Bulletin: Orcas spotted off Alki/Beach Drive

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(photo added 10:57 am – they’re out there SOMEWHERE)
That very quick note just in from David: “Orca pod spotted off Alki Beach at 9:45 am!!!!” We’re getting in the car now. Add comments if you see them – where, when, which way. Photos welcome. 10:52 AM UPDATE: Just back from driving the entire length of West Seattle waterfront, both directions. Got the nice sunbreak photo above (looking south from just south of Alki Point), but no whales. However, as noted in the comments, they seem to have headed southwest; this post on Beach Drive Blog says the same. So they’re out there somewhere – keep a lookout. This is the time of year when the orcas often venture into central Puget Sound. The Orca Network sends daily e-mail with the latest sightings from all around Puget Sound (including the San Juan Island waters where they’re most often seen); you can sign up for it here. 3:05 PM UPDATE: Got e-mail from Mike, who thinks he may be seeing them in Elliott Bay from downtown.

Traci December 2, 2008 (10:06 am)

OMG! The one day I’m in Magnolia. I hope a lot of you WSBloggers get to see them!!!!

add December 2, 2008 (10:06 am)

Just tried to scope something out from Gatewood Hill – no sign of orcas but there sure are a lot of boats just off the north end of Vashon!

janet December 2, 2008 (10:11 am)

yes, i saw the whales too, off beach drive just south of harbor west condos, about 9:50 – 10 am. they were heading south toward the south end of blakely island,in the shipping lane area, scattered quite a distance. but then some showed up closer to la rustica. too far away for me to tell if they are orca, or another type. yes, so exciting!!!

morganlf December 2, 2008 (11:00 am)

I’m at the Alki Tullys and the water is whale free as of 11am. There are lots of great ducks around though!

WSB December 2, 2008 (11:04 am)

Looks like they were headed the other way. But you just never know when you’re going to see them, so at least we’re alerted they’re in the vicinity. We’ve been getting the Orca Network’s nightly/daily sightings e-mails (signup link added to post above) for a long time and yesterday’s sightings were all up in the San Juans – this is the first city-close report I’ve seen in quite some time.

herongrrrl December 2, 2008 (11:13 am)

We watched for a while with some researchers from Beach Drive, and they said this is the first time the residents have come this far south this year. They were heading north again (and maybe turning to go down the west side of Vashon?) shortly before 11am.

hopey December 2, 2008 (11:30 am)

11:30am… I started looking about 20 mins ago, and so far nothing between Vashon & Blake. I have a view of all 3 ferry docks and will try to keep an eye out for the next hour or so.

WSB December 2, 2008 (11:31 am)

That settles it, the portable newsroom and I are taking a ferry ride later.

cruiser December 2, 2008 (11:32 am)

I think I see them just north of Blake Is.

hopey December 2, 2008 (11:50 am)

nothing north of Blake for me, and my scope is strong enough that I can see the dock pilings clearly.

WW December 2, 2008 (12:54 pm)

I hope this is the missing pod that was feared to have all perished!

Alki resident December 2, 2008 (4:20 pm)

We saw two different pods of Orcas heading south today about the same time as mentioned above. We counted about 10 different Orcas between the two pods. What a treat!

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