West Seattle whale watch update: Orcas heading back this way

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

This time the call comes from whale expert Jeff Hogan – he says they’re close to shore and they’re heading back north – we also received a Twitter report about half an hour ago re: a sighting at Three Tree Point. Off to the beach! Send pix if you get them! ADDED 3:40 PM: Shaky zoom but we got some :11 into the clip above. Thanks to everyone for sharing sighting info. Here’s channel 4 chopper video:

Also a great link – orca video from a kayak! Thanks to Scott for sharing the link via Twitter – go here.

herongrrrl October 22, 2009 (1:47 pm)

Just spotted them from Mee Kwa Mooks, looks like they are about due west of Lowman Beach right this minute.

wseye October 22, 2009 (2:02 pm)

Off of Lowman Beach right now.

clark5080 October 22, 2009 (2:07 pm)

Crap no time to come down got to get ready for work

Gurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Jim

LE October 22, 2009 (2:18 pm)

You can find them by the helicopters now.
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Which doesn’t seem right at all. The powers that be have decided that these animals are entitles to not be harassed – wouldn’t constant helicopter noise be a problem, just in the same way as excessive whale watching boats?
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They have had plenty of time to take their news footage by now, and it’s time for them to leave the whales alone.

nuni October 22, 2009 (2:22 pm)

i don’t see any helicopters in the sky (at Elliott ave looking out west)..

E October 22, 2009 (2:27 pm)

they are flying over Lincoln park.

nuni October 22, 2009 (2:28 pm)

ahh okay it’s too cloudy!!!

LE October 22, 2009 (2:37 pm)

Okay, the helicopters seem to have moved on.
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From my house on Beach Drive, I can see orcas now spread out from near Blake Island north to Bainbridge. Most of them seem to be near the entrance to the harbor on Bainbridge Island.

Miles October 22, 2009 (3:08 pm)

Thanks to your coverage, I Just got back from Beach Drive North of Lincoln Park.
Watched about 30 or so Orcas putting on a show thanks to WSB.

I can’t thank your coverage enough for this experience. It was amazing. Oh and the helicopters were never really overhead. They were more often than not quite a distance from the pods.

Thanks WSB!!!

westseattledood October 22, 2009 (3:21 pm)

From Alki Beach , with binocs, still spyhopping around the orange boat/buoy off Bainbridge.

Awesome.

Lucky lucky us.

Bill October 22, 2009 (4:19 pm)

Anybody know if they will be back anytime soon (next few days or so)? I was at Alki, close to the point, at about 3:45 and didn’t spot them with my binocs. Thanks for any info.

westseattledood October 22, 2009 (4:36 pm)

Bill – sorry you missed them this time. They were spread out from in front of the Bainbridge ferry and a wee bit south. I was watching from the northside of the beach when I posted. They move FAST!

Bob October 22, 2009 (4:49 pm)

Amazing… Last week I had goats in my side yard and today Orca whales in my back yard. My family in the mid-west does NOT believe me when I share these things with them… What a fun place to live.

Tim Nuse October 22, 2009 (8:44 pm)

Bob, you really summed it up. What a great place to live. Thanks.

Elikapeka October 22, 2009 (9:43 pm)

I was on the ferry from Southworth to Fauntleroy this afternoon, and we had a great view of the show. One breach, lots of spy hopping, and a generally good time. And the little kids on the ferry were just thrilled. Sometimes you think your day just sucks, and then you get whales!

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