West Seattle, Washington
03 Sunday
7:20 PM: Thanks to Jamie Kinney for the video from today’s Southern Resident Killer Whales “superpod” visit! He explains, “Here is an initial video of J, K, and L pods passing by Alki Point. There were easily 40 or more orcas in total across the three groups. I recorded this from Constellation Park, where ~30+ people were enjoying the experience. As I was heading home, I saw more than 150 people watching the whales from the western end of Alki Beach.” Jamie promises more visuals later tonight; we’ll add when we get them.
9:36 PM: From Jamie’s gallery (which you can see here):
The Southern Residents come into the central Sound this time of year chasing their favorite food, salmon – so it’s all intertwined with other sightings, like the coho in Fauntleroy and Longfellow Creeks. (Check out Fauntleroy Creek’s coho during this Sunday’s “open creek.”)
8:37 AM: Southern Resident Killer Whales from J Pod are back in the area, Kersti Muul tells us this morning. This time they are southbound, “spread across the channel” and at last report approaching Point Williams (that’s where Colman Pool is at Lincoln Park). Let us know if you see them!
9:42 AM: Kersti says the whales are now headed northbound.
5:08 PM: They’re still in the area, says Kersti, who pointed out earlier that it appeared to be more than J Pod; it’s a “superpod,” according to Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail, who’s out in the Alki area leading shore-based watching. She says researchers Mark and Maya Sears are out with the whales too – and that most if not all of the Southern Residents are here.
9 AM: A group of orcas that had been heading southbound off Brace Point has just turned around and is now northbound in the Fauntleroy ferry lanes, reports Kersti Muul. She says there are at least eight at last count. Let us know if you see them!
9:04 AM: Kersti says a second group is northbound off Lowman Beach.
3:33 PM: That’s one of half a dozen photos commenter Svenry has posted below – this was J-Pod again. … We also just received these photos from Robin Sinner, shooting from the Alki Point vicinity:
9:46 AM: Orcas were northbound in the Fauntleroy ferry lanes as of about 9:30 am, Kersti Muul reports via text. Let us know if you see them!
(Added: One of six photos uploaded in a comment by Svenry – see below)
10:17 AM: Update from Kersti – they’re approaching Alki Point. And they’re Southern Resident Killer Whales, from J-Pod.
Thanks to Dave Elton for the video of a humpback whale passing close by Brace Point today. Kersti Muul told us about the clip (and the sighting). This humpback seemed to be fine, unlike the one that stranded and died by the Fauntleroy ferry dock eight years ago.
9:02 AM: Just got a text from Kersti Muul reporting that Southern Resident Killer Whales from J-Pod are in the area – southbound in north Elliott Bay, last seen off West Point. Let us know if you see them!
9:42 AM: Kersti reports they’ve now been seen toward the west side of the Sound, off Bainbridge near Winslow.
This Thursday, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s monthly online author series, Words, Writers, Southwest Stories, features Donna Sandstrom, author of “Orca Rescue!” – telling the story of lost orca Springer‘s successful rescue – and founder of The Whale Trail. Here’s the SWSHS announcement:
Working Together to Save the Whales
Stories of Hope, from Springer to the Southern Residents
In 2002 a young orca named Springer was discovered near West Seattle – lost, alone, and 300 miles away from home. Six months later she was rescued, rehabilitated, and returned to her pod on the north end of Vancouver Island. Today she is thriving, with two calves of her own. It’s the only successful orca reintroduction in history!
Join the Southwest Seattle Historical Society and local author Donna Sandstrom for our next Words, Writers, Southwest Stories at 6 pm Thursday, October 10. Sandstrom will share the inspiring story of Springer’s rescue, and how it led her to found The Whale Trail. Learn about current initiatives to protect the endangered southern resident orcas and how you can participate in their recovery.
Donna Sandstrom is the Founder of The Whale Trail, a west coast-wide series of sites to watch whales from shore, In 2002 she was a community organizer on the successful effort to return Springer, an orphaned orca, to her pod. Donna recently served as a member of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force, where she championed solutions to reduce noise and disturbance around the endangered southern resident orcas. Prior to founding The Whale Trail, she was a team and project manager at Adobe Systems. She is the author of “Orca Rescue, the true story of an orphaned orca named Springer” (Kids Can Press 2021), which is a 2025 Sasquatch Award nominee. She is a long-time resident of West Seattle.
Register here to attend, and SWSHS will send you the link before the talk on Thursday.
P.S. “Orca Rescue” was recently published as an audio book – in which you can hear Springer’s actual calls!
The group of transient killer whales known as the T65Bs are back in the area, Kersti Muul tells us – southbound toward Alki Point at last report.
10:37 AM: If you’ve seen the orcas passing west-facing West Seattle this morning, Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch tells us those are transients. But on Saturday, there was much buzz about Southern Resident Killer Whales making their first appearance this fall in central Puget Sound. Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail told us last night that they almost got this far south – her group was standing by with shareable binoculars but they turned around and headed back north. Great time of year for whale watching – let us know if you see any!
