VIDEO, PHOTOS: Orcas’ Sunday visit to West Seattle waters

8:35 AM: Terence emailed to report that as of less than an hour ago, “There are three orcas in Elliott Bay swimming southbound past the grain terminal toward the central waterfront. Currently about 100 yards offshore.” Let us know if you see them!

8:38 AM: Just a moment after we published that, Kersti Muul texted reporting a large group of transient orcas midchannel off Eagle Harbor (Bainbridge Island), southbound.

12:28 PM: Thanks to everyone for all the updates in comments! We also got a text from Chris Frankovich a short time ago, reporting orcas southbound past the Arroyos. Also, Courtney sent this video via X/Twitter:

Orcas spotted in the Sound off of @westseattleblog ✨@komonews @seattletimes pic.twitter.com/PMGpo2IAMR

— courtney ✺ (@digitallylee) July 14, 2024

3 PM: Thanks to Dan Ciske for sending a pic from Alki:

4:41 PM: Thanks to Robin Sinner for these photos from Constellation Park:

Kersti Muul July 14, 2024 (9:25 am)

Passing Tillicum village 925

Kersti Muul July 14, 2024 (9:32 am)

another group coming out of Elliot Bay at 53rd avenue, westbound 932

West Seattle Resident July 14, 2024 (9:52 am)

A lot of moron boaters, AGAIN, buzzing a pod of 3-4 that was near the Alki Shoreline.Come on, morons. Be whale wise.

Kersti Muul July 14, 2024 (10:44 am)

Yes that was bad. I got pics!

Whale watcher July 14, 2024 (9:53 am)

There’s 4 or 5 southbound right now between vashon and Blake Island.

Kersti Muul July 14, 2024 (10:07 am)

This group of 40 + whales has spread apart from Burien to Bainbridge…there’s some off Lincoln Park right now. There’s some still in the bay and one small group went by the shores of Alki. Super close and are now off constellation on a predation attemptActually NB now attempt was unsuccessful. Passing tango buoy 1007

Kersti Muul July 14, 2024 (10:14 am)

Flipped NB, passing Blakely rocks now. Predation unsuccessful. Other group in Vashon ferry lanes SB, and another in the bay near grain silos

Emily July 14, 2024 (10:32 am)

4-5 orcas visible from Alki heading east near the bainbridge ferry lanes

Carl Furfaro July 14, 2024 (10:33 am)

Saw them from the ferry on way to Bremerton, heading east into the bay, a lot closer to shore than to the ferry. Was talking to a small group of friends who had never seen a whale of any kind and suddenly I saw them going opposite direction, blowing, breaching. One woman was so happy she had to hug me. Even from relatively far away it’s always an exciting thing to see orcas.

Kersti Muul July 14, 2024 (10:57 am)

Cruising by Starbucks this morning through swimmers and kayakers !

Chelsea July 14, 2024 (4:27 pm)

I was one of the swimmers this morning! Any chance you got photos that included swimmers so we could try to identify ourselves? What a magical event!!!
- Svenry July 15, 2024 (12:41 pm)
  
  If you know one of (or were one of) the two swimmers that were right by the lighthouse, I have video with audio of their joyful exclamations. “We’re swimming with orcas!”

Ada July 14, 2024 (11:15 am)

Those boats out there are getting WAY too close. They need to stop pursuing those poor orcas. You can hear how loud those many boat engines are from the shore, so you can only imagine how much that must scare those orcas.

Kersti Muul July 14, 2024 (11:36 am)

Passing pt Williams, Seattle side 1135

Merna July 14, 2024 (12:40 pm)

I wonder sometimes if it’s more ethical not to report sightings. Like there might be a log kept somewhere, by scientists, but the way we no longer name mass shooters, to remove the appeal of notoriety, maybe we could just keep quiet about sightings so their presence does not become an event for greedy consumer eyes and cameras and boat swarms and viral sharing. I’m sure there will still be people passing it on but just fewer of them. Let people be surprised. Let them go out often in hopes of seeing some but only see them sometimes. Let their paying attention to the natural world and not their paying attention to their phones be the thing that’s rewarded. I know sharing in our awe can be this important way to respect the natural world but wonder now, like all kinds of things in our culture, is hunted in such an aggressive, selfish way. I’ve seen herons chased from feeding spots by well meaning children. The food of sea creatures is scarce and getting scarcer, the last thing they need is more of us coming to think they’re amazing while they starve. I get that the sightings can provide educational opportunities, but I wonder how well the balance is being kept between our learning and their well being.

AC July 15, 2024 (10:33 am)

I heard they went up the river to the Jim Clark marina. My Friend got some good picts of them feeding.

Svenry July 15, 2024 (12:50 pm)

So many great views yesterday. It felt like there were orcas everywhere! Here are some shots from the tip of Alki Point, including T49A6 with their distinctive underbite.

MC July 15, 2024 (4:24 pm)

I was participating in the cold plunge at Alki yesterday morning and saw them passing through. Today, I learned that July 14th (yesterday) is World Orca Day! They were out to celebrate <3

Sorry, comment time is over.