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Orca Network 

Whale Sighting Report  
In This Issue
Photo of the Day
Southern Residents
Unidentified orcas
Humpback whales
Gray whales
Dall's porpoise
Orca Network's
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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

DeathatSeaWorld


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orca Lolita/Tokitae,

captured in Penn Cove,

Whidbey Island, WA

in 1970, somehow surviving in a small tank at the Miami Seaquarium ever since.

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

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November 20, 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.
All was quiet today when suddenly, in a span of a few hours, we had an abundance of reports stream in...6 orcas in Saratoga Passage, a gray whale near Point No Point, a breaching humpback in Dalco Passage near Vashon, humpbacks in Haro Strait, and  18-22 plus orcas making their way into Admiralty Inlet spread in all directions. We have no IDs on the orcas down here today and can only say this, the Saratoga group acted like transients and the Admiralty numbers and behavior suggests residents. We look forward to what tomorrow brings.
Prior to today's reports, November 16th had J's and K's headed northeast from Victoria into Haro Strait while L's headed west in Juan de Fuca Strait.

A lovely sunny whale day was had by many in Puget Sound and other reaches of the Salish Sea.

Orca Network 
Photo of the Day
November 16 
J's north east bound off of Victoria on November 16th.
Photo by Mark Malleson 
 
Southern Residents
November 16  
K13s north east bound off of Victoria's waterfront on November 16th
Photo by Mark Malleson 

L122 and L91 west bound off of Victoria on November 16th.
Photo by Mark Malleson 


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November 14 
L91 and L83 with L122 westbound south of Otter Point on November 14th
Photo by Mark Malleson 

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(In the excitement and celebration of the SRKWs first  visit into Puget Sound November 1st, and the flurry of reports over the 5 days they stayed down here, we accidentally buried an email from Sarah McCullagh who sent us a great encounter report and beautiful photos from the hours prior to their entrance into Admiralty Inlet that day.)

November 1 
Hi Orca Network! The M/V Sea Lion had an incredible day out on the water with the Southern Residents today, November 1st, as they traveled south through Rosario. We found them in the pouring rain and 5 foot seas near Lawson Reef with the help of reports from the ferry and shore... Thanks to those who helped us find them today! They were in a very splashy mood: breaching, tail lobbing, and spyhopping. It seemed they were having a grand old time in the waves!
Sarah McCullagh

November 1 
K12 Sequim and K16 Opus in Rosario Strait.
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015
(All photos taken while observing approach laws and then cropped.) 

One of many spyhops throughout the day...
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015  

...including a double spyhop.
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015

Tactile interaction combined with yet another spyhop.
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015 

Breach as the clouds thickened. We lost count of the number of breaches we saw. The whales seemed to spend more time flying out of the water than in it today!
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015  

Deception Pass in the background.
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015 

Deception Pass in the background, K20 Spock out in front.
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015  

So many dorsals!
Photo by Sarah McCullagh, November 1, 2015  
 
Unidentified orcas
October 20 - Admiralty Inlet 
4:30 p.m. - They slowed considerably and are just hanging around Lagoon Pt, mid channel and more on Kitsap side. Too far away for saddles, but they appeared to be fishing.  I would guess 15+, but no clue as they were spread out far and wide. Still slowly passing by Lagoon Pt at 4:30.
Rachel Haight
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4:13 p.m. - 10-12 orca just passed Lagoon Point, heading south to Bush Point mainly on Marrowstone side.
Paula Ratcliff
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3:40 p.m. - Amy Johnson at the Pt. Townsend Marine Science Center reports a pod of 8-12 orcas off Ft Casey State Park heading south.
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3:30 p.m. - And even more. Big breach more mid channel and north. Spread out in small groups.
3:28 p.m. - Just found them. About to pass Lagoon Pt. Whidbey side. There's a lot. Spotted another group further south and west.
Rachel Haight
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2:37 p.m. - Group of orcas coming around Pt. Wilson, Whidbey side, south of the ferry lane! At least 10!
Amy Johnson
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2:30 p.m. - Orcas (5-6?) off Point Wilson heading towards Bush Point. Passing Keystone / Coupeville Ferry terminal.
Betsy Carlson
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11:45 a.m. - Small whale, possibly an orca--light was behind it  and it was too far out in the water to see details. One small whale, near Fort Ebey traveling south to northwest. Swimming around in one area but slowly working it's way west. Light and distances made it impossible to see markings.
Diana Butler and David Paull
Greenbank, WA

