Slick (J16) and Scarlet (J50) today near San Juan Island. The J16s spent the day doing the "west side shuffle". Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, May 9, 2016

10:47 a.m. - Some of our favorite black n whites are heading towards Salmon Bank past Eagle Point.
Erin Corra
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9:10 a.m. - some S4 calls.
8:50 a.m. - Begin hearing distant calls and echolocation on Lime Kiln hydrophone, along with approaching cargo ship.
Gayle Swigart

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Orca pod spotted off South side of Point Roberts Heading NW early this morning and heading SW around noon.
Tami Everly Podelick

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The J16's off the west side of San Juan Island at sunset. Photo by Traci Walter, May 9, 2016

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9:22 p.m. -  Orcas vocalizing on Lime Kiln.
Alethea Leddy
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7:05 p.m. - hearing them on the Lime Kiln hydrophone now!
The J16s have been shuffling back and forth in front of the Center for Whale Research for the past two hours (5 - 7 pm), now heading south.
Susan Berta, Orca Network
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5:50 p.m. - Left the scene ...whales southbound from Open Bay.
Barbara Bender
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5:30 p.m. -  I saw the J16's traveling south past the Center for Whale Research, spread out over several miles, with J16 and J50 in the lead, J26 much farther out in Haro Strait, and later J36, J42 and J52 came within 200 yards of shore past the Center. A half hour earlier the J16s had gone past the Center going north, and 20 minutes later they came by again heading north again.
While scanning for the J16s I noticed one or two very tall blows probably two miles off Lime Kiln, and through the scope saw the back of a humpback as it dove.
Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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3:55 p.m. -  Foraging of the park and to the south. Heading north. Just saw Mike out from the northernmost pullout at Land Bank, northbound.
3:30 p.m. - Js approaching Lime Kiln
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

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Another delightful day with a great and amazing lady, J16. Slick. Today, off the southern side of San Juan Island. Photo by Jim Maya, May 9, 2016

J16 Slick Photo by Jim Maya, May 9, 2016

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Started hearing faint echo location on Lime Kiln at 6:23 am, then one faint call. Getting louder and more frequent now at 6:40. S4 calls.
Selena Rhodes Scofield

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Happy Mother's Day to all our new Southern Resident moms over the last year and a half! Including J36 Alki, who was traveling south in Haro Strait with her little one J52 Sonic this evening. Photo by Monika Wieland, May 8, 2016

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J-16 Slick - Matriarch, southbound Haro Strait off Kellet Bluff. Photo by Barbara Bender, May 8, 2016

16-month-old J 50 Scarlett and her 13-month-old nephew J52 Sonic, powering southbound past Kellet Bluff.  Photo by Barbara Bender, May 8, 2016

J26 Mike, Kellet Bluff, Haro Strait. Photo by Barbara Bender, May 8, 2016

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What a delight to spend some time with the J16s on Mother's Day! Here's a peek at J26. Boundary Pass, BC. Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, May 8, 2016

 

These whales ditched us between Lagoon and Bush Points - totally disappeared. I rechecked Keystone on the way home too. Here's a photo from Lagoon Point - rumored to be T077's? There were at least 6 whales...where did they go? Photo by Jill Hein, May 12, 2016

Photo by Jill Hein, May 12, 2016

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1:20 p.m. - Ts passing Lagoon Point, Whidbey Island southbound close to shore. Photo by Rachel Haight, May 12, 2016

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1:10 p.m. - Sighting: about 6 to 8 big and small orcas swam across Lagoon Point, Whidbey Island.
Sarah Thome
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12:05 p.m. - Greg Davis saw this group passing Seacrest, just south of Admirals Cove and north of Lagoon Point, still heading south, accompanied by two whale watch boats.
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12:03 p.m. - T77s sans T77A...they are heading southeast in to center of Admiralty Bay. North of Bush Point.
10:45 am - Transients at Fort Casey entering Admiralty Inlet. One male, females and a few juveniles. No ID's yet. Very close to shore.
Renee Beitzel

