ORCAS: West Seattle sunset whale-watching

9:05 PM: If you have eyes on the water as nightfall nears, watch for whales! Andrew sent word that as of about 15 minutes ago, northbound orcas were passing Arbor Heights, and the Orca Network has a Brace Point report from a few minutes ago. Let us know if you see them!

ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: Andrew sent this pic this morning, of the view he had from above (the whales are right at the bottom of the frame):

11 Replies to "ORCAS: West Seattle sunset whale-watching"

  • Thomas Paine July 4, 2024 (9:14 pm)

    Sounds awesome to see! Unfortunately, many of us are probably taking care of frightened pets, due to the selfish morons who are shooting off loud fireworks in West Seattle.

    • Also Has Pets July 5, 2024 (8:29 am)

      This may be the saltiest, most unprovoked comment I’ve ever read on here. 

      • alkiannie July 5, 2024 (2:06 pm)

        Clearly you don’t read the comments in this Blog very often, “Also Has Pets”. :)

  • Jennie July 4, 2024 (10:20 pm)

    We saw them about 200 yards off the north end of Beach Drive at 9.30 p.m. 

  • Krista July 4, 2024 (10:35 pm)

    Spotted!  POD of orcas (at least 4) spending significant time right off Alki at about 10PM. Still there 30 mins later. And a paddle boarder right in with them. 

    • WSB July 4, 2024 (11:05 pm)

      Wow!

  • Elisa July 4, 2024 (11:49 pm)

    I saw them from constellation park and couldn’t believe my eyes at first. I biked over to the sandy side as they headed north, and saw them again with a handful of folks at the far west end. I thought for sure the fireworks would send them off, but they ended up heading east towards downtown, and everyone on the beach cheered. what a treat!

  • Kersti Muul July 5, 2024 (5:24 am)

    It was incredible. They were less than 20 feet offshore at constellation, hunting a seal, albeit unsuccessfully. I ran along side them from cormorant cove, to the lighthouse as they came closer and closer. This was one of the top three closest passes I’ve experienced anywhere. Constellation being totally closed to cars was interesting. It was so quiet – just a handful of people out seeing this – mostly people that live there.Video still from Jason Lee Bell

  • De July 5, 2024 (8:19 pm)

    Andrew – your photograph is gorgeous!  The colors and balance really resonate with me, with bonus of the orcas in foreground, and captures our beautiful PNW perfectly!  Thanks for sharing! (I would be interested in obtaining a digital copy with your permission but don’t know how to go about that w/o sharing contact info in a public forum.)

    • Kersti Muul July 5, 2024 (10:50 pm)

      Tracy can share it for you with permission 

  • Andrew July 5, 2024 (9:14 pm)

    De, I’ll let the WSB know that they have my permission to share the full digital image with you. I’m glad that you like it, but you should set your expectations to low. The full image isn’t all that great. I was lamenting to the WSB that every time I see the orcas it reminds me that I need a better camera (not just an iPhone) and I should probably just invest in a drone while I’m at it. Enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!

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