 p.m. - still visible, middle of the mouth of Colvos.
Brittany Gordon

September 20 - south Puget Sound 
11:55 a.m. - Humpback and dolphin outside of Gig Harbor. Absolutely beautiful. To the boats keeping a quiet distance, kudos. To the boat that drug his fishing gear straight through them......that is bad juju man. Bad. 12:02 p.m. - That boat is gone now. They whale and the dolphin are headed up towards Colvos Passage now.
Heidi Gerling

September 20 - south Puget Sound 
11:15 a.m. - Humpback south of Gig Harbor, out towards Narrows. White boat near it, appears to be following at a respectful distance. Nice flukes. Feeding?
Alan Passero 

September 20 - Cannon Beach, OR 
Via my dad, Robert... He saw about a dozen whales from Breaker's Point, Cannon Beach, Oregon today.
He said he saw many spouts and spurts of breaching from this morning around 10 am until the afternoon. The whales didn't appear to be traveling in any direction. They were off the surf zone clearly visible from shore. When they breached he saw long white pecs and he thinks they were humpbacks.
Whitney Neugebauer

September 20 - north Puget Sound 
7:30 a.m. - Humpback is at Point No Point, heading NW. Worth getting up early!
Judith Wood

***********************

September 19- eastern Juan de Fuca Strait 
Day report: Cool and misty day, with light winds, as we headed out toward Smith Island and McArthur Bank to catch up with some humpbacks, and they were magnificent! One did a full out-of-the-water breach! We watched two as they moved through the area, feeding on small fish. One was catalog number MMX0006, with close to an all black tail fluke, and the other had a lot of white, but I couldn't find a match in the catalog. (see photo below) They eventually joined up and swam quite close to each other, giving us some wonderful views of their flukes and rostrums...
Bonnie Gretz, volunteer naturalist

September 19 - eastern Juan de Fuca Strait 
Humpback at McArthur Bank. 
Photo by Bonnie Gretz, September 19, 2015
(photo taken with a 300mm lens and cropped tightly). 

September 19 - north Puget Sound 
At 6:00 pm I saw a humpback a couple of miles south of Cultus Bay.
Sherman Page

September 19 - central Puget Sound 
5:30 p.m. - We were in a sailboat across from Carkeek Park around 5:30 when we first saw a group of whales. There was a cruise ship on the other side of the whales but maybe it was a later one. The whales were humpbacks and it was awesome. There were at least 2, maybe 3 that we saw several times over 15 or 20 minutes.
Charles O'Hern

September 19 - central Puget Sound 
Just before 5:00 p.m. - Just saw several whales, (humpbacks, see 5:30 report- ALB), from the Westerdam cruise ship as we were leaving Seattle about 30 minutes ago! My first whale sighting! A friend told me to let you know.
Meg Taylor

September 19 - south Puget Sound 
3:01 p.m. - A humpback just swam a few feet offshore from Point Richmond Beach in Colvos Passage, heading S past the No 6 marker.
Christy Robinson

September 19 - north Puget Sound 
2:32 p.m. -  frequent blows seen in a line between Pt no Pt and north Edmonds .. My guess it's the same humpback that been in the area for awhile now.
Stu Davidson

September 19 - south Puget Sound 
Between 2:00 and 2:30 pm saw the humpback whale heading NE through Colvos Passage between Sunrise Beach and the southern tip of Vashon Island.
Ann Marie Eberhart

September 19 - south Puget Sound 
1:00 p.m. - Taken  from the old ferry landing in Gig Harbor.
Photo by Jill Clogston, September 19, 2015 

September 19 - south Puget Sound 
12:28 p.m. - Humpback just south of Gig Harbor, heading slowly north, 3-4 boats floating with it.
Dino Martini

September 19 - south Puget Sound 
11:30 a.m. - Between Point Defiance and Gig Harbor ...Right now the porpoise (Pacific white-sided dolphin) is enamored with our sailboat and so we are not moving!
10:58  a.m. - Humpback between Point Defiance and Tacoma Narrows bridge heading sideways across channel.

Photo by Janet Buzzard, September 18, 2015 (11:30 a.m.) 

September 19 - south Puget Sound 
Humpback between Pt Defiance, Tacoma and Vashon at 11:15 a.m.
Gaby Kinner

September 19 - south Puget Sound 
10:20 a.m. - Humpback whale at Gig Harbor.Spent a hour watching a humpback whale surfacing in close proximity to the half a dozen boats watching. Once along with a pacific white sided dolphin who leaped totally clear of the water.
Photo by Paul Smith, September 19, 2015 

September 19 - north Puget Sound 
From a friend who was fishing off Scatchet Head. He witnessed one breach.
Photo by Ed Wix, September 19, 2015
(Report sent by Tom Trimbath) 

September 19 - north Puget Sound 
9:00 a.m - The birdwatchers at PNP this morning (19th) had seen the humpback heading north at about 9 a.m., so it wasn't moving with the tide. Point No Point is very, very busy this morning with fishing boats.
.James DeRoy