This is one of many photos I took today when we found the T077's heading south at Ft Casey. These folks were on the beach with their dogs and it was crazy how close to the beach they (the T's) were! T077B surfacing here but the rest of them were up against the shoreline too. I'd love to send these people a copy of any shots I have, if anyone knows who they are. Photo by Renee Beitzel, May 12, 2016 (Photo is zoomed and cropped)

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Orca family heading north - 2:10 - Cascade view beach. The end of Columbia beach, Clinton WA. Looking at Mukilteo ferry in background.
Tim Andersen
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10:17 am - Sailing toward Point No Point and just passed two orca heading south toward Kingston mid shipping channel. Breaching! Maybe about 3-4 nautical miles north of Kingston. Saw them about halfway between Point No Point and Apple Cove Pt., they were closer to the west side of the channel (southbound/mid shipping channel)
Trent DesChamps

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Afternoon to sunset sail. We went north and into Haro Strait to find Big Mama humpback and her calf ambling towards Turn Point. We left them to double back toward Battleship Island to meet the transient orca family, the T123's. They stopped for supper north of O'Neal Island but supper got away from them. Luckily our supper was cooking in the barbecue. They crossed the channel, slipped around Jones Island and rode the flood up Presidents Channel through the sunset. It was a beautiful evening.
Barbara & David, All Aboard Sailing

T123 with 3 1/2 year old T123C. Photo by Capt. Barbara Bender, May 11, 2016

7:38 p.m. - Found em! Going up Spring Pass along Orcas Island shore.
7:28 p.m. - We lost them! At Jones not sure of direction.
Barbara Bender
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6:41 p.m. - They ended up zipping past super fast! Heading down SJ Channel now
Monika Wieland
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Well, that was fun. The beauties went thru mid channel (Speiden) and sped up. I made it in time to Reuben Tarte for the finale as they headed East.
Peggy Mauro
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5:50 p.m. - T's on shore looking to be heading towards Speiden channel.
Barbara Bender
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5:11 p.m. - T123s middle of Haro northbound. Just leaving.
Monika Wieland

Sixteen year-old T123A next to his mama T123 this evening in Haro Strait. Photo by Monika Wieland, May 11, 2016

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T100, 100C, 100E, and 100F made a stealth appearance at Lime Kiln about 6:45pm as some harbor porpoises and sea lions were feeding. No attacks noted. This was supposedly a different group than the group of Ts that initially passed by and were tracked down by CWR. About 75 yards offshore. Photo by Ariel Yseth, May 10, 2016

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7:20 p.m. - Watching 3 orcas at Whisky Spit just north of Hood Canal bridge. They are far off from us as we are opposite Port Gamble, but they appear to be actively feeding. Tribal canoe was out practicing and was very close. Hoping the crew had phone cams at least and that they post pics.
Paul Hebert
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6:02 p.m. - Just spotted at least 4 Orcas moving north in Hood Canal right across from Lofall about 3 miles south of Hood Canal Bridge...we live on the water and we were able to see them clearly
Sandy Lyon
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9:47 a.m. -  I'm a mile north of Jorstad creek. They are straight out mid channel northbound.
Rachel Haight
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9:34 a.m. - I see them! At least 4 individuals hanging around in the rip current. Couldn't get a good pic with my phone as they were pretty far off the shore. I'm on Hwy 101 at Jorstad Creek.
Rebecca Samuelson
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Approx 7:30 a.m. - I have seen them everyday since my last email including this morning. The pod was 3 miles north of Hoodsport East shore (Tahuya side), they were heading north.   There is an ORCA buoy roughly 2 miles north of Hoodsport mid channel, they were north of that about 1/2 mile or so.  Time was 730am or so.
Cindy Sund

