A beautiful image taken from the bluffs above captures the full grace of this lovely over-wintering juvenile humpback as s/he swims along the shores below in Dalco Passage. Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 22, 2017

 

There were quite a few orcas in front of Campbell River Sunday. My husband saw them while out fishing and they were headed South. No idea which ones though. It was around 10am Sunday. No pictures unfortunately as my husband is not nearly as interested as I am in them but between him and his friend they seemed to think there were between 40-60... which I imagine they were wrong about. Said there were many groups of 5-7 in different spots all over the channel from Quadra to Mitllenatch island. Some large males. All seemed to be heading south. Apparently some breeching and spy hoping activity too. My husband has spent a lot of time on the water in his life and said this was by far the most he had ever seen at once. That is pretty much all the details I have though... was hoping some of the local whale watching groups would have had more info but I haven't seen any.
Shari Lynne

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

Orca pod siting off of Maury Island 1958 - 06/26/1958 02:00 PM - by Marti Hilyard
I was going from a Campfire Girls camp on Maury Island to Fisherman's Warf when I was in 4th grade,I believe, so it must have been 1958. We were aboard he Virginia V ferry and I was up where the captain was at the top of the ferry. He had Kleenex handy because I was not the first little girl that did not want camp to end.

I saw a whale, then another and more...the captain told me that most regulars on the sound called them Black Fish, but their real name was "orca". There soon were about forty orcas surrounding the ferry. To me it looked more like ninety, but the captain estimated the pod was about forty orcas. I can still see them surrounding the ferry and hear them blowing and breaching as clearly now as I did then. I can smell the salt and feel the sense of loss as they pulled away and rounded the island. I knew then that I would never forget that encounter and I never have.
As soon as I retired, I started preparing myself to be physically ready for our Canoe Journey. I am an elder in the Puyallup tribe and now a member of our canoe family. I did not meet any orcas on this year's journey, but being on the Salish Sea and paddling for between 5 to 7 hours a day renewed my spirit and body both. By the end of our journey, we had 94 canoes, many of them made our traditional way from great cedar trees, weighing up to 3,000 pounds. I am hoping that I will have a chance this coming year to sing to orcas and hear them sing to me again.

(We asked Marti if we had her blessing to share this report)
Yes, oral history is a gift to the eight generations and the most important responsibility given to Elders. You may use,quote and relay this information in any way that will help our orcas, contribute to understanding the severity of decline in not only orcas, but also the the loss of abundance of all the supporting species and their food sources as well.  There were many young witnesses on that ferry...I am sure many have moved away, or may not think about that unexpected encounter, but wouldn't it be fine if providence intervened and another member of my first canoe family of girl scouts happened to come across this information that would enable her to remember that day and add to the record.

Barkely Sound sighting -  sent by Gary Jones, Kildonan B.C. Photos below by John Adams
ID notes by Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research:  "The male looks like it could be T2C1.  I can't say for sure that the others are the rest of the T2Cs but the eyepatch is about right for T2C3 in the rear.  IF that is T2C on the far side, she has a new calf.  Hopefully they turn up again soon!  Cheers, Dave"

Barkely Sound (see map photo below) Probably T2C's (see ID notes above by Dave Ellifrit, CWR) Photo by John Adams, January 11, 2017

   

Orca sighting- My friend and I were at the beach Peter Irerdale in northwestern Oregon (Forts Stevens State Park) at sunset and i took a few pic of the ocean and sunset had her take a couple as well. We when home to look at them and noticed a blow hole stay and then on the next pic same time there it was jumping out of the water snagging a seal.
Cynthia ONeil

S/He was there at the Dalco Viewpoint at 1:30 p.m. today...It looked to be just milling about. It was quite close to shore, maybe just a couple hundred yards out. There was one boat shadowing it. I was there for about 30 minutes, and I saw it surface and blow 4 or 5 times. I've gone there many times to try to see one, and today was my first time. So exciting!
Gina Marie Gothe

Juvenile humpback going on a dive in Dalco Passage off what has become a prefered area...off Point Defiance, Tacoma. Photo by Gina Marie Gothe, January 23, 2017

Photo by Gina Marie Gothe, January 23, 2014

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

4:50 p.m. - Humpback whale, Dalco Viewpoint about 200-300 yards offshore. Lazily feeding moving back and forth.
Ranell Nystrom
-
I had a very good day! ...today the tide was to far in so we decided to go for a drive...My Husband dropped me off at Dalco Viewpoint @3:00-4:30 I saw him/her about 200-300 yards moving back and forth... at one point it was right under me (I walked on the trail a little to a different overlook) Lots of people looking for it too. (see photos below)
Desiree Sauve

First the bubbles... beautiful underwater series of this little humpback as s/he swims along the shores below the bluffs at Point Defiance. Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 22, 2017

The blow... Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 22, 2017

blowholes... Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 22, 2017

Gliding along harmoniously together... little humpback and harbor seal. Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 22, 2017

Juvenile humpback going on a dive as viewed from the bluffs above at Dalco Viewpoint in Point Defiance park. Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 22, 2017

-

From 2:00-5:00 p.m. - Medium sizes whale off of Point Defiamce came up to our boat about 25 feet long... Photo by Betty Cormier, January 22, 2017

