August 12  

Incoming K16s and K21 heading east past Race Rocks Ecological Preserve. Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 12, 2016 (ID's by Alisa Lemire Brooks & Sara Hysong-Shimazu)

Precious little breaching southern resident - Juan de Fuca while east bound with members of J, K, & L pods.  Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 12, 2016

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Nice evening with L Pod, and some Js and Ks - Juan de Fuca Strait. And the Olympic Mountains! And a nice sunset! Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, August 12, 2016

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K25 off Saturn Island this afternoon. Photo by Sara Baldwin, August 12, 2016

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With the welcome return of K pod (the endangered Southern Resident orca population is made up of three pods, J, K and L, totaling 83 in number) to our local waters, Mystic Sea headed past Lopez Island and along the west side of San Juan Island and Lime Kiln State Park (also known as Whale Watch Park) towards Stewart Island, where we encountered K pod whales, including K22 (Sekiu) and her son K33 (Tika), a 'sprouter' male born in 2001, passing Turnpoint Lighthouse. With the whales in traveling mode, we witnessed a number of energetic breaches and tail-slaps as they hunted for salmon, though a mature bald eagle deprived them of one tasty morsel and enjoyed a substantial lunch on the nearby rocks. We left the whales heading towards Saturna Island, B.C., and continued on our scenic trip back to Anacortes passing between Shaw and Orcas Islands on yet another truly glorious Pacific Northwest day.
Sandra Pollard, Author/Naturalist.

K pod whales passing Turn Point Lighthouse, Stewart Island - one of my favorite places to watch whales. Photo by Sandra Pollard, August 12, 2016

K pod whales heading north. Photo by Sandra Pollard, August 12, 2016

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After being gone for nearly two months (!!), it's been awesome to have members of K-Pod around again over the last week, and very interesting to see how they're splitting up and mixing and matching with J-Pod in ways that are different from last summer. This photo (see below) is of K12 Sequim and K43 Saturna off Spieden Island this afternoon. We had K12s and K13s from Open Bay to Boundary Pass heading north from 12:30 til 2:15
Monika Wieland

K12 Sequim and K43 Saturna off Spieden Island this afternoon. Photo by Monika Wieland, August 12, 2016

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Calls at Lime Kiln. Slowly getting louder. Started 3:15 am PST. Listen to recording HERE.
Ali Barratt

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Male & female off Westside preserve at 7:35 AM heading down island
Jack Collins
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1:27 a.m. - Calls on Lime Kiln now! Really loud! Listen to the recording HERE and 1:40 a.m. recording HERE.
Ali Barratt

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They all flipped and went back south as of 8:30 PM, angling offshore again. I'm still wondering who was off the south end yesterday and this morning. J2, J14s, J16s, J19s, K12s, K13s, and K14s are whales that went north yesterday and came back south today. Not sure if the rest of Js have been down there or if some Ls are mixed in or what. I've heard a couple people say some Ls are here but no one who has actually seen them. I should add L87 was in that group that went up and back too.
7:17 p.m. - still milling but getting farther offshore. Trending south if anything
6:50 p.m. -  - Edwards point NB...Milling off Land Bank.
As of 3 PM they were all south of Hannah Heights southbound. I was surprised to see the J16s come down from the north!
Monika Wieland

Huge breach from J16 Slick this afternoon in Haro Strait. Photo by Monika Wieland, August 9, 2016

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K14s and some of the J17s off the west side of San Juan Island in the the evening. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 9, 2016

It's been SO nice to see K pod again, and such a relief to see they're all doing alright. Here's one of my favorites from the evening of August 9th, the K14s pictured here moving up the west side of San Juan Island. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 9, 2016

K26 Lobo Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 9, 2016

J34 Doublestuf northbound off the west side of San Juan Island. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 9, 2016

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2:40 p.m. - At least 20 orcas are spread out near Eagle Point, San Juan Island!
We saw a group coming up from the south, about 4-5 individuals, at least 2 males. And a group of 15 or so coming down from the North, in small groups of 2-3! They met just south of Lime Kiln and are slowly west, headed out to mid channel, but still very visible from land. Lots of large males.
Kayli Ann Breitweiser
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2:34 p.m - I just left Lime Kiln not long ago and there were still more coming from the north.
Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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...last evening, all of J and K Pods had been reported back in the San Juans with part of L-pod in tow. This morning Captain Eric headed out to see who we could find...
Upon arriving at Eagle Point on San Juan Island, we met up with a group of our southern resident orcas, several of which we were able to identify. Among those IDed were J27 (Blackberry), J44 (Moby), and K21 (Cappuccino) ....
Amy W., Mystic Sea
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11:00 a.m. - Spotted at least 2 orcas from shore at American Camp. Looked like a mother with a juvenile. Traveling
Colleen Boye

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We celebrated the return of K pod who had been MIA from the inland waters for months. We've never seen all of K pod MIA from the Salish Sea for so long and were incredibly happy to see their familiar fins again. Hopefully there's enough salmon here for them now that they will stay.
Heather Macintyre

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The evening of August 5th at from approximately 1800-2000 a group of us at Lime Kiln State Park witnessed a pod of 16 orcas heading south...We saw males, females and babies over the course of 2 hours...they were very close! I could hear the air being expelled from the blowhole.
Nicole Pierce

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(Correction: this report and photos of J34 were incorrectly dated as August 4th in our August 8th report)
Orcas spotted in Birch Bay and Cherry Point on 7/17/16 at 6:50pm. We were heading back to Semiahmoo from Sucia Island and spotted 2 orcas far away just off Cherry Point. One came up face first from the water. Then just minutes later we were making a beeline across the mouth of Birch Bay and saw 2 more way over to the NE, towards BB Village. I took a right angle course away from them directly West, however it took them what seemed like seconds to come right at us. One came straight at us and I believe went under the boat. Several times they came out face first and everyone in the back saw them
come almost completely out of the water lengthwise, maybe 50 feet from us while I idled helplessly in a bit of a panic.
David Johnson

J34 Doublestuf Photo by David Johnson, July 17, 2016

2:30 p.m. - We live on Sutherland rd, off Turn Point rd and today at about 2:30pm, we saw from our living room windows, a pod swim East of Turn Island going South. There may have been 3 or 4 of them.  (including 1 adult male) Lots of whale boats following them and even a few boats from Fisherman's cove on Lopez came across to see them. It's the second time we'v seen them here.
Always the biggest thrill! We love it!!
Nancy Larsen
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1:58 p.m. - Just saw a pod of orcas North of point caution and mirror pass right outside of Friday Harbor!
Jenn Whitsett
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I came down San Juan Dr. and saw them (Transients) from the road turned around and went to Rueben Tarte. I had the closest encounter from the rocks. it was awesome. Tight knit group just like I love.
Peggy Mauro

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T10`s - 4 minutes from our docks in Sooke Harbor this afternoon. Then we heard of INBOUND Southern Resident killer whales! Photo by Paul Pudwell, August 12, 2016

Transient pod T069 4 miles offshore Cleland Island (Tofino) slowly heading south east. Beat up a sea otter and killed something (presumed harbour porpoise) and celebrated afterward. Looks like one of the females had a new calf. Not the matriarch's calf. No camera on my your so couldn't id which female the calf belonged to.
Shaun Parniak

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Yet another beautiful sunny day in Anacortes and across the Salish Sea! We headed west with reports of both transient (meat-eating type) orcas and residents (fish-eating type) in range. After taking a nice look at some harbor seals and a bald eagle at Coleville Island on the south side of Lopez Island, we caught up with the closer group of T46 transients about 6 miles south of Lopez and spent a lovely time with five of them, most traveling fairly fast south west. Included in this group were the femaleT46, who is estimated to be 52 years old, and was the last orca captured in Budd Inlet, in Puget Sound, in 1976, and released. She is now a great-grandmother! Also seen were T46E, a young male who was born in 2003, and T46D, another young male, born in 2000. Both of these bulls have already "sprouted" (dorsal fin growing) to impressive size...
Bonnie Gretz, volunteer naturalist

T46s - east Juan de Fuca Strait. Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 11, 2016 (all photos taken w/300mm and cropped)

T46D - easter Juan de Fuca Strait. Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 11, 2016

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0820 -  three orcas in San Juan Channel headed south along Shaw Island shoreline.
Breck Tyler
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7:40 a.m. -  Transients passing off the west side of Yellow Island in San Juan channel. Photo by Julia Wallace, August 11, 2016

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...we sailed on up to East Point to see a large group of T's socializing between East Point and Pt Roberts. I recalled seeing the T65A's, T18/19's, T46's - I think some members of the 36's were there as well. The vocalizations were incredible and T19B aka 'Mr Floppy Fin' breached multiple times.  Mind = Blown!
Barbara & David, All Aboard Sailing

Beautiful breaching  T19B. Photo by Barbara Bender, August 10, 2016

Photo by Barbara Bender, August 10, 2016

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August 10th was also one for the record books! I seem to be saying this a lot this season, but I don't think I've ever seen so many transient (mammal-hunting) orcas together at one time. Usually these orcas rely on smaller numbers and stealth to exploit their intelligent prey. However,  this massive grouping of matrilines stayed in the same spot in the Strait of Georgia doing circles for HOURS in the same spot, predating on harbor porpoise occasionally and interacting with one another. Lot's of vocalizations, social behavior, and breeding ... others even joined in the ceremony later in the evening, probably hearing their vocals some miles away. It was simply an incredible thing to observe.
Heather MacIntyre

T065As, T018/T019s and others with Vancouver city in the background. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 10, 2016

T019C mixed in with an amazingly large grouping of transient orcas traveling in the Strait of Georgia. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 10, 2016

T018s and T019s, Strait of Georgia. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 10, 2016

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Three Orcas, likely a bull, cow, and older juvenile sighted 200 to 300 feet from shore yesterday at Dungeness Spit. They breached multiple times moving west until out of sight. Seals had been seen in the area earlier.
Ryan Maddock
On email - asked

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...we had a brief visit with the T18/19's in Upright Channel as they were headed east before we ventured off to see the T99's, T36, T36B's (?) and the T38's outside of Fisherman's Harbor, Lopez. I am still sorting through photos but I believe the 36B's were there as well. They ended up hunting/milling for quite some time near Big Rock and also in Griffin Bay before making a brief visit to the Port of Friday Harbor. I heard they continued north and took Spieden Channel.
Barbara & David, All Aboard Sailing

T38s and T36 Photo by Barbara Bender, August 8, 2016

T36 Photo by Barbara Bender, August 8, 2016

T36 draped in kelp in front of Friday Harbor. Photo by Barbara Bender, August 8, 2016

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Prof Fujita is visiting the Whiteley Center from Japan this August and snapped this photo of Bigg's in Friday Harbor. Photo by Masahisa Fuita, August 8, 2016

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...Rosario Strait where we immediately found two groups of transient orcas -- the T36s and the T99s off of James Island. We stayed with these groups as they made their way through Thatcher Pass and on to Upright Head.  After leaving these two groups, Mystic Sea continued on towards Blakeley Island where we found another group of transients, the T18s. We stayed with this group for a while as well. In total, we saw approximately 16 whales today -- which did tail slaps and spyhops while in our midst....
~Amy W., Mystic Sea

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Transients interacting with a  Humpback whale on the morning of August 7th off Jordan River, Vancouver Island. Photo by Mark Malleson

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We enjoyed seeing a group of Orca's off of Waldron Island...They were the most active of any we've seen this year.
Mari Latimer
photos

2:29 p.m. - Orcas area out 1 mile south of Restoration Point off of Bainbdridge Island, still heading southwest towards Blake Island. Lots of breaching and tail flapping!
Norah Kates 

7:30 p.m. - Orcas, 2-3. Only saw backs and dorsal fins briefly from our deck on shore. It is very unusual to see them so close to shore. They were being followed by Orca Spirit II and another smaller boat. Very calm seas and no wind. The sighting was just offshore in Ross Bay, Victoria, BC.  Between Clover Point and Gonzales Bay. They were much closer to shore than we have ever seen them.  Headed East towards Gonzales.
Cheers, Jeanette Jeffery  

9:19 p.m. - Sounding again close to the Southworth Dock
9:10 p.m. - It's between Peter Point and Southworth right now, sounding 5 times so far, on Kitsap side.
Fiona Hope
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8:30 p.m. - We are on Vashon island, just across from Ollala. We just watched a humpback whale pass from the south to the north over the course of the last 15 minutes. It would come up and blow its spout every 1 - 2 minutes and cover about 100 yards before surfacing again.
Jeff Sayre
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8:25 p.m. - humpback is mid channel still northbound up Colvos at a steady pace, passing Fragaria road now. Heading towards Southworth. Back of camera photo by Brittany Gordon, August 12, 2016

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7:30 p.m. -  humpback whale heading north in Colvos Passage. South of Lisabuela.
Roxane Jackson Johnson

7:16 p.m. - Just saw several sprays and what could be two whales heading north up the Gig Harbor side off Point Defiance. they were heading north between Gig Harbor and Vashon. Too far away to tell what type of whale.
Kelli Barker
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6:30 p.m. - We just saw what we believe is a gray whale heading north under the Narrows Bridge and currently at Salmon Beach. It was too far away to know for sure but there were no showings of fluke so I think it's a gray. Traveling fast. (was a humpback- ALB)
Susan Dynes
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Here is a video (not including in report) my friend took of the (humpback probably?) whale at Chambers Bay at around 5:45 pm or so on Friday.
Carrie Gelegonya
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We were at the Beach at Chambers Bay again today. At about 5:30 pm we saw something blow out at the channel marker towards McNeil Island. We watched the whale steadily move directly towards us and then head North towards the narrows. Sadly there were two (asshats) idiots in boats following very closely. We watched it until it was so far North we could no longer see it. What a beauty. We assumed it was a humpback... Wonderful way to end our day...
Cindy Faker

Humpback diving near Chambers Bay - Puget Sound. Photo by Danyell Laughlin, August 12, 2016 (shared by Cindy Faker)

Humpback whale surfacing near Chambers Bay - Puget Sound. Photo by Jackie Payne, August 12, 2016 (shared by Cindy Faker)

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Saw whale in Puget Sound on west side of Fox Island.
Janet Roethier

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11:52 a.m. - Gray or humpback south side of Fox island.
Jill Goodman

...We then headed a bit more south toward Dungeness Spit, and found a humpback off the southwest corner of Eastern Bank. We got great looks at this beautiful baleen whale with a 100% black underside of the tail fluke. It's always amazing when we can hear their big exhalations and see their gnarly heads!
Bonnie Gretz

Humpback fluke - Eastern Bank, Juan de Fuca Strait. Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 11, 2016

Photo by Bonnie Gretz, August 11, 2016

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Hi, Thanks for the newsletters, always wonderful to read about our ocean friends. On Sunday (9th),  two adult and one young Humpback whales swam past us at Thieves Bay, Pender Island, BC - so exciting.  We usually have the J-pod their but we've never seen Humpbacks before.
Pat Crossley 

10:15a.m.  - We had a gray whale feeding just north of Spee-Bi-Dah in Port Susan Bay. First noticed about 10:15 am and continued to feed until 11:00. Definitely feeding. Photo by Malcolm Lindquist, August 11, 2016 (possibly Gray #723- see August 13th Steve Smith sighting- ALB)

 

4:05 p.m. - Just spotted a Minke Whale at the mouth of San Juan channel (west side). Seems to have been a juvenile and an adult! We will send a photo as soon as we can. We know for sure they weren't humpback. We sat there and observed them for 45 minutes while referencing whale guides.
Jess Whitsett

4:05 p.m. - Headed back North now. Off Port Townsend.
3:45 p.m. - Unidentified whale headed south off Lagoon Pt. 3/4 way out in channel. Big blow, small black hump. Too far to tell species but seems like a single baleen whale. Tedd Webber
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Approx 11:30 a.m. - 3rd hand report of a large whale, only spout seen off Foul Weather Bluff. No direction given.
Renee Beitzell

8:05 p.m. - Just saw them heading south, towards the harstine island bridge! Thanks for posting. I could tell they were definitely not our regular harbour porpoises
Nick Wenzel
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8 or so Common Dolphins played in Pickering Passage 1/4 mile from Harstine Island bridge today. Stayed for a few hours. Very active, spouting and jumping.
Gretchen Stewart

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6:00 p.m. -  South Puget Sound. 20+ common dolphins traveling back and forth (north and south) north of Boston Harbor/Budd Inlet. A freighter just came in (7:30) and they are following its wake further south into Budd Inlet. VERY active.
Kim Merriman

Hi, looks like 10-13 harbor porpoise visiting Case Inlet about 10:00 this morning. As of 10:30 they are heading South....They were smaller and played with a passing boat. Jumping and "porpoising". (reported as porpoise but behavior and size of pod sounds more like the dolphins - ALB)
Bev McCallum

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7:00 a.m. Common Dolphins still in deep south Puget Sound. Near Dana Passage. 20+ of them again.
Kim Merriman  

7:15 a.m. - Tony Woelke of WS ferries called to report a few Harbor porpoise about a 1/2 mile off Point Edwards, Edmonds.

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Saw a sweet porpoise family while out SUPing on Wednesday. They were feeding and stayed in the area between Shilshole and West Point, Seattle. The baby was so tiny! Photo by Brittany Lynn, August 10, 2016