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8:00 p.m. - Saw them from the Skokomish Park boat launch around 8 p.m. Sounds like they are following the same pattern as yesterday.
Kelsey Browne
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7:53 p.m. - They are directly north of Port Gamble, active.
Anouska Willett
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6:52 p.m. - And then of course the draw bridge went up and there was loud honking. They're traveling in a group.
6:40 p.m. -  they've crossed under Hood Canal bridge...
Rachel Haight
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6:25 p.m. -  they are starting to move south at a faster pace now. They look to be around Dewatto.
6:05 p.m. - still across from eagle creek saloon, slowly headed south. Making lots of kills it looks like. Very active still on the east side of the channel.
5:45 p.m. -  directly across from eagle creek saloon. Birds still hovering, looks like they are hunting. Breaches tail lobbing and throwing stuff out of the water. East side of the channel.
Brittany Gordan

Hood Canal Big's/Transients. Photo by Brittany Gordon, May 8, 2016

Eyepatch and headstand. Photo by Brittany Gordon, May 8, 2016

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11:30 a.m. - Saw them passing Ayock point over on east side of canal.
Jourdan Bates
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9:15 a.m. - Orcas past by Hoodsport, close to shore, this morning heading north. Later (10:30-ish) they were on the east side of the canal opposite Octopus Hole.
Harry Louch

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7:38 p.m. - Skokomish Park boat launch in Potlatch. Mid channel...Staying in the area. Beautiful.
5:32 p.m. - They are across from Eagle Creek still Steady southward. Amazing!
4:17 p.m. - They are now just south of Mike's Beach Resort. Still heading south on the east side of the canal.  We saw five. They were split into two small groups
3:56 p.m. - Heading south. Boat out there chasing them. Speeds ahead of them and then stops to wait. When they gun their engines and speed past, the whales five under.
Jeannie Majercin
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3:27 p.m. - Right now. At Williams Court. Just north of Triton Head State Park. On east side of canal.
Larry Majercin

Spyhopping . Looking east from Skokomish Park boat launch out towards North Shore Road near Tahuya. Photo by Larry Majercin, May 7, 2016

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11:40 a.m. - They are currently on the east side of the canal at Cummings Point. Heading north at a normal pace. Possibly 4 in two small groupings.
Jeannie Majercin
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11:30 a.m. - When I left them at 11:30'ish (5/7), they were heading north. Their pattern for the last two days was passing Hoodsport around 8:30 a.m. heading north. When the orcas were in in the early 2000's, they had a predictable pattern - working north with an outgoing tide. I never figured out their return pattern....A beautiful morning for watching Orcas swimming North, with the out going tide in Hood Canal...
Harry Louch
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11: 38 a.m. - ORCAS just passed the Jorsted Creek area, on the east side of the Canal heading northbound toward Holly, AWESOME!
Tamara Cihak
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-11:20 a.m. - Just saw the Hood Canal orcas passing Ayock Point heading north.
Jourdan Bates

10:00 a.m. - At least 3 Orca Whales were sighted by many tourists in the lovely town of Hoodsport,WA on the Hood Canal,located 28 miles North of Olympia.
Lucy
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9:30 a.m. - Transients in hood canal heading toward Dewatto.. They are being harassed by a fishing boat, can't identify from my location. Repeatedly passing the pod within 50 feet and stopping in their direct path.
Cara Alferness
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9:00-9:25 a.m. - Saw a pod of at least 4 orcas in Hood Canal 2 miles north of Hoodsport traveling north this morning from about 9 til 9:25 am. They were on the Kitsap Peninsula side of the canal. Traveling slowly, slapping flukes on water. Unfortunately there was a motor boat in the midst of them (but it's motor was off) and it was just floating.
Beth Rose
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9:05 a.m. - I have spotted at least 3 orcas, maybe 4 ( possibly one male) in lower hood canal yesterday May 6 and again this morning May 7. Currently they are on the Tahuya shore north of Hoodsport heading North. It seems there are maybe two young ones. Traveling, playing, tail slapping. This is the second day in this area....There seems to be a plane up doing a fly over. Thanks.
Cynthia Sund
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8:30 a.m. - I saw five and maybe six Orcas in Hood Canal. They were traveling North, on the East side of the Canal, just before Hoodsport. At Ayock Beach, two hours later, (10:30) I saw one large male way ahead of five orcas all heading North. I gave up at Hama Hama River.  There were two large ones, (males?), for sure, then two "normal" size and two juveniles. The best sighting was a Lilliwaup Tide Flats parking area around 10 a.m. just north of the Lilliwaup River. At this point they broke from their normal northward travel and turned toward shore, (west). Here the five started circling really close to shore in 10 to 12 feet of water for about 3 - 4 minutes. Close enough that you could hear their blows and see their movement under water. Amazing! No seals, fish or octopus seen. Then they just started swimming north again.  A lot of people observed the Orcas as they traveled north. One car would pull over and 10 would follow. A great day for whale watching on Hood Canal.
Harry Louch

