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Orca Network 

Whale Sighting Report  

In This Issue
Photo of the Day
In Memoriam: J28 & J54
Southern Residents
Bigg's killer whales (Transients)
Humpback whales
Gray whales
Minke whales
Dolphins
UPCOMING EVENTS
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Join Orca Network's trip to visit the  Gray Whales of Baja's San Ignacio Lagoon
Feb 24-28, 2017
Information, registration and previous trip photos
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SAVE THE DATES: 
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&  
Welcome the Whales Festival & Parade, Langley
April 8, 2017 

Visit Orca Network's
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 Langley,
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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


Quick Links

Click here

to learn about L pod

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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October 31,   2016

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.
Grief surrounds the community with the news two more beloved members of the Southern Resident clan, a mother and her infant son, are gone. On Friday, October 28th, CWR (Center for Whale Research) held a press conference in downtown Seattle to announce the death of 23 year-old J28 (Polaris) and her near 10-month-old son J54 (Dipper).  Our hearts and thoughts are with J28's family, all of the Southern residents, and especially her 7-year-old daughter J46 (Star) who in a short time lost her mother and her little brother, both of whom she has been feeding and caring for these past several months.

CWR staff wrote a moving obituary for J28 which was read aloud by Ken Balcomb, CWR's Senior Scientist, to a visibly saddened yet determined crowd of advocates, allies, and media. Below are some excerpts, please read her full obituary with photos, family tree, and background story at CWR's web page for J28 HERE:
J28 was born in mid-winter 1992/93 in or near Puget Sound Washington, and was the first of four known calves born to J17 in the J9/J5 lineage of southern resident killer whales (SRKW - see family tree) inhabiting the inshore marine waters of the Pacific Northwest. The iconic and world-famous J1, first SRKW ever to be photo-identified, was her father... J28 is survived by her Mother, (J17) two sisters (J35 and J53), a brother (J44), a daughter (J46), and a nephew (J47). Her daughter and her oldest sister (J35) are attempting to care for the orphaned calf, but at ten months of age he is too young to survive without mother's milk supplement, and he has gone too long with inadequate nutrition. No other lactating females have adopted him and his grandmother is too occupied raising her own newest calf (J53, born in October last year) to care for him. His sister, J46, had been catching and offering salmon to her mother and little brother for several months while mom was ill, but that was simply not enough nutrition provided to three whales by one little female no matter how hard she tried. The family requests that in lieu of sending flowers and cake*, well-wishers please send more wild Chinook salmon to and from Pacific Northwest rivers.

We've set up a page on our website with links to the live stream video from the Press Conference, news coverage, J28's obituary from the Center for Whale Research, and other links relating to the loss of J28 and J54. You can access that page HERE.
For a bunch of orca advocates we covered a lot of bases, and with that rare window of a beautiful day turned a tragedy into a fitting tribute and a momentous teaching moment. I have a very good feeling about how we informed the conversation in at least 3 states, and the Washington Post!!!, to make dam removal the top priority to save the orcas. Even in the home stretch of the election no doubt the Gov's and Senators' offices heard all about it. We had saturation media coverage that was virtually totally positive and got the dam removal message right every time, from Boise to both Vancouvers. - Howard Garett, Orca Network
 
J pod was seen on October 23rd in Juan de Fuca Strait. With J28 now gone her daughter, sister, and other family members have been caring for her infant son J54. The following day, October 24th, members of J and K pods, and L87 (who travels with J pod) showed up in Puget Sound in search of Fall chum salmon. With the pods very spread out, choppy seas, and often un-friendly skies it was difficult to get clear ID's on many of the members so it is unclear if the infant J54 was among them. Last we've heard, Js and Ks went north. On the 28th as the press conference was under way, in Seattle,  all of L pod showed up in Haro Strait (along with some Pacific white-sided dolphins. 

