Orca sighting near Seattle

[Amberjack]

Way in the distance to the left of the small boat you can just make out a trio of Orcas we saw last week just off Seattle. These are probably transient Orcas (seal eaters). The endangered resident Orcas (salmon eaters) don't venture this far south very often due to the lack of large salmon they prey on.



This should post as a 16 second video and my wife points them out just as they surface.

[RAWicklund]

I grew up 20 miles south of Seattle. When I was 14 or 15 we were scuba diving at saltwater state park. We were about 150’ off the beach in maybe 30’ of water when 2 orcas came up about 20’ from us……cool experience looking back…..scared the shit out of me at the time.
Ray

[Rawleigh]

…..scared the shit out of me at the time.

No doubt!!!!!!!!!!! I bet you looked like a seal to them. Must have been salmon eaters!! LOL

[Amberjack]

Ray I’ve been boating in the Pacific Northwest for a lot of years so I’ve seen a lot of orcas but….a few years ago we were in Navy Channel off Sauturna Island when we saw a small group of orcas snuffling around in the channel and we shut down to watch. One of the male’s dorsal fins was easily 5-6 feet high. I won’t say I was intimidated but but I sure felt the power of that animal and wouldn’t have wanted to be in the water anywhere near him. The top of his fin would have been level with us up on the fly ridge.

[Carl]

Seeing on TV or the big screen do nothing compared to seeing in real life. We have humpbacks and dolphins in the Bay...or at least I have been told we do, I have yet to see in person. Lots of people share their pictures and videos...but just not the same.

I only know as I've had the experience of running in a boat coming home from the canyon then all of a sudden we were in the middle of a huge school of dolphins. They were everywhere all breaking water swimming in the same direction as the boat, I see pictures and shows, but nothing like that in person.
Whales...seen them blow out there a bunch of times. Only once chinking at the canyon have I seen one up close...had to be 4-5feet off the gunnel I was sitting on and it seemed like the ocean just came up...huge just does not do that animal justice.

Now sharks are amazing...they are the only creature that comes with a soundtrack. Seems anytime I see a big shark come up a chum slick or swim by, even seeing one when diving...that Jaws soundtrack plays in my mind.

duunn dun ....... Duuun Dun ......... DUuunun dun duun dun duun dun dun ddun DUN DUN DONE


Orca's...amazing animals. Love to experience seeing them outside one of those shows we have been to like Seaworld. Dolphin and Orcas just don't seem right in captivity. I'm not a PETA fan or have a huge opinion on the subject...but they seem less there.

Anyway, I'd love to see them in their element...Maybe not so much from in the water, a boat would be fine, and a sizable boat at that.


I'd have commented on the video...but in truth, I cannot make out any signs of a whale. Still love seeing water though and thanks for sharing.

[RAWicklund]

With the abundance of videos of people swimming among killer Whales it’s pretty clear how safe we were. We had a female come nudge the boat one time up in the San Juan Islands…..we probably overreacted when we saw her calf close by, and thought she was being protective and aggressive……looking back at her mannerisms, I think she was just curious and more playful….

But just like videos of sharks….National Geo had some footage of Orcas going up on the beach in South America and grabbing seals for a snack……that’s the video that always played in my head when we saw one…..jaws sound track and all……lol

Ray

[DanielM]

We had an Orca and her calf come up behind us once while we were trolling in Cabo San Lucas. They are amazing. And for someone that has spent a fair amount of time on the water, seeing them for the first time was awe inspiring…. Not so much for the captain and mate. They pretty quickly said “Have you taken enough pictures? We need to get out of here, they shutdown the fishing”

We also ran up on some humpback whales the year before fishing with Renegade Mike on his B31 in Cabo. Came right by the boat on our way back into the harbor. He laughed and said he needed to tack a “whale watching tour” premium on our fishing trip.

Doug, the Pacific is a special place. The biggest thing I’ve seen in the GOM was whale sharks. However they’re pretty cool as well. Dove with a couple of them.

[Yannis]

There is a nice video on you tube of a 31, maybe Jimmy G's?, where a group of orcas swim and surface behind the boat.

[PeterPalmieri]

Daniel,

We’ve been to Cabo twice, the humpbacks are a treat IMO, haven’t seen an Orca that would be special. We’ve been fortunate to see humpbacks up here off Long Island fairly regularly and on one occasion a bus size white shark pass under the boat.

I know a lot of folks shun the non targeted species but I will enjoy whatever nature throws at me and you learn from the kids everything is cool. A bluefish while striper fishing, Spanish Mac while trolling for tuna or a blue shark while hunting makos. I’ll even take a sea robin while fluke fishing.

If you look close enough in person the eye of a sea robin is an amazing blue with a gold ring, the photo is a joke. And the kids inspired me to really check out the skin of this fluke closely.




The kids are just as amazed at these as they were the above, life is amazing through the eyes of a child.

[Amberjack]

[quote=Carl post_id=144483 time=1632482589 user_id=162

I'd have commented on the video...but in truth, I cannot make out any signs of a whale. Still love seeing water though and thanks for sharing.
[/quote]


This is the new Pacific Northwest whale watