West Seattle, Washington
15 Thursday
(2020 photo of then-newborn resident calf J57: Center for Whale Research / Permit #21238 / WhaleResearch.com)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tomorrow, the Northwest Seaport Alliance‘s managing members – the port commissioners of Seattle and Tacoma – get their quarterly update on the modernization project at Terminal 5 in West Seattle.
(June photo by Stewart L.)
Four big signs of that progress drew a lot of attention last month – the new T-5 cranes that arrived from China. Their arrival sparked some discussion among WSB commenters about whether the dock modernization project is bad news for Puget Sound’s endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
No, says Fred Felleman, a Seattle port commissioner whose background, before taking office in 2016, was in environmental advocacy. (Checking WSB archives, the first time we mentioned him was when he spoke to the Port Commission in 2015, voicing opposition to the use of T-5 for staging Shell‘s Arctic oil-exploration fleet. That was one of the interim uses T-5 has seen since it went out of regular cargo service in 2014.)
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip – transient orcas are headed northbound, off the Southworth ferry terminal at last report, so if you’re going to look for them, take binoculars!
1:33 PM: Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail just called to say Orca Network is reporting that transient orcas are southbound, passing Blake Island right now – close enough to the other side of the Sound that you’d want to look through binoculars. As always – let us know if YOU see them too! (Added – video from readers who did see them while out on the water:)
6:58 PM: Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch says the whales are now in Elliott Bay, headed toward downtown! (Added, David Hutchinson‘s photo taken while they were in the bay:)
If you’re out by the water in west-facing southwest West Seattle, you might get a view of transient killer whales Orcas are headed southbound, off Fauntleroy, reports Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch. If you miss them now, you might see them later on the northbound swing!
Thanks to Kathy Weitz for the photos from an early morning orca sighting – they were southbound then but northbound now, off Blake Island per Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch.
These again are transient orcas (also known as Bigg’s Killer Whales) – which are seen in our area more often than the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
1:36 PM: Since Puget Sound dead-ends, if whales swim by southbound, they’ll eventually have to head back northbound … and that’s what’s happening right now. Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch says transient orcas are northbound right now, visible from west-facing West Seattle (after swimming the other way yesterday) – look toward Southworth. Let us know if you see them!
2:04 PM: Kersti reports in a comment that they’re now off Blake Island.
5:33 PM: Southbound transient killer whales are in view from Alki looking north – the orcas are passing Bainbridge Island’s Eagle Harbor now, says Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch. They’re toward the west side of the channel, though she warns that the heat rising off the water is a visibility challenge. Let us know if you see them!
5:55 PM: Kersti says they’re now crossing the Bainbridge ferry lanes.
8:17 PM: In addition to the various updates in the comment section below, Kersti just texted to say they’re passing the Fauntleroy ferry dock, closer to this side of the Sound.
Transient orcas are back in the area, southbound off the north edge of Elliott Bay, reports Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch – in view looking north from Alki. Let us know if you see them!
Transient orcas are in view, north of Blake Island, southbound, “lots of breaching,” per Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch.
9:54 AM: Saturday morning whales! Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch tells us northbound transient orcas are just coming out of Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island. Let us know if you see them!
7:24 PM: Photos added. The two above are from David Hutchinson, as seen from Alki. Below, from Helen Dolejsi:
9:43 AM: You can watch for whales off either west-facing or northeast-facing West Seattle this morning. Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch says transient killer whales are northbound, emerging from Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island, toward the west end of the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry route. Also, she reports there’s a humpback whale in Elliott Bay, off the mid-downtown waterfront. Let us know if you see any of these!
2:46 PM: See comments for updates, including Kersti’s note that the Elliott Bay sighting turned out to be a gray whale.
1:48 PM: Southbound transient killer whales are in the area – Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch reports they’re mid-channel, passing the mouth of Elliott Bay, which means they’re likely to be in view soon from west-facing West Seattle. Let us know if you see them!
2:20 PM: Kersti says they’re spread out but the leader of the group should be visible from Lowman Beach by now, still southbound.
Two reports of whale sightings today – maybe you’ve had a sighting too? Around noon, Philip reported a whale (“not an orca”) off Three Tree Point headed north. About two hours later, Susan saw this: “I glimpsed the back half of an orca as it rolled northward, not far from the Fauntleroy ferry slip. I waited for it to resurface north of the dock… and waited… saw a blow, but its source didn’t appear to be the B&W of an orca. It surfaced again, and definitely was something other than an orca or humpback. What happened to the orca?” Humpbacks and grays are in regional waters now too; if you see a marine mammal you can’t identify, try a species guide like this one offered by The Whale Trail.
9:15 AM: Transient orcas are in view across the Sound from West Seattle, passing Southworth right now, “northbound, quickly,” reports Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch. Let us know if you see them!
9:33 AM: Update from Kersti – they’re now in view off Blake Island.
A tipster reports seeing southbound orcas between Vashon and Blake Islands. Let us know if you see them!
(Added: This photo & next by Rick Rasmussen)
11:59 AM: Up for Friday whale-watching? Transient orcas are southbound, north of Alki but visible from there, reports Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch. Let us know if you see them!
2:41 PM: Thanks to Brandy for emailing to say they’re now in view off Lincoln Park’s south shore, lingering.
3:56 PM: Added, two photos above by Rick Rasmussen. Also see Kersti’s images in the comment section.
ADDED 10:57 PM: Trileigh Tucker has sent photos too – here are three:
(Thanks again to everyone who has shared photos and tips!)
If you want to take advantage of the end of our sunny stretch by doing some whale-watching, here’s an early alert that you might be able to see orcas today. That’s according to Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch, who says transient killer whales are southbound off Fay Bainbridge Park (map), headed this way. Let us know if you see them!
11 AM: Kersti says they’ve changed direction.
Just in from Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch – orcas are in the area, southbound in the Fauntleroy ferry lanes. Let us know if you see them!
9:12 AM: Just received via text:
Watching Orcas from our house near Brace Point. They’re staying put for now, seem to be fishing. They’re at the southern tip of Blake island. Middle of the Sound. Look for seagulls overhead.
Let us know if you see them too!
9:28 AM: The texter reports they’ve moved south to the ferry lanes, now off the stern of M/V Kittitas.
10:01 AM: Northbound now, per comments.
11:45 AM: And now to the south – Kersti Muul texted to say they were near the Fauntleroy ferry terminal; Robin Sinner comments that they were in view south of there.
9:12 AM: Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch reports a gray whale is off Alki right now, just 100 yards out to sea “hugging the shoreline.” Let us know if you see it!
9:40 AM: Northbound, Kersti says, headed toward Duwamish Head at last report.
Quick note for would-be whale watchers – Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch says the transient orcas that passed West Seattle headed southbound yesterday are in the area again, seen in Elliott Bay by the grain silos as of about half an hour ago.
11:49 AM: Just in from Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch: Transient orcas are southbound, just north of Discovery Park, headed this way.
12:35 PM: Still headed this way, Kersti reports in a comment.
1:14 PM: Another update from Kersti – passing Alki Point.
Thanks to Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch for another alert about whales heading this way – they’re northbound, south of Fauntleroy, right now. These are transient killer whales again. Let us know if you see them!
P.S. Kersti warns of “choppy seas,” so not optimal viewing this time.
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