Yes, that was a gray whale off West Seattle this afternoon

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

So much else was going on this afternoon, we never got a chance to go into full whale-watching-sound-the-alert mode, but thanks to Eve for sending a photo as proof (and yes, we know it’s fuzzy, but hey, it’s A WHALE!): We’ve had several reports of a gray whale spotted in Elliott Bay, then heading southbound in the Sound, earlier this afternoon. Eve took that photo off Alki at 1:15 pm; Orca Network (which tracks sightings of non-orca marine mammals too) had a report of a gray whale in Elliott Bay, closer to downtown, just after 10 this morning. Orca Network also has a great page on its website explaining why you see grays in Puget Sound, most often at this time of year; see that page here.

nice March 4, 2010 (8:36 pm)

Very cool I wish I saw it from Alki. Even though I have been here all my life I have never seen a whale in the water just seals and otters.

wssort March 4, 2010 (10:31 pm)

Amazing, very cool indeed, wish I could have seen it too! Thanks for the Orca Network link.

Tina March 5, 2010 (8:17 am)

I spoted a gray whale the same day around 6:10pm. It was about 50 yards offshore from Redondo Beach Dr. Appeared to be traveling south toward Tacoma when it first surfaced then less than 5 min later it surfaced again and spouted.