10:53 AM: Kersti says today’s transient group – the T65Bs – are now “milling about” off Alki.
6:19 PM: Up for sunset whale-watching? Kersti Muul reports that transient orcas are in Elliott Bay, headed southbound toward Alki. Let us know if you see them!
6:29 PM: Update from Kersti – now in the ferry lanes, heading toward the point.
1:03 PM: Orcas are heading southbound off Constellation Park, reports Kersti Muul. Let us know if you see them! (And if you don’t – check out the video and photos of whales in that area over the weekend.)
1:13 PM: Update from Kersti: “Leisurely SW travel. Now visible from Me Kwa Mooks.”
One day after a close pass caught on video and in photos, you have another chance to see orcas from West Seattle. Kersti Muul texted to day some are northbound passing Alki Point right now.
9:29 AM: Orcas are in central Puget Sound, southbound through the Seattle-Bainbridge ferry lanes, Kersti Muul tells us via text. Let us know if you see them!
9:35 AM: Kersti updates that it might actually be a baleen-whale sighting (usually humpback or gray).
9:42 AM: Confirmed to be a humpback.
One week ago, we reported on the new baby born to the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. Baby L128 and mom L90 were still in the San Juans at last report. Today, a science team that recorded drone video of them, under research permit #21348, has made that video available to media, so we are publishing it. The team included SeaDoc Society, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and NOAA Fisheries, and the video is from September 15. The calf could have been as young as two days old, by estimate of the Center for Whale Research, when this was recorded.
Ready for some Friday afternoon whale-watching? Kersti Muul reports via text that “orcas have exited Colvos Passage [west side of Vashon] and are heading up the east side of Blake, so will be visible from West Seattle. They are traveling quickly, with long down times, and may be hard to spot!” Let us know if you do see them.
(Photo by Ashley Whitman)
12:49 PM: You may have already heard about the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales’ new baby, born just days ago in L Pod. But before the official orca-documenting organizations started circulating the news, the photographer who took these photos was first to see the little one, L128, with its mom, L90. We heard about this from West Seattle’s Kersti Muul, who often tips us about orca sightings; she explained that her friend Ashley Whitman had spotted the new calf. We contacted Ashley to ask for permission to use her photos.
(Photo by Ashley Whitman)
She explains that her sighting was “the first documented encounter with new calf L128 and mom L90, on Sunday, September 15 at 12:49 pm on the west side of San Juan Island.” [vicinity map] Later, she adds, a research boat showed up:
(Photo by Ashley Whitman)
On Monday, the Center for Whale Research and SR3 checked on mother and baby; CWR reported that day, “The calf (L128) is VERY new; it’s tiny and has very clear fetal folds. Our best guess is that it was born within the last three days. We can also confirm that the calf is nursing and moving normally.” Mom L90, also known as Ballena, is 31 years old; this is reported to be her first known calf. L Pod is the largest of the three Southern Resident pods. P.S. Fall is historically when Southern Residents come into the central Sound, chasing salmon, so there’s a chance the new baby might make an appearance nearby.
ADDED 6:24 PM: Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail has two important reminders;
While of course it is good news that there is a new calf, there is cause for concern: L90 is a first-time mom, and she stayed behind when the southern residents exited the Sound over the weekend. While we hope for the best for L90 and her calf, we do so with the understanding that the survival rate of an orca calf in its first year is less than 50%, and that the separation from the rest of the pod is very unusual. We know how much people care about these whales, and we want to be sure that everyone is fully informed.
Boaters can help L90 and her calf by staying 1,000 yards away from them. Take the pledge to Give Them Space, and report violators to 800-853-1964.
Thanks to Kersti Muul for tips that transient killer whales are in the area again today. A short time ago, she texted that “T65A5, the lone guy, is close to Alki Point SB,” which potentially means at least one whale in view from west-facing West Seattle. Let us know if you see any!
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip: Groups of transient orcas are approaching Brace Point, spread out, northbound. Let us know if you see them!
Orcas are southbound in the Sound, reports Kersti Muul via text, passing Blake Island at last report.
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the updates – transient orcas are back in the area today; they’ve been headed southbound, seen off Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island [map] less than half an hour ago. Let us know if you see them off West Seattle!
Thanks to the anonymous texter who just sent that pic – they and Kersti Muul both just texted that southbound transient orcas are headed this way, toward the mouth of Elliott Bay – let us know if you see them!
12:46 PM: At least one humpback whale is passing Alki Point, per Kersti Muul, who says that it’s headed southbound, and there might be a second one too. Let us know if you see it/them!
12:54 PM: Texted update from Kersti – three humpbacks and they’re “close in” in the Brace Point area.
2 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for updates on transient orcas in the area today. Finally getting a chance now to mention them – they’re headed northbound, off the east side of Blake as of half an hour ago but still in the general area. Let us know if you see them!
5:17 PM: As Kersti notes in the comments and just texted us, “A different group, the T-77s have just exited Colvos Passage NB and will be visible from West Seattle now.” (Colvos Passage is the waterway between Vashon’s west shore and the south Kitsap Peninsula’s east shore.)
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