January 6
Brad Hanson of NOAA Fisheries, who was out with the orcas today in Puget Sound, said members of both J and K pods were present. They did see J16, but did not see her new calf, J48 while they were with the whales today. He conferred with Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research, and they agree no confirmation of the calf's status can be made until they are able to have another encounter with J16 and her matriline.
They left the whales half way between Kingston and Point No Point, just before dark. Brad feels the whales were likely going to head out of Admiralty Inlet (however reports below, posted shortly after the research boat departed, say the whales slowed down and stalled out - so who knows which way they will go).
Orca Network
January 6
4:45 - Research vessel just left. Whales are still heading north.
4:50 - Last 30 min or so have picked up pace a bit. Should be coming up to Point No Point soon. Maybe before too dark.
Mike Russell
January 6
~4:15 - I saw them go by just north of Kingston. They are moving more quickly now, it seems!
Shirley Bomgaars
January 6
4:05 - can see blows from pt. no pt.
Joel Petree
January 6
4:03 - They pretty much due west of Edmonds ferry terminal.
Mike Russell
January 6
3:55 pm - Cathy Bacon reports orcas north of Kingston, along the kitsap side with research boat.
January 6
3:50 - I'm still sitting north of Edmonds ferry. Can still see one research vessel and occasional splashes near it. Still slowly heading north.
Mike Russell
January 6
15.35hrs - looks like they're off Appletree Cove, west side of south bound shipping lane off Kingston, WA.
Cameron H. Covington
January 6
3:28 pm - The orcas are headed slowly north, very close to the Kingston-Edmonds ferry lane now. Rain is making it hard for me to see them from Richmond Beach, but they'll probably be visible to you soon! It's tail-lob Friday out there!
Dave Haas
January 6
3:10 pm - I've spotted the orcas through binoculars: south of the Kingston-Edmonds ferry, north of mid-channel buoy, 2-3 miles from the Shoreline/Edmonds side. There is clearly a research boat out with them now. Headed slowly north still. Kitsap peninsula folks may have a better view...
Dave Haas
January 6
3:05 pm - Meg McDonald sees many blows from Carkeek Park, possibly in a resting line north of Kingston, still heading north in the misty distance.
January 6
2:28 - Very close to NE point of Bainbridge.
Meg McDonald
January 6
2:09 - We see them still tailslapping between 2 research boats.
Meg McDonald
January 6
1:54 - whales are about a mile offshore from Carkeek Park, north of Golden Gardens.... and they're still heading north at moderate speed, not a lot of surface activity.
Lori Robinson
January 6
1:18 - they are now mid channel right off golden gardens.
12:34 - orcas at Discovery Park, heading north slowly, still lots of tail slaps.
Whitney Neugebauer
January 6
Sounds like they are finding a lot of fish, nearly every report we've had is of lots of tail-lobbing! KOMO News said their video even showed one orca on it's side tail-lobbing.
Orca Network
January 6
12:21 - my last update, gotta go to work. They are rounding from out off the south end of Magnolia Bluff, same pace northward. Looks like another research boat joined the first one. Happy day.
Alisa Lemire Brooks
January 6
12:12 - just moving north of the magnolia blvd pull off. North of the small boat.
Alison Bazeley
January 6
12:08 - they are still mid channel west of the Elliot Bay Marina just off Magnolia keeping that slow steady pace northward
Alisa Lemire Brooks
January 6
Saw them at 1150 from magnolia blvd, they were circling a small boat and swimming slowly lobbing tails--- I've been trying to see them for over a year m. Finally!!! What an amazing day!! Ear to ear smile.
Allie Gardner
January 6
~11:50 - Watching from Alki - group is indeed heading north - now midchannel across from Winslow. Can see a new baby too!
Trileigh Tucker
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Backflip!
Photo by Trileigh Tucker, January 6, 2012
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January 6
11:40 - group with research boat is smack in the middle of the east & west ferry lanes of the Bainbridge run, much tail lobbing.
Alisa Lemire Brooks
January 6
11:36 - They are still off Elliot Bay mid channel northbound nearing Bainbridge ferry lanes. They are moving fairly slow though they probably will take a little longer to reach Golden Gardens if they continue direct north movement at this pace. Also look for the small research skiff.
Alisa Lemire Brooks
January 6
11 am update from Jeff hogan - orcas are 1/2 mile off Alki now, slowly heading north. He has ID'd J pod - the J11s, J16s, J17s, J22s. NOAA Fisheries is out with them, so hopefully we'll get more details later in the day.
January 6
~11:00 - Still seeing a group mid channel slow movement north between Alki & Bainbridge. Seaplane circling above, maybe get some pics.
Alisa Lemire Brooks
January 6
~10:56 - they're heading that way - about level with alki point now. Enjoy - they were lots of fun to watch from my windows this morning ; )
Amanda Gilbert
January 6
~10:36 - From Queen Anne I see them off the tip of Alki pt heading north. Tail lobbing.
Alisa Lemire Brooks
January 6
10:35 - Confirming earlier report of about 10. Off Alki. Seem to be swimming north.
Meg McDonald
January 6
~10:25 - Big bunches - 6 and 4-5 - off Lowman beach, milling and heading northish.
Trileigh Tucker
January 6
~10:20 - They turned around. Heading north now.
Kelly Burns Keenan
January 6
~10:15 - At least 5 in front of Emma Scmitz park (off beach dr south of alki point) right now.
Amanda Gilbert
January 6
~10:15 - At least 4 are heading north past Blake Island closer to the west seattle side, possible baby.
Jennifer Farley
January 6
10:08 - Update from Jeff Hogan - the orcas have now turned north, and are mid-channel, approaching Alki Pt.
January 6
9:50 am - Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales called with a report of orcas at the Fauntleroy/Vashon ferry crossing, headed south at. No ID's yet.
January 6
Another report emailed: 7 orcas seen from the Vashon/Fauntleroy Ferry at 9:10 am, heading south, observed by Topher Farrell.
January 6
9:30 am - Received a call from Amy Carey - she has a report of 10 orcas off the north side of Vashon Island, heading south.