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8:30-9:00 p.m. - 2 marine mammals black and white with fins. They are breaching, tail slapping, making lots of noise out in the middle of Dabob Bay. There are two that we can see. Didn't have time to run and get binoculars to make better identification. To me, from this distance, looks like orca, but there are only two that we can see. Feeding. One went almost completely out of the water. Lots of tail slapping and heavy respirations. They were sort of apart, maybe 40 feet from each other, and then very close to each other and heading southeast as the light of day disappeared.
Kirie Pedersen
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7:00 p.m. - 4 Orca sited , north end of Dabob Bay Hood canal. 2 very large and 2 lesser, but still big whales. They moved rapidly south down the Hood Canal. They alternated swimming underwater and on top , spouting large plumes as the surfaced
Todd Daugherty
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10:30 a.m. - just north of Hoodsport. Spotted 5 orcas on the far side of the canal - at least one appeared pretty small. Watched them for 30 minutes - breaching, spyhopping, thrashing around (apparently hunting). They were moving north at a leisurely pace. Saw them again 3 hours later north of the Hamma Hamma River - still on the far side. The water was getting too choppy to see them well. The pictures are not too good because of the distance, but possibly good enough that you may be able to identify some.
Sherrie & Tom Michalski

Breaching in Hood Canal. Photo by Tim Michalski, May 6, 2016

Photo by Tom Michalski, May 6, 2016

Photo by Tom Michalski, May 6, 2016

8:30 a.m. - The Orcas (10 including adult males) are in the Hood Canal. It might be time for another seal feed; It's been quite a few years since I've seen them in here. Playing, jumping. They were near shore and in the middle of the canal (two groups)
Nick Cecil

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I watched this pod of 6 kill a sealion. This individual mostly hung out, with occasional tail slaps while the smaller whales beat the sealion to death. Teaching the young orcas to kill a sealion. One large, and possibly another small male....They moved off northward with the body, which may have still been alive, but when I re-acquired them at Malaspina Galleries, I didn't see it any more. I did see the body drift past my location (McConvey Rd, Gabriola, BC) an hour or so later. (The answer from Dave Ellifrit at the Center for Whale Research is: T19B in the first pic and T19C with the long scar on his back in the second.)
Alan Daley, Gabriola, BC

Photo by Alan Daley, May 4, 2016

Photo by Alan Daley, May 4, 2016

Photo by Alan Daley, May 4, 2016

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Transients in Sansum Narrows. On Tuesday May 3, about noon, we encountered what looked like a family of 3 Orcas travelling south towards Burial Island and beyond: Papa, Mama and Baby. I only had my lumix camera but managed to get one photo of the male.
Tamar Griggs

Transient bull in Sansum Narrows. Photo by Tamar Griggs, May 3, 2016

May 11
5:59 p.m. - We just left the BCY0324 Big Mama & calf heading north still.
Barbara Bender
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Big Mama's calf! She was out there today, right outside of Snug Harbor Resort. Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, May 11, 2016

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Big Mama and calf again today! Lots of playing and rolling at surface again from the calf as we sat with engines off just north of Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island.
Renee Beitzel

ID fluke shot of the 6th known calf of BCY0324 big Mama. Haro Strait. Photo by Renee Beitzel, May 11, 2016 (photo zoomed & cropped)