September 19 - north Puget Sound 
8:41 a.m. -  Humpback whale at Point No Point off the north side of the beach headed north.
Connie Bickerton

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September 18 - south Puget Sound 
8:25 p.m. - Humpback near Gig Harbor
Photo by Carol Troup, September 18, 2015 

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
8:00 p.m. - Just saw the humpback again feeding just a half mile north outside Gig Harbor. The whale has been here several nights along with huge herring balls.
Carla Malich

September 18- north Puget Sound 
7:00 p.m. - the humpback was seen blowing quite aways south and east of the lighthouse.
6:30 p.m. - from Point-No-Point...watching the humpback about 200 yards out, east and slightly south of the lighthouse. Blows & dives.
Marilyn DeRoy

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
6:00 p.m. - They (humpback & dolphin-ALB)  came back after that. I was there about 6 ish, they were not in sight when i got there but they showed up after a few min and they were still there when I left around 7pm.
Jessica Hill

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
6:00 p.m. -  playful dolphin and a humpback between Salmon Beach and south tip of Vashon. Breached twice... spectacular! Seemed to be progressing north.
Randy Wickers


September 18 - south Puget Sound 
4:35 p.m. - Gig Harbor humpback, seen with dolphin buddy not far offshore on Gig H side just south of tip of Point Defiance   
Patricia Damron

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
3:29 p.m. -  It's off the South end of the Mouth of the Harbor now. It looks like it's turned and headed back North now Old Ferry dock would be good right now.
3:05 p.m. - Gig Harbor Humpback and Dolphin BFF are just North of the Lighthouse very close to shore feeding & trending South towards Gig Harbor.
Melissa Bird

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
3 p.m. - saw Humpback and dolphin from end of Gig Harbor for about an hour. Then headed North...
Henry Pedersen

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
 Gig Harbor Humpback. I was happy to get a photo of it's head this afternoon.
Photo by Heidi Powers Armstrong, September 18, 2015 

September 18 - north Puget Sound 
2:20 p.m. - Still seeing one of the north sound humpbacks a couple of miles south of Scatchet Head (Whidbey)
Sherman Page

September 18 - north Puget Sound  
1:45-2:30 p.m. - The humpback whale at Point No Point, Hansville.
Photo by Becky Newell Woodworth, September 18, 2015  

September 18 - central Puget Sound 
After watching the Richmond Beach Humpback footage (from 9/21), I'm confident that I witnessed 2 Humpbacks blowing and slapping tails elsewhere. It was last Friday 9/18 and they were about halfway between Points Monroe and Jefferson, seen from Fay Bainbridge. There was a crowd of visiting school children watching and shouting with each splash, but the whales were just too far away for anyone to make a positive ID. After an hour or so-between about 1-2 PM-most watchers gave up. The shared assumption was Orcas, but now I'm convinced that they were Humpbacks, mostly because the slashes were large but no one really ever saw a breaching body. There were also sailboats in the general vicinity, but none too close.
James Hill

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
12:41 a.m. - Dolphins and Humpback very active outside Gig Harbor! (Viewing from Old Ferry Landing)
Jessica Hill

September 18 - eastern Juan de Fuca Strait 
Noon - We're headed south for Port Townsend, and sailed past a humpback feeding over McArthur Bank. We first saw it around noon!
Melissa L

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
11:35 a.m. - Humpback and dolphins are excited by Gig Harbor right now
John Siemssen

September 18 - south Puget Sound 
11:00 a.m. - Humpback and dolphin companion are back between Pt. Defiance and Gig Harbor. Milling around, probably feeding. Boats are getting way too close.
Amy Bliss-Miller

September 18 - north Puget Sound 
10:27 a.m. - watching the humpback all morning - it's east of Point No Point and seems slowly heading northerly towards Scatchet head, as seen from north Edmonds shoreline
Stu Davidson

September 18 - north Puget Sound 
10:10 a.m. - Seems to be feeding right straight out from the Point. I do not have a camera but with binocs whale tail is mostly white.
9:50 a.m. - One closest to shore seems to be trending north. But very slowly. Doing down for long dives
9:42 a.m. - Just saw 2 definitely distinct different blows. One for sure a humpback. Not sure about the 2nd one yet, maybe 1/2 mile apart from each other?
9:34 a.m. - Just got to PNP. Found it. About a mile south of lighthouse, mid channel with a bunch of fishing boats. Saw blows with binocs. Pretty windy out.
Kimberly Sylvester-Malzahn

September 18 - north Puget Sound 
8:22 a.m. - The humpback is still here at Point No Point!  (Hansville) A little south (of the point) - maybe a few hundred yards. She's fishing with me and all the other boats!
Jason R Bourne

September 18 - north Puget Sound 
6:25 - Marilyn Deroy is watching the humpback again off Point No Point, about 300 yards off the beach to the east.


