March 12 

"We were right off Cape Flattery and little did we know that we would end up tracking these whales all day as they were scouring the deep canyons off the coast. Within minutes Candi Emmons had spotted the J11s and J14s, it wasn't until later that she spotted J2, L87 and the others confirming that we were with all of J pod....It seems like the last week or so we have found them in this general location...."
By Peggy Foreman, NOAA Fisheries
Full report and past entries can be found at Pacific Orcinus Distribution Survey 2016 Blog

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29 February update - As of our last update on 25 February L95 and some of L pod were just north of the Columbia River heading north. When we relocated them on Friday morning they were north of the Columbia River heading south. The whales were very spread out and visibility was low due to fog and drizzle, making keeping track of then challenging as they were not vocalizing. In the early afternoon they started calling again and we heard K pod calls and observed some K pod whales in the area with L pod. We continued to monitor the whales into the evening acoustically. However, Friday morning was the last transmission we received from L95s tag such that when the whales stopped vocalizing early on the morning of the 26th we lost track of them. When we saw L95 the day before we did not detect a tag attachment issue and he was resighted on the 27th. We were able to relocate Ks and Ls on the 27th, again just north of the Columbia River and stayed with them well into the night until they stopped vocalizing near Tillamook Head. Seas were rough that day so we could not conduct small boat work but we could observe them from the Shimada and besides documenting the presence of all 3 of the L pod calves born this past year we also witnessed another episode of multiple breaches by numerous whales over a period of about 30 minutes, very similar to a bout of breaching we observed on the 2015 cruise. High winds and seas curtailed our efforts to conduct a broad search for K and L pods on the 28th, and with the extended forecast calling for continued high swell and winds we headed north and as of the 29th we are near the entrance ot the Strait of Juan de Fuca searching for J pod.
NOAA-NWFSC

Photo courtesy of Brad Hanson, NOAA-NWFSC NOAA-NWFS 2016 Southern Resident killer whale satellite tagging

Orca - Georgeson Bay , Galiano. One Orca was swimming south between the birds 50-75 meter of Georgeson Beach. The beach below Active Pass Drive on March 11 around 10:30 am. No picture taken of sighting.
Inge Waag

Love this colorful old-school pen tip method referencing the location of the lone orca seen off Galiano Island March 11th. Photo by Inge Waag

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...We left Snug Harbor at 1250 and got on scene at 1326 about a mile and a half north of Swartz Bay. Since both Peregrine and Legacy had recently left the whales, we had to re-find them which we did after a brief search. The T18's had already exited Shute Passage into Satellite Channel and appeared to be resting as they were traveled slowly west in a tight group... Read full summary at CWR T18s Encounter #16.
Dave Ellifrit & Deborah Giles, CWR

The T18s (T18, T19, T19B, T19C) Photo by Deborah Giles, Center for Whale Research, March 7, 2015

T19C & T19B Photo by Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research, March 7, 2016

The T18s Photo by Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research, March 7, 2016

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12:39 p.m. - Right now! Gooch Is. BC...We found the T18s just to east of Gooch Island. Unfortunately, all I had was my iPhone. Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Legacy, March 7, 2016

Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, Maya's Legacy, March 7, 2016

 

8:18 a.m. - Actually 2 whales. 2 blows!
8:12 a.m. - Camano Island, gray whale between Dana Point and Mabana Heights. Appears to be feeding behavior.
Sally Olin

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Mystic Sea Charters reports Gray Whales #723 and #531 sighted between Whidbey and Camano State Park, around noon.
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11:50 a.m. - Gray again, northbound Saratoga this Tim. Mid channel between Camano State parks. Easy spot, look for whale watching boat trailing.
Will Murphy
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11:00 a.m. - Gray Whale - Middle of Saratoga Passage just south of Cama Beach State Park. Being followed by a whale watching boat. Previous day (11th) saw one close to shore just north of Camano Island State Park. Raised his tail in the air before a long swim northwest against the tide.
Dianan DeLashmutt, Camano Island

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4:50 p.m. - Gray whale feeding behavior near Dana point Camano island.
Sally Olin
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11:10 a.m. just saw a spout mid channel in saratoga passage from woodland beach camano area. Through binocs, appeared to be 1 southbound gray whale.
Krista Paulino

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5:30 p.m. - Grey southbound on the Greenbank side of Saratoga across from us between the Camano State parks.
Will Murphy
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3:12 p.m. - Connie Barrett reports seeing a gray whale near
Baby Island, heading west toward Greenbank, Whidbey Island in Saratoga Passage.