Humpbacks in Puget Sound have increased the latter part of October. It was quite thrilling to be watching Js and Ks and have one surface in among the pods last Monday, the 24th.  We continue to get daily reports of 1-4 inland at anyone time, particularly in south Puget Sound in Dalco Passage between south Vashon and Tacoma.  There's one cruising around right now. And a gray whale showed up off Deception Pass yesterday, circled around and was last seen heading back west.

Rest J28 and little J54, you are forever in our hearts and thoughts.
Orca Network
Photos of the Day

J28 as a baby alongside her mother J17.
Photo by Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research, August 1993 

  J28
Photo by Deborah Giles, Center for Whale Research, February 25, 2016 

J28 earlier this year alongside her offspring, daughter J46 and son J54.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, 2016

In Memoriam:
J28 (1993-2016) & her infant son J54 (2015-2016)
October 23 
After the loss of their mother J28, J46 Star continues to support her infant brother J54.  - Juan de Fuca Strait -
Photo by Mark Malleson, October 23, 201

J47 and J46 looking over J54 on the morning of October 23rd .
- Juan de Fuca Strait -

Photo by Mark Malleson 

J46 and J47 supporting J54 tucked in between them.
- Juan de Fuca Strait -

Photo by Mark Malleson, October 23, 2016 

Earlier days & years in the life of J28 and her offspring.  
J28 with new nick in her dorsal fin.
Photo by Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research, December 2002 
 
J28 pursuing the salmon with her then 1 year-old daughter J46. Almost seemed like a lesson in catching fish.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, 2010 

J28 with her daughter J46 just surfacing tucked in right along side her - 2014
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu 

J28 spyhopping off Lime Kiln State Park Summer 2015
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu 

Then 6-year old J46 and her mom J28, the month before J54's birth.
- Puget Sound,  off Point Robinson, Vashon Island -
Photo by Gayle Swigart, November 2015 

J54 and his mom J28 one Spring day.
- Saratoga Passage, off Whidbey Island -

Photo by Bonnie Gretz, April 9, 2016 

J28 and J54 gliding through glassy seas together. 
Photo by Traci Walter, 2016 

J28 and her little boy J54.
Photo by Jill Hein, September, 11, 2016 

J54 alongside his mom J28  in Saratoga Passage earlier this month.
Photo by Bonnie Gretz, October 11, 2016 
 
Southern Residents
October 28 
It was a special treat  to see L-Pod off the west side of San Juan Island. First, it was a treat because seeing any orcas at the end of October is always awesome, but second, it was ALL of L-Pod traveling together! You might think being a "pod" this would happen more often, but it's a pretty rare sight! They were all in one tight, traveling group when I first saw them, making it even more impressive.
Monika Wieland Shields

A beautiful late October day spent with L pod - Haro Strait.
Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, October 28, 2016 

L-Pod...the two big males in the foreground are L84 Nyssa and L88 Wavewalker.
Photo by Monika Wieland Shields, October 28, 2016 

-
Bittersweet this Friday evening... Orcas came in this afternoon. I believe L pod. So as I watched the orcas tonight, they were beautiful. Bunched up tightly, in two groups. Most likely all in touching distance from one another. Rising to the surface together, pausing together, then going back down in shallow dives. So quiet, and still. I can not help but wonder, do they realize that two more are gone? If this was L Pod... surely they all know the individuals in J and K Pods. Were they honoring J28 and her calf, J54... Mourning them perhaps?
Cher Renke
-
1651 Lags (Pacific white-sided dolphins) passing Lime Kiln K now too, offshore
1614 L12s are Northbound, others still milling off Lime Kiln
1604 They're just milling now,Maybe ever so slowly Northbound again.
1537 They made it to whale watch point then turned....Southbound further offshore now. But not moving fast at all and off Land Bank.
1530 approaching Land Bank
1515 (L pod) close to shore Hannah Heights Northbound
Monika Wieland Shields

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

October 26 
11:45 a.m. -  Ron Bates reports many orca in Sturdies Bay, on the south east part of Galiano Island in British Columbia, Canada's Gulf Islands.