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September 17 - north Puget Sound 
We watched it until dark on the 17th (almost 8:00), just making out the blows. Even though it was out pretty far (Pt No Pt, east of the lighthouse in the boat traffic), we could hear the blows. Generally, in the days we've been watching it, it seems to do 3 or 4 blows at short intervals, then show its fluke for a deep dive before it appears again several minutes later.
Marilyn & James DeRoy

September 17 - south Puget Sound 
1:00 p.m. - Humpback feeding in Colvos Passage 1.2 N of Gig Hbr entrance @ 1300 on 9/16/2015. Accompanied by a very playful acrobatic dolphin. If this was not outside their range we would ID as. spinner Dolphin. Could have been a Pacific White sided, but was not a harbor porpoise.
John Oliveira


September 17 - south Puget Sound 
11:17 a.m. - Humpback and dolphins close to Gig Harbor shores just north or the mouth of the harbor. Should be good viewing from the lookout by old ferry landing and from 5-mile and Point Defiance.
Michel Riley Campbell

September 17 - north Puget Sound 
10:25 a.m. - I don't know if this is the same one that was off of Point No Point, but I just saw a humpback 1-2 miles off of Edmonds...heading south. When I saw it from Edmonds Bowl, it was in line with PNP.
Sherman Page

September 17 - south Puget Sound  
10:25 a.m. - Just spotted the humpback going past the mouth of Gig Harbor. Already out of sight headed up Colvos. Watched the dolphin do 6 leaps in a row. Amazing!
Heidi Powers Armstrong

September 17 - south Puget Sound  
10:07 a.m - Humpback heading north in Narrows now towards Gig Harbor. His buddy, the rogue Pacific white-sided dolphin is with him.
Asher Beckett

September 17 - north Puget Sound 
Point no Point humpback
Photo by Janine Harles, September 17, 2015 

September 17 - south Puget Sound 
9:00 a.m. - Whale/dolphin duo sighted out side mouth of Gig Harbor...
Janet Perry

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September 15 - south Puget Sound 
I was out fishing with my grandpa  when we spotted a humpback whale along Sunrise Beach in Gig Harbor...It also appeared to be by itself.... I shouldn't say it was entirely alone. It was actually swimming with one or two porpoises (Pacific white-sided dolphins-ALB). It was interesting because for nearly an hour, they swam together. Often, when the whale spouted water, the porpoise would leap out of the water simultaneously or seconds after....
Dieter Veitenhans

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September 14 - north Puget Sound 
Sighted a humpback 1 mile S of Point No Point 9/14/15 at 1215 hrs.  Whale was traveling south. One blow, rolled one flipper into the air, the a large blow and the whale sounded with flukes high.
John Oliveir
 
Minke whales           
September 22 
This Minke Whale was feeding in Boundary Pass near Stuart Island. It surfaced in the glassy calm waters with Stuart Island as a backdrop before pushing east.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, September 22, 2015 

September 22 
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, September 22, 2015

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September 21 
Minke near Smith Island
Photo by Janine Harles, September 21, 2015 
    
Pacific white-sided dolphins           
September 23 
2 dolphins around Point Richmond (Colvos Pass) this morning, no whales that I saw.
Bryan Owens

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September 21 
Only saw one of the dolphins while fishing by Gig Harbor this morning. It jumped next to a buddies boat and splashed him.
Bryan Owens

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September 20 
4:35 p.m. - Lil buddy the Pacific white-sided dolphin is close, out with him/her now off Owens Beach, Point Defiance.
Photo by Dino Martini, September 20, 2015 

September 20 
3:17 p.m. -  I don't see the Humpback but have a boat with a Dolphin at the Gig Harbor Viewpoint at Pt. Defiance.
Melissa Bird


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September 19 
6:11 p.m. - Single dolphin off Anthony's Restaurant deck west of Pt. Defiance ferry dock. Now he's having fun breaching & we're all oooohing and ahhhhhing. It was leaping and checking out boats... I knew about the White Sided that had been hanging around Talequah. Had no idea he was keeping company with a Humpback! How marvelous.
Cheryl Richmond

September 19 
6:41 p.m. - Dolphin last seen heading west toward Gig hHarbor between boat house and Vashon. It may have been two. It seemed as though I was seeing different sizes.
6:12 p.m. - The dolphin is heading toward the east side of Vashon.
6:00 p.m. - Dolphin near Anthony's (Point Defiance)
Ronda Walters

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September 17-19 
Many many reports of the dolphins with the humpbacks in south Puget Sound, for sake of space they will be just in the humpback section.

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September 16 
 
Pacific White-sided dolphin outside of Gig Harbor, Washington
Video by Janet Perry , September 16, 2015 


September 16 
9:00 a.m. - Whale/dolphin duo sighted out side mouth of Gig Harbor. Pictures of the dolphin show some distinctive scares of the left pectoral fun and dorsal.
Photo by Janet Perry, September 16, 2015
(photos do match Lag seen over the past year in this general location-ALB) 

September 16   
Photo by Janet Perry, September 16, 2015
 
Dall's porpoise            
September 17 
Dalls Porpoise near Hein Bank. Taken aboard the Chilkat Express out of Edmonds.
Photo by Janine Harles, September 17, 2015 
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*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.