West Seattle whale watching: Alki Point sighting this morning

Thanks to Guy and Joy Smith for the photo and this report:

At 9 o’clock this am, we saw 2 marine mammals traveling south off Alki Point. They were exhaling big clouds of steam and we knew they were too large to be either Harbor or Dall’s Porpoises. We grabbed our handy guide, handed out by the Whale Trail organization at the Bath House this summer, and it indicates they were probably Minke whales. They are in the 20 to 30 foot range and that’s about what we guessed. Wikipedia says their dives can be up to 20 minutes. If we had known to wait that long we might have gotten another picture.

Obviously Guy and Joy saw more than just this photo, so they were gauging by more than what’s seen in the photo, but the fin also looks like it could have been a humpback. Anyone else see these whales?

13 Replies to "West Seattle whale watching: Alki Point sighting this morning"

  • westseattledood August 30, 2015 (2:49 pm)

    I did not see it, but a Minke makes more sense to me. they slip in very inobstrusively around the Duwamish head and frequently down to the river entrance – especially now when there are pinks around. but they disappear underwater quickly and are often mistaken for humpies – which would have a larger water displacement I would guess. I have seen them in a trio in front of Jack Block shoreline for but a brief moment only to dive.

    but humpbacks happen, no doubt. maybe check the orca network on FB and ask those folks….more trained eyes are peeled out on the sound 24/7 on that site. i’d certainly like to know.

  • clark5080 August 30, 2015 (3:13 pm)

    I think it is a Humpback

  • Howard Garrett August 30, 2015 (3:17 pm)

    This is certainly a humpback, by the hump behind the dorsal fin on its back. Great photo and report. A minke whale dorsal fin would be further to the posterior and falcate, or hooked.

  • Mikeh August 30, 2015 (3:59 pm)

    That appears to be a humpback dorsal fin. A minke whale dorsal fin appears more similar to a bottlenose dolphin or shark fin at about a foot tall. A humpback fin is just a few inches off the back like the one in this picture.

  • trickycoolj August 30, 2015 (4:37 pm)

    We can see spouts right now from the Southworth ferry dock

  • westseattledood August 30, 2015 (4:45 pm)

    Orca Network responded to my inquiry and confirmed that this was a humpback!

    The telltale marker is the hump in front of the dorsal. My eye did not discern the very subtle hump but there it is for all of us to see.

    Humpbacks have humps, subtle humps, in front of the dorsal.

    And when comparing a Minke’s visual clues to a humpbacks, the Minke’s dorsal is further back to the rear than this picture (hard to tell when this is submerged though) and it would be hooked.

    There ya’ have it. Curiousity satisfied, identification confirmed by the authorities. All in all a good thread, I’d say ;)

  • westseattledood August 30, 2015 (4:47 pm)

    Trickycoolj,

    I just inquired on Orca Network on FB. They have been following orcas heading north from South Sound/ Gig Harbor/Narrows today….might be them? Or can you tell it is a humpback? I do not know.

  • Guy Smith August 30, 2015 (7:57 pm)

    We should have consulted our daughter first. She spends a lot of time in Hawaii and knew at a glance it was a humpback. We suspect that’s how so many people knew the answer.
    The Smiths

  • westseattledood August 30, 2015 (8:28 pm)

    Oh, Guy Smith, I hope you aren’t feeling badly about this!!! Whenever my neighbors or visitors post these wildlife pictures, whether anybody knows what they are or not, it ALWAYS serves to educate. Always. Some species are just tricky to identify. And from a distance without full view and lots of experience seeing the species in real life? Even trickier.

    I appreciate you and the Mrs. sending the photograph. It served to educate. And that is awesome. Thanks for sharing it!

  • chuck and sally's van man August 30, 2015 (10:55 pm)

    @westseattledood: Your note threw me for a second. Pink salmon are also known as “humpies” due to the pronounced hump they grow upon entering fresh water (particularly the males). You were using “humpies” as a nickname for humpback whales, thus the temporary confusion.

    Glad to learn this whale was, indeed, a humpback. And not chasing humpies ;)

  • Enviromaven August 31, 2015 (10:33 am)

    Great post, great comments, thanks to Howard Garrett of Orca Network! So sorry to have missed this yesterday.

  • Casey September 1, 2015 (7:25 pm)

    Wow i had no idea whales expelled steam!

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