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October 25 
4:25 p.m. - I did spot a male and female very spread out from Ebeys Landing, east of midchannel. Lost them shortly after that, I'm assuming they're the trailers then.
Rachel Haight
-
4:00 p.m. - We just had a call from Marty Crowley, who is on the Port Townsend to Coupeville ferry, who is seeing at least 3 - 4 orcas including several males, spread out on the Port Townsend side, traveling NW out of Admiralty Inlet.
-
Jill just called again, she said there were another 12 orcas seen behind the ferry as well. She is pretty sure it is J pod, she was able to get a few photos of dorsal fins. (Js & Ks- see photos)
3:30 ferry -  Port Townsend to Keystone, Whidbey - 5-6 orcas seen from PT ferry, northbound.
Jill Hein

K21 showed up with other members of Js and Ks at the north end of Admiralty Inlet late afternoon.
Photo by Jill Hein, October 25, 2016 

Photo by Jill Hein, October 25, 2016 

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

October 24 
6:00 p.m. - We and the pods came back north. Sara and I followed them from Burien with stops along the way at Fauntleroy (nice groups and resting travel with some tail slaps) and Emma Schmitz (impossible to see in massive rain squall). Now from south side Alki Point watching groups steadily moving north spread out, line of sight north end Vashon and then passing Blake and north of Blake. Mid channel and west of in gorgeous lighting - hues of purple and orange from setting sun - amid still present rain squalls. We left them at darkness around 6:15 just reaching Alki point, all still steady northbound.
Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

 


-
6:02 p.m. -  viewing from Emma Schmitz, for last ten minutes watched what appeared to be two orcas foraging roughly midchannel in a line of sight to Manchester. Surfaced repeatedly in tandem, lots of directional changes and lunges.
5:43 p.m. -  just got to Emma Schmitz Memorial Viewpoint in West Seattle. Breach midchannel line of sight to Blake Island.
Jason Lee Bell
-
Watching from Alki...oh my goodness spyhops and breaches in the golden haze as sun disappeared. Two groups. so far away, but seeing a spyhop in the tiny bit of peach sunlight sparkles left of the day...after spending the WHOLE day with them. Stuff of dreams
Kersti Muul
-
4:15 p.m. -  pods have flipped. Bunching in resting mode looks like. Now northbound.
4:04 pm - 10 plus more streaming south mid channel and either side of...out from us at Seahurst Park and north of Dilworth. Lots of breaches...and still foraging by others just south of.
3:54 p.m. -  several foraging mid channel between Seahurst Park, Burien and Dilworth, Vashon
Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
-

Approx 3:30-4:30 p.m. - I just spent an hour watching the Orcas from West Seattle, about a 1/2 mile south of Fauntleroy. They were on the west side by Vashon. I saw at least 5 Orcas as that is how many I have in a couple pictures. I suspect there is more than 5. 
Photo by Monica Zaborac, October 24, 2016 

Southern Residents southbound along the east side of Vashon Island, shortly before they stalled and turned around.
Photo by Monica Zaborac, October 24, 2016 

-
3:50 p.m. - Really spread out. Some acrobats showing off at Glen Acres.
3:31 p.m. - Seem to be feeding. Moving closer to Vashon side. Can now see without binos
3:17 p.m. - Orca heading South in front of ferries at Fauntleroy. Mid channel. Quite spirited. Spread out about 1/2 mile. Having a hard time counting - spread out. Large dorsals on several. Circling just north of my house on Glen Acres. Fishing boats acting cluless to distance etc.
Jan Kubat Staehli
-
3:37 p.m. - lead group mid channel at Dilworth.
Amy Carey
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3:00 p.m. - seeing a small group mid channel between Blake island and ferry dock. Ferry worker reports another group is south of Dolphin Point, Vashon.
Anna Stuart Olive
-
2:57 p.m. - Passengers on that ferry ride were lucky!! Surrounded by Orcas!! They continue to stream past Fauntleroy to the south mid channel.. heading to Pt. Robinson! !! Also saw Salmon jumping!
Melissa Burke
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2:50 p.m. - seeing orcas from Lowman Beach, West Seattle spread to Blake Island. Melisa Pinnow confirms K26 was there.
Kersti Muul