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12:50 p.m. - Large humpback (or gray) sighted approx 200 yds off Camano shore near Indian Beach. (when I saw it from my window so close and large I actually gasped, and my first thought was "that's a humpback" due to the hump as it dove.  I then heard it surface (it was behind a tree from my view) and saw it surface one more time.  It was also alone, making me think humpback.  But in retrospect I can't swear I saw a dorsal fin so I may be wrong. )
Ruth Westra

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Update: Village Pizzeria reports the whales went by headed NW, then turned around and headed back toward Sandy Point.
We just heard the Whale Bell around 5 pm and talked to someone who had seen a Gray whale or two off Langley. Not sure of exact location or direction of travel, but walking down from Langley Whale Center to take a look to see if we can find them!
Susan Berta, Orca Network

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First day for "gray whale" season today, #56 showed up for opening day. Whales 531 and 723 have also been seen this season, but didn't find them today.
Jill Hein, Naturalist, Mystic Sea

Best way to ID a gray whale is by the markings under his tail. No question, this is #56. Photo by Jill Hein, March 5, 2016

Almost a head shot of whale #56. Photo by Jill Hein, March 5, 2016

Gray whale #56 - Distinctive markings on his left flank. Photo by Jill Hein, March 5, 2016

Gray whale #56 - A slight view of the "top" of his fluke (tail). Photo by Jill Hein, March 5, 2016

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1:05 p.m. -  just saw a blow a mile or so E or ESE of Point No Point.
12:35 p.m. -  a gray whale a couple of miles SE of Point No Point. Mystic Sea is currently nearby. As viewed from 6+ miles away in Edmonds.
Sherman Page
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12:15 p.m. - He's working back and forth along the southern edge of the bank. 2 breaths between dives with 7-8 minute down times.
11:42 a.m. - Westbound for the moment.
11:36 a.m. - Gray whale #56 S/W of Possession Point. Mid channel. No direction yet.
James Gresham 

11:45 a.m. - A small humpback was reported between the Bathhouse and Owens Beach off Tacoma.
Brian Owen

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4:20 p.m. - Just saw a small humpback breaching west of the
Fox Island Bridge!  (south Puget Sound)
Chris Reanier

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1:55 p.m. -  saw a humpback southbound, center channel in Colvos Passage. One mile south of the Southworth Ferry Lane. sorry no pics ...just enjoyment !
Noreen Ferris
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Unusual southbound travel in Colvos passage. Current is always northbound here, and we just heard 2nd whale today at 2200, extremely close to west shore on surface blowing dozen times, heading southbound.  The whales always travel northbound thru here. There was another about noon today same path heading south. Wonderful to see  so much activity today. Not sure if it was humpy or grey?
Cheers, Tim Ferris

Humpback Colvos Passage. Photo by Tim Ferris, March 8, 2016

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5:00 p.m. - Just saw very small whale as we were approaching the Southworth ferry dock. Surfaced a couple of times and blew!
Brenda Billiet Glisson
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3:30 p.m. - What a delight, Humpback Whale in north Colvos passage heading north 1530.
Tim Ferris
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12:30 p.m. - Maia at WA State Ferries relayed a report of a small humpback between Blake Island and Southworth ferry terminal.

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Humpbacks between Southworh and West Seattle
I've been watching humpbacks from the Southworth ferry terminal looking at West Seattle since 10:50 and it's 12:15 now.
Meg Taylor

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This evening at 18:00 we watched a small whale hanging around between Blake Island and Southworth area, feeding. Looked like a humpback but it was twilight so not certain.
Paul Lee

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...around 5 or 6 pm as I was stuck in traffic on hwy 99 northbound I saw a whale or possibly slow moving porpoise? out in front of Seattle, just northwest of the Ferris wheel. Could it be the humpback? I never saw any dorsal fin. Unfortunately I couldn't get out my binocs because I was driving.
J.K., a birder from Snohomish County.