This calf rolled around and expended energy at the surface the entire time mom, BCY0324 Big Mama,  was down on a dive. Photo by Renee Beitzel, May 11, 2016 (photo zoomed & cropped)

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12:34 p.m. - Baby humpback whale by itself heading north at coordinates: 47.37.38 by 122.27.14 in Puget Sound near Eagle Harbor, Bainbridge Island.
Ryan Danforth Downs

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5:30 p.m. -  ...While scanning for the J16s I noticed one or two very tall blows probably two miles off Lime Kiln, and through the scope saw the back of a humpback as it dove.
Howard Garrett, Orca Network (at Center for Whale Research)

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There were reports of whales as we left Anacortes, so we took the scenic route through the San Juan Islands, then checked out Whale Rocks to see visiting Steller sea lions, and lots of harbor seals. Aha - received a report of Minke whales, so off towards Hein Bank we saw two of the elusive Minke whales, surfacing fairly frequently, in nice calm seas! As we headed back towards Lopez Island, several passengers caught sight of a blow and tail fluke behind us - YAY a Humpback whale!! So we turned around and caught several nice views of this whale (possibly 2 whales) .... before ultimately heading back to the dock with happy passengers.
Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist

Humpback about to dive.  Photo by Jill Hein, May 8, 2016

Photo by Jill Hein, May 8, 2016

1710 - we spotted a solo gray that surfaced a couple of times near the Southworth Ferry dock Heading south down Colvos Passage. Was unable to get a photo.
Verbena Kempton
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11:32am whale (living) surfacing / and blows east of Scatchet Head moving east toward Possession Point. (South Whidbey) Guessing Gray.
Stu Davidson


Grays breaching just off the beach at La Push early this morning, on the filling tide. Right in front of the cabins this morning we were greeted with four groups of grays.  One appeared to be younger and playful, and kept breaching just off the beach.  Amazing to be in the presence of these creatures.
Mike Poor

Beginning young gray whale breach sequence along the shore in La Push. Photo by Mike Poor, May 11, 2016

middle breach sequence... Photo by Mike Poor, May 11, 2016

...splashdown. Photo by Mike Poor, May 11, 2016

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5:34 p.m. - A gray whale close to Camano shores is milling around by Pebble Beach. It's swimming close to the surface and diving occasionally. A very distinctive white patch is on its tail.
Sarah Malmstead
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Grey Whale encounter today, May 10th, 2016 off east side of Whidbey Island at Bells Beach in Saratoga Passage from about 9am-10am. We had a grey whale come by feeding on the ghost shrimp close to shore while we were out in our kayaks. It was rolling and showing us its pectoral fins and staying in shallow water to feed.  It came within 40 fee of our kayaks while it was feeding. What an incredible experience. We were not able to get any pictures up close as we were focused on staying out of it's way and we were not able to identify it as it was too shallow to dive and show us its fluke. I will never forget this unexpected gift. In gratitude.
Kristin Carlson
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7:19 a.m. - Kristi Schaeffer called in a report of one or two gray whales feeding off Whidbey Shores, Whidbey Island, she believed they were heading south.

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Melanie Serroel reports a Gray whale in Saratoga Passage at 5:20 pm:
One large adult gray headed southeast toward Camano Head on
the east side of Camano Island. My location is Port Susan Terrace beach. It was passing ang stopping now and then to eat ghost shrimp. Watched for about 15 minutes.

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A couple of visitors just came into Langley Whale Center and said they saw whales on the 10:00 Mukilteo crossing. A pic from their phone looked like a gray whale. It was south of ferry lane by Clinton docks.
Debbie Stewart, LWC docent

There were reports of whales as we left Anacortes...received a report of Minke whales, so off towards Hein Bank we saw two of the elusive Minke whales, surfacing fairly frequently, in nice calm seas!...
Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist

One of the two Minke whales we found near Hein Bank. Photo by Jill Hein, May 8, 2016