Photo by Kersti Muul, October 24, 2016 

Photo by Kersti Muul, October 24, 2016 

Photo by Kersti Muul, October 24, 2016

-
2:45 p.m. - From Vashon - some passing Fauntleroy Ferry Lanes Southbound mid channel research boat with them.
Melissa Burke
-
2:27 p.m. - And there's a humpback out there too! Between Blake and Vashon now, also southbound.
Stephanie Raymond
-
2:25 p.m - past 20 minutes watched nice pass by from the south side of Alki Point,  orcas and humpback! Some breaches, tail lobs while general trend still southbound while spread out.  J17, J44, J53 (thanks for ID's Sara Hysong-Shimazu) were traveling well east of mid channel, started to pass just out from us then turned towards us. They spent some time foraging a few hundred yards off shore back and forth, then continued on southbound. 
Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

-
2:20 p.m. - Head to Constellation park Alki. Orca just passed my place next to Harbor West. they are closer to our side than usual
Rene Lambie
-
2:20 p.m. -  fins and blows spread out mid channel south bound, watching from me-kwa-mooks
Sara Elizabeth
-
2:11 p.m. - Heading east passage. Humpback in the mix. Have some Js passing Alki Point now. Still south.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

1:45 p.m. - Watching from Beach and 64th on Alki. At least 2, still tracking south closer to Blake Island. Moving fast so they should be approaching Vashon Ferry soon.
Danielle Vance
-
1:40 p.m. - looking from Rockaway, Bainbridge Island across to West Seattle. 3-4 orcas including 1 male traveling at a good clip mid to east side of channel approaching Bath House, West Seattle.
Susan Marie Andersson
-
1:30 p.m. - Maia of WSF relayed a report of about 8 orcas off Winslow, Bainbridge Island, heading south.
-
1:27 p.m. - Leaders passing Blake Island now, very spread out.
Stephanie Raymond
-
1:23 p.m. - South side of Alki Point. Just saw L87 heading south. Another big male south of him foraging.
1:10 p.m. - Now one male very steadily south line of sight to yellow buoy just south of Bainbridge.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu
-
1:10 p.m. - A few dorsals spotted mid channel between Duwamish Head and Restoration Point, headed south. There's a tiny boat/kayaker out with them. (Scoping from a downtown Seattle tower.)
Rufo Hill
-
12:30-1:15 from West Point, Discovery park watched them stream by steady southbound, concentrated mid channel and either side of...now more spread out. Breaching sequence by young one!
Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
-
12:20 p.m. -Southern Residents passing West Point Lighthouse/Discovery Park, north Seattle.
Photo by Steve Smith, October 24, 2016 