-
2:35 p.m. - Speckles! Dalco, near to shore, now. Milling about, no particular direction.
...You can't see the tail markings here (just the boat right near him/her) but I was able to see the whale's tail fluke when he/she dove and it definitely had speckled markings. It was definitely a humpback. I couldn't gauge its size too well but it didn't appear especially small, despite reports of Speckles being little.
Lissa Brod Anderson

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

2:50 p.m. - Was walking through Point Defiance and saw the juvenile humpback off the Dalco Passage viewpoint!
Amber Andrade
-
2:25 p.m. - Just saw a small sighting of him between Vashon and Pt Defiance for a split second. Watching from Gig Harbor side
Gaby Kinner
-
1:57 p.m. - Point Defiance: We saw two whales and actually saw one breach. It was amazing! Feeding, Playing
Carrie Andrews
-
1:45 p.m. - Dalco Pass view point (at Point Defiance Park) Small whale. The juvenile humpback?
Cassy Suratos
-
1:40 p.m. - Now closer to Vashon. Big breaches!
1:30 p.m. - Humpback right off of shore at Pt Defiance facing Vashon. Very active!
Gaby Kinner
-
1:01 p.m. - Looks like (Speckles) the small humpback whale is still hanging out at Point Defiance
Carl Williams

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

1:29 - WA State Ferries reports a humpback whale between Duwamish Head and Bainbridge Island.

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

2:55 p.m. -  at the Narrows Viewpoint - Hello, I was at The 5 Mile Drive today (Pt Defiance) and pulled over to take a phone call. If you watch these 2 videos (not able to include), in the center of the screen you can see something and it's blowing water. Can you tell me if this was possibly a whale? I thought I was saying things for a good 10 minutes before I finally got out of my car and walked over to the fence to take a video. (video shows back and blows at a distance, probably the small humpback who has taken up temporary residence in that area - ALB)
Amanda Edwards

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

We went to the beach again today: from 1:00-3:30 we saw The little Humpback in the same spot from Owen Beach every 5-15 min or so. He/she did a big breach (I got a pic but it's sadly out of focus) it swims fast and far in between coming up, you don't know where to look. I was running up and down the beach like a crazy woman (I have so much fun). On the drive out we stopped at the Dalco Viewpoint, just as I was getting out of my car we saw it do a big breach again (didn't get camera out in time) very cool to see!  Lots of people at the Viewpoint looking for it too, all very nice people.  
Desiree Sauve

Little humpback going on a dive in Dalvo Pasage. Taken from shore a Owen's Beach, Point Defiance Park, Tacoma. Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 16, 2017

From shore at Owen's Beach Point Defiance. Photo by Desiree Sauve, January 16, 2017

-

Taken from Dalco Passage Viewpoint on 5 Mile Drive in Point Defiance. Reported by Laura Nagel, Photos by Michael Naegel, January 16, 2017

Juvenile humpback whale from Owen's Beach in Point Defiance. Photo by Michael Naegel, January 16, 2017

-
These photos were taken from the Island Adventure 4 in the early afternoon (around 1:30 to 2:00 pm). The young humpback (Speckles) was surfacing near the tip of Point Defiance and Vashon Viewpoint. After the boat got within viewing distance, he/she started making circles around us, taking breaths and diving around every 6 minutes. Two kayakers and the small boat pictured were nearby but kept safe distances, although the humpback wanted to get close for a better view of them.
Ashley Miller

Top side fluke - Dalco Passage. Photo by Ashley Miller, January 16, 2017

Sometimes whales approach idle humans... "...he didn't approach the whale, in fact his engine was off. It came over and then dove down right next to him." Photo by Ashley Miller, January 16, 2017

-

Juvenile Humpback in Dalco Passage with nasty wounds and scars around the fluke, most likely from being entangled in some sort of line/gear which s/he thankfully appears now to be free of. Photo by Kristina Trowbridge, January 16, 2017

Top side fluke - Going on a dive - Dalco Pass Photo by Kristina Trowbridge, January 16, 2017

Left side peduncle and fluke with visible scars. Photo by Kristina Trowbridge, January 16, 2017

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

5:00 p.m. - Humpback sighted at point defiance: Saw a humpback two nights in a row around 5 pm from the bluffs at the Gig Harbor Overlook on the north side of Point Defiance in Tacoma. Looked to be heading east on Thursday 1/12 and west on Friday 1/13. Breached right in front of me on 1/13. Both times lingered in the area maybe 10-15 minutes then moved on. It breached.  It was in an area where many harbor seals gather nightly at dusk and sea lions pass by. Perhaps there is food around?
Eve Pugsley

(either 2nd small humpback or gray whale reported inland days prior)
2:45 p.m.  - Some kind of slow moving cetacean at North Beach/Carkeek headed south around the corner toward Golden Gardens. A few breaths about 5 minutes apart. Not a huge whale, no sign of a dorsal... maybe a small humpback?
Stephen Sommerfeld
-
Around Noon - Saw several spouts from a smallish whale off the Edmonds dog park today headed south. Wind was strong and we were a good distance away so I couldn't get a good id. Was not an orca I don't think but perhaps a small Humpback?
Toby Black