West Seattle Whale Watch: Orcas in view off our shores

12:05 PM: After a few days of “heading this way” but not getting within view of West Seattle, we’re told orcas ARE now in view off our shores – Trileigh Tucker just called from Lincoln Park. (Thanks also to Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales for reporting earlier this morning that they had again been seen off North Seattle and were southbound again.)

12:41 PM UPDATE: Jeff just texted that the orcas have apparently turned and are now headed back NORTHBOUND, last seen off Colman Pool.

2:10 PM UPDATE: Didn’t have any luck seeing them ourselves this time, but others certainly did, including the KING 5 helicopter, whose video is embedded above (commercial that plays first is theirs, not ours). The Orca Network Facebook page‘s latest sighting report has them headed back past Bainbridge, so that’s likely it for our area for today. P.S. This is the season for orcas to venture south; last major day of sightings here was in late September.

2:31 PM UPDATE: OK, not a whale, but still wonderful – Mark Wangerin, who shares wildlife photos often, sent this harbor-seal photo, noting that it was taken “from Lincoln Park where we saw Orcas, Harbor Seals, Bald Eagle fishing, and a river otter, not to mention Loons, Grebes, etc. Amazing West Seattle Wildlife!” (P.S. The resident orcas, today’s visitors, do NOT eat seals. Transient orcas – who visit sometimes, but aren’t here now – do.)

bn October 29, 2013 (12:34 pm)

Orcas currently northbound around south end of Bainbridge.

Jen October 29, 2013 (12:37 pm)

Any idea which direction they are headed?

Evelyn October 29, 2013 (12:46 pm)

Orca net just reported: Brad Hanson of NOAA Fisheries just called with an update at 12:30 pm. They were with J and K pods (same whales as yesterday) spread out across the channel just south of Alki Point. The whales had turned around at 12:15 pm and are now heading north – hope they make it back to Whidbey again during daylight hours! So glad we were wrong about them turning to head out Admiralty last night – guess they must have changed their mind ; )

Curtis October 29, 2013 (3:02 pm)

Are the Orcas disappointed that the Red Line isn’t open yet?

Curtis October 29, 2013 (3:05 pm)

In all Seriousness – I would love a 24hr place in West Seattle. It would be particularly nice if part of this restaurant could be apportioned off to operate all ages/Family Diner style. Sure there’s Denny’s on 4th, but the food tastes like, well, Denny’s

Alki Resident October 29, 2013 (3:20 pm)

Is it me or did we go from Redline to orcas?
Anyway, where are we expected to park?

WSB October 29, 2013 (3:24 pm)

They have space in the garage. Sorry, forgot to mention that – Scott Goerig mentioned it to us while we were setting up the time to come look around, and I didn’t follow up while there. Garage entrance is on Avalon, just east of 35th.

David October 29, 2013 (3:32 pm)

They should make VERY clear they have parking and where it is, it’s not super obvious just driving by and you need people to feel it’s “easy” to get to your business (the orca’s probably don’t care)

WSB October 29, 2013 (3:44 pm)

I didn’t get into it but they did mention they’re within walking distance of more than a few new projects. Including the one in their building, which is 100 or so apartments. Then there’s 120 or so two doors down on their side of the street (almost finished), the 80-plus microhousing units across the street next to the 7-11, the 140 or so planned across 35th on what was Redline’s site before it became The Bridge, almost 400 at 4755 Fauntleroy (Whole Foods), 100-plus at the former Hole (Spruce/LA Fitness), another 120 or so on 40th across from the west side of 4755 Fauntleroy, newer buildings such as Link at 37th/Alaska, Nova across from the YMCA … add in the two 100-unit buildings proposed for the 3000 block of Avalon Way a block or so down … that’s 1,500-plus units right there. … not counting what else is going on in The Junction … and beyond. Working on that development map – TR
- WSB October 29, 2013 (3:52 pm)
  
  Oh darn, and now I see what happened – my computer crashed and the Redline story filed over the orca story. I’m moving the Redline story to a different URL – it’ll be there shortly. Sorry, a quirk of the content-management system – TR

Marcia Ford October 29, 2013 (4:29 pm)

Tracy…considering the thousands of facts you process and present to us all the time, I am positive the occasional blip is inevitable. Thank you so much for all you do!