Southern Resident passing mid channel buoy (with napping sea lion) off West Point Lighthouse/Discovery Park, north Seattle.
Photo by Steve Smith, October 24, 2016 
-
12:08- from Sunset Park above Shilshole seeing a sizeable group mid channel west of south end of Shilshole marina. At least 3-4 adult males in this group. And further to their west more dorsals... All steady southbound.
Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
-
11:57 a.m. - seeing them from Fay Bainbridge, sight line towards Shilshole.
Bob Rosenbladt
-
11:40 a.m. - Several whales spread out along Kitsap side (watchung from Carkeek Park) from Indianola to Eagle Harbor along east side of Bainbridge.
11:25 a.m. -  Correction - watching from Carkeek Park. We are now seeing SEVERAL groups spread out along Kitsap side, traveling south. Approaching Fay Bainbridge Park!
11 a.m. -  watching from Carkeek Park seeing at least 2 whales, 1 large male, heading south. Seem to just be traveling. Line of sight south of Indianola, I think...
Kimberly Sylvester-Malzahn
-
11:15 a.m. -  Juveniles surfing the wake of the Cosco freighter!
11:07 a.m. - Another pod slightly to the North. Big Cosco freighter just plowed right through the middle of them, but Orca don't give a damn. Generally trending South
Ben Blankenship
-
10:59 a.m. - Large male and several others maybe a calf off Jefferson Head right now. Heading south.
Julia Miller
-
10:55 a.m. - At least two males and quite a few others heading slowly south, approaching Shilshole from mid-channel.
Kate Stovel
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10:50 a.m. - Thank you for these reports. I looked out and found them immediately, large group of orcas with several large males, spread out and milling about between Meadow Point and Kingston proper, about mid channel to Kingston side.
Ben Blankenship
-
10:00 a.m. - Sara Frey called reporting at least 3 orcas in the Edmonds ferry lane, midchannel, headed south, including at least one adult male and a baby, and one big breach. And, at least one humpback in the same general area.
-
L87 Onyx
9:29 a.m. - Humpback just breached twice off apple tree cove! (north of Kingston) Also at least 6-8 orcas nearby headed south. Humpback was slowly headed south.
Photo by Toby Black, October 24, 2016 

-
9:24 a.m. - Heading towards Edmonds now...blows - etc. Very calm - perfect viewing! HUGE breach!
9:22 a.m. - I can see them moving southward from the southern tip of Whidbey. Hard to judge where they are in the channel from Apple Tree Point in Kingston.
Sara Frey

A couple of residents in the distance, mid channel off Kingston, backdropped by the Cascade Mountain range.
Photo by Sara Frey, October 24, 2016 

-
Good morning! Victoria Clipper reports many orcas southbound from Possession Point at 8:46 am. West of traffic lanes.
Stephanie Raymond

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

October 23 
Sighting of a pod outside of port Angeles on our way back from Victoria. This was about 5 pm and they were headed towards Victoria. (unconfirmed residents - Js and Ks were in Juan de Fuca)
Sierra Evans
-
Memoriam section above includes photos of J54, J46 and J47 by Mark Malleson from his encounter the morning of October 23rd.

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

October 21 
K35 on the morning of October 21st in the Juan de Fuca as J's and K's make their way back into the waters of the Salish Sea.
Photo by Mark Malleson 
 
Bigg's killer whales (Transients)
October 27
Such a wonderful and unexpected treat to get to see the T123's at the tail end of an already great day on the water today! Big thank you to Jeanne Hyde for spotting these guys from shore in Friday Harbor!
Photo by Traci Walter, October 27, 2016 

-
Thanks to Jeanne Hyde for spotting killer whales slip past the entrance to Friday Harbor we were able to catch up to the  T123's  heading north in San Juan Channel  along the shoreline of San Juan Island  on the afternoon of October 27th.
Mark Malleson

San Juan channel - T123 (R) and her daughter T123C (born 2012) trailing right behind...
Photo by Mark Malleson, October 27, 2016 

...and big brother T123A (born 2000) trailing right behind little sis T123C (R).
Photo by Mark Malleson, October 27, 2016 
Humpback whales
October 31 
4:04 p.m. - seems to be feeding just off Dalco Passage Viewpoint, to the right. Trees blocking view, but can hear it surface. Think it changed direction and is going towards Owen Beach now.
3:54 p.m. - from Dalco Passage Viewpoint Pt. Defiance, Surfacing below and a little to the right of the viewpoint, about 200 yards off the beach, heading west towards the actual "Point".
Melissa Burke
-
At Point Defiance at about 3:00 P.M. (Facebook video showed pec slapping and rolling)
Caleb Ambideckstriks
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12:55 p.m. - slowly going south. A couple more blows and a dive out from Anthony's
11:35 a.m. - Nice humpback tail. Dalco passage. West of ferry. Must be eating again. Same spot as before ...west of Anthony's/Ferry terminal where they seem to feed. In the mornings birds tend to land there too.
Cathy Baker