October 20 - Saratoga Passage 
1:52 p.m. - I think there are at least 6 judging from blows. They are spread out.
1:37 p.m. - at least 4 blows. Bypassed Holmes Harbor and continued heading south.
1:30 p.m. -  see them towards Greenbank, heading towards Holmes Harbor.
Krista Paulino
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1:30 p.m. - Caught brief glimpses of blows south of Holmes Harbor around 1:30 and never saw them again. Total disappearing act!
Steve Smith
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1:19 p.m. - I spotted one at Hidden beach. A male headed SW. Saw him surface half a dozen times... Haven't seen him since.
Rachel Haight
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12:22 p.m. - Confirmed they are heading south. Now off south Woodland Beach, Camano. 2 or 3 so far.
12:05 p.m. - Changed direction. Now facing north. May just be circling/feeding. Still mid-channel or slightly east to Camano side.
11:55 a.m. - Orca in Saratoga passage, mid-channel, heading south passing Penn Cove, Whidbey/ Woodland Beach, Camano. Only see one so far.
Krista Paulino

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November 19 
4:00 p.m. - Received a call from Debbie reporting 4 - 5 orcas heading north a little bit south of Clinton ferry dock.
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3:40 p.m. - one small orca between Mukilteo and Clinton on the north side of the ferry boat during the crossing, traveling north swimming, not very fast. Too far away to see many markings except for some white coloring at the base of the black dorsal fin. I've seen whales in this area before, but always in a group; I've never seen a solo orca there before. Thanks for your good work.
Diana Butler and David Paull
Greenbank, WA
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10:00 a.m. -  North end of Vashon at the WSF Vashon Ferry Terminal. Whales were headed north, one breaching... I did not spend time observing them as I had to attend to other work activities. Therefore I don't have a good count.
Burt Miller, WSF
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8:16 a.m. - WS Ferries reports a small pod of 3-6 orcas milling mid-channel near the Port Townsend/Coupeville ferry lane. No direction given.
Humpback whales
November 20 
2:07 p.m.  - Humpback in Dalco Passage close to Vashon Island, multiple breaches just now.
Michele Riley Campbell

November 20 
12 noon - two humpbacks in Haro Strait, off Henry Island heading north mid channel.
Susan Berta & Howard Garret on San Juan Island

November 20 
10:51 a.m. - Just saw a humpback whale a couple miles west of Spieden in north Haro from the Sidney ferry, heading north.
Monika Wieland

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November 18
7:34 a.m. - Michelle Moyer reports a whale around Point No Point, Kitsap as seen from the bluff just to the south of PNP Lighthouse. Last seen moving in a northerly direction.

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November 17 
During power outage at 3:30pm, a humpback spotted between Vashon and Point Defiance, at least 50 rapid tail lobs followed by a full breach, just spectacular.
Michele Riley Campbell

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November 14 
Humpback north of Port Angeles on November 14th.
Photo by Mark Malleson 

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November 8 
We sighted two humpbacks Sunday, 11/8, around dusk at Point No Point Lighthouse. The whales were close into shore and startled a fisherman. They weren't diving deep as they rounded the point, so only the dorsal fins and backs were visible. We were delighted to see these big guys again!
Carol Keathley

One of the two humpbacks near Point No Point surfacing in the waning light.
Photo by David Keathley, November 8, 2015 
Gray whales
November 20 
12:39 p.m. - Gray whale south of Point No Point traveling south at a good clip, near Kitsap side.
Steve Smith 
Dall's porpoise
November 20 
 3:00 p.m.  - At least a half dozen Dall's porpoises near Kelp Reef in Haro Strait, bow-riding.
Susan Berta & Howard Garret (on San Juan Island) 
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.