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

October 30 
4:59 p.m. - Humpbacks still off Dalco view point...3 possibly 4 milling (Multiple spouts in different areas close together). Short dives interspersed with long dives.
Karlen Gleche Pitz
-
Still at Dalco at 4:05 pm headed east. Closer to Vashon. Headed towards ferry terminal.
Jeanette Dorner
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2:36 p.m. - Still at Dalco! He's staying right at the Dalco viewpoint at Pt Defiance, looks like he's very slowly going towards Owens beach.
JJ Davern
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Humpback off of Pt. Defiance today around 2:20pm.
Photo by JJ Davern, October 30, 2016 

Photo by JJ Davern, October 30, 2016

Photo by JJ Davern, October 30, 2016

-
2:00 p.m. - been watching a humpback off Dalco Viewpoint on the 5 mile drive.
Soun Nonthaveth-Moffett
-
1:06 p.m. - Can see it between Vashon and Point Defiance now.
Gaby Kinnear
-
12:56 p.m. - Mid channel, spouts now...we saw spouts and tail slaps, it appeared to be tacking back towards the Narrows
Tod Treat
-
12:20 p.m. - Looked as if he/she headed toward Owens Beach...
11:40 a.m. - One humpback whale between Gig Harbor and Vashon...It breached once and had a lot of tail slapping going on for about 5 minutes. It headed toward the Vashon Ferry with a few spouts here and there, but no big action after that.
Gaby Kinnear

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

October 29 
Saw this Beautiful Big Guy on our walk this evening! I was so captivated at this moment and so delighted to finally get to take pics of a Whale (Humpback)...We saw him at Point Ruston and followed him to Owens Beach, as the Sun was setting.
Photo by Desiree Sauve, October 29, 2016 

Photo by Desiree Sauve, October 29, 2016

-
6:05 p.m. - Watching the whale from Dalco Passage. He/she milled around a bit seeming to be going south toward Narrows Bridge but than started back west toward Owens. We moved to Anthony's to watch but it just got too dark.
Ronda Walters
-
4:03 p.m. - Humpbacks headed south from Browns Point (Tacoma).
3:16 p.m. - Group of whales headed south in Commencement bay. I believe 2 humpbacks.
Patricia Reagan
-
2:57 p.m. - Whale sighting, possibly humpback, between Dash Point and Tacoma waterfront. Heading into the Thea Foss waterway....Now closer to the Port of Tacoma, still heading toward the Foss Waterway.
Laura Edgar
-
2:05 p.m. Saw one whale, several times, moving towards the Port of Tacoma, just off Browns Point.
Photo by Wayne Lattuca, October 29, 2016 

Photo by Wayne Lattuca, October 29, 2016 

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1:28 p.m. - Watching humpback off Owen Beach/Point Defiance Park. Appears to be heading northwest....not seeing it anymore. I believe it is heading north on the east side of Vashon Island.
Levi Waggoner

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

October 28 - North Puget Sound 
3:33 p.m. - Seeing blows from Bush Point. Close to the south of Marrowstone. Think it is a humpback.
Jon Watkins
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2:10 p.m. - Ann Linnea of Whidbey Island and friends observed what they thought was a Minke whale (turned out from other reports to be a humpback), swimming off Bush Pt.
-
1:53 p.m. - One Humpback two miles southwest of Bush Point. Just breached twice!
Kevin Campion


October 28 - South Puget Sound 
5:35 p.m. -  just saw 2-3 surface of off the Dalco view point at Point Defiance headed west.
Kelsey Lynn
-
5:26 p.m. - just surfaced off Owen's Beach. It's been milling in this triangle all day..
5:00 p.m. -  viewing from Owens Beach. Humpback is northbound about to pass Owens beach close!
4:39 p.m. - viewing from Dalco passage it's moving north now.
4:29 p.m. - it's in the same spot, facing north now. Keeps surfacing in the same spot.
4:20 p.m. - viewing from Dalco Passage. Just surfaced and is headed south (whale location pinned on google map as middle of pass between Gig Harbor/Point Defiance/Vashon)
Brittany Gordon
-
2:40 p.m. - Still milling about, just saw it (same as Brittany Gordons last specified location, SE side of Vashon).
Mark Baker
-
2:23 p.m. -  watching from Owens beach. 8 minute down time. Appears to be closer to Vashon. Headed towards Gig Harbor or Colvos.. can't tell from this angle.
Brittany Gordon
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2:07 p.m. - Looking from Point Ruston...possibly 2 humpbacks? Just past the point of the new park area - south of Vashon
Cathy Baker
-
1:40 p.m. - Still off Pt Defiance.
Mike Swanton
-
12:22 p.m. -  looks like it's awake & on the move again. I saw it fluke and then surface a little North of where it had been hanging out. I have to leave but I last saw it west of the ferry lanes, North of the container ship - I was looking east towards the port from Sunrise.
11:56 a.m. - for the last 5-10 minutes it's been in the same spot. I can see just a little bit of its body at the surface. It looks like it could be driftwood but then every once in a while there's a blow. Is it resting? I haven't seen this before. I'm watching from Sunrise with binoculars so it's pretty far & hard to tell what I'm seeing
11:40 a.m.  -Just saw blows near Point Defiance. It's traveling Northeast. Back towards the ferry. It's so calm and flat out there it's impossible to miss
Heidi Powers Armstrong
-
9:30am - Marie at WS Ferries reports a humpback was seen 1/2 mile from the Point
Defiance ferry dock, heading west.

***********************
October 27 
12:15 p.m. - Just had an update that should put it somewhere off south end of Vashon ...whale did not appear to go into Harbor, just at entrance and last reported moving towards Neil Point (near south end ferry on Vashon) .
11:40 a.m. -  Whale appeared to be entering Quartermaster Harbor, by buoy on Vashon side...reporting party could hear it from Rosehilla.
Amy Carey
-
7:20 a.m. - Humpback heading north out from Camp Sealth, Vashon.
Wynne MacIntosh

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October 25 - North Puget Sound 
8:40 a.m. - A pair of humpbacks ~3 miles NW of Edmonds, line of sight halfway between Point No Point and Double Bluff.
Sherman Page

October 25 - South Puget Sound 
2:14 p.m. - I just saw them from the Point Defiance ferry. Between Vashon and Owens beach, headed north.
Patrick Gould
-
12:36 p.m. - 3 humpbacks off of Vashon heading towards Owen Beach. Father-in-law saw them off Vashon but I never saw them at Owen Beach where I was waiting for them.
Photo by Paul Stanfill, October 25, 2016
Report sent in by Amber Stanfill 

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

October 24 - San Juans 
12:45 p.m. - Maia of WS Ferries relayed a report of two humpbacks beween Danger Shoals and Sentinel Island (north of San Juan Island). No direction given.

October 24 - Puget Sound 
Approx 2:10 p.m. - Arrived south side of Alki Point, met up with Sara, just in time to watch large group of residents rounding the point...and  large humpback surfaced right in the midst of them all! Humpback continued southbound (swimming right along with now more spread out Js and Ks) surfacing at regular intervals, robust blows, sometimes presenting fluke, other times not. On one deep dive we could see what appeared to be netting trailing from her/his right fluke tip. We watched the whale for several more surfaces and dives, but was distracted by the passing orcas and others now foraging close inshore. Later, once we moved down to Emma Schmitz Park, I did film another dive, whale presented fluke and the netting was not visible.
Alisa Lemire Brooks
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2:10 p.m. - Heading east passage. Humpback in the mix. Have some Js passing Alki Point now. Still southbound.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu
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9:51 a.m. - Definitley a Humpback with them (SRKWS) Also southbound. Just north of the Edmonds ferry dock.
Photo by Sara Frey, October 24, 2016 


9:29 a.m. - Humpback just breached twice off Apple Tree Cove! (Kingston) Also at least 6-8 orcas nearby headed south. Humpback was slowly headed south.
Toby Black

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Humpback and Southern Resident orcas, north Puget Sound, filmed from Edmonds. Video is primarily of the humpback engaged in tail slaps, lobs and throws. Part way in you will see and orcas. The action around 3:56 starts with an adult male orca rolling then pec slapping, followed by the humpback rolling and, presenting both pectoral fins and letting of a pec slap her/himself!
Video by Stu Davidson, October 24, 2016 

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October 23 
I just watched that humpback head north fairly quickly about mid channel north of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. It was traveling at least a half mile in between surfacing. I saw it blow only once, never showed it's fluke, and saw it surface four times between the Narrows Bridge and salmon beach, all between 130 and 1:50 PM today. I could see it's dorsal fin each time it surfaced and did not appear to be in any distress.
Susan Dynes

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October 22 
Here are some photos of 2 of the 3 humpbacks, This was from 1:30-2:45 in Colvos Passage from Vashon-Southworth. They were moving very fast with short dives. Only 1 HB showed its tail and they were close together. There seemed to be 3rd about 25-38 seconds behind them. I was using my awesome camera Canon 20x and cell phone.
Krissie Carl

Two of Three humpbacks surface while traveling northbound in Colvos Passage.
Photo by Krissie Carl, October 22, 2016 

Photo by Krissie Carl, October 22, 2016 

Photo by Krissie Carl, October 22, 2016 

Photo by Krissie Carl, October 22, 2016 


October 21 & 22 
Humpbacks in Tacoma- Feeding maybe, Mostly traveling I guess. They didn't vary course or speed for most of an hour.
While sailing Friday 10/21 in Commencement Bay we saw 3 whales. 1 large and 2 smaller ones. At first couldn't tell what type. They would roll 3 or 4 times to breath and then would show their flukes for a deep dive and wouldn't surface for 10 to 15 minutes. On the next day (22nd) we were headed north in Colvos Pass up the west side of Vashon when we came across what appeared to be the same three whales. They were headed north as well and were traveling about the same speed, 7 to 9 knots. We stayed on course and they paralleled us about 200 yards away. Same pattern 3 or 4 shallow rolls and then showed flukes and would stay under for 10 to 15 mins. Finally the large one breached out of the water and we were able to see all of the pectoral fins. Confirming it was a Humpback. They stayed with us nearly an hour. Made my day! The large one may have been over 30 feet. The others didn't breach out of the water. Hard to say how large, just that they were quite a bit smaller. Sorry, no pictures.
Dan Wainwright  
Gray whales
October 30 
I was out there on my single outrigger canoe with the gray whale for over an hour. So bummed I didn't have my camera, but still an awesome experience.  Whale was doing an oval pattern just inside of West Beach. I first saw it as I rounded Deception Island and was heading for the bridge. The whale was heading out (west), then went down for a couple minutes and came back up heading east towards the bridge. Did this for at least an hour, then headed west once the ebb got strong.
Jason Michael Park
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2:03 p.m. - Definitely a gray headed east through Deception Pass.
1:51 p.m. - Watching either a gray or minke right now from shores of West Beach at Deception Pass Park.
Shelly Greybeck   
Minke whales
October 27 
7:55 a.m. - A Minke whale heading south a little bit north of Sunrise Beach on Kitsap side. (reported as a minke by person onboard who felt certain northbound whale was humpback and this southbound whale a minke, we had no other reports - ALB)
Wynne MacIntosh  
Dolphins
October 28  
1651 Lags passing Lime Kiln now too, offshore. (Pacific white-sided dolphins while L pod in Haro)  
Monika Wieland Shields

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October 26 
2:58 p.m. - Hi, just had at least four dolphins in and out of Case Inlet. Moving fast, porpoising high out of the water.
Looked like a fun time....a quick visit and back South out of Case Inlet towards Treasure and Stretch Islands. (Good chance this is a sub-group of Common dolphins who stayed over from June and who are reported periodically - ALB)
Beverly Lynch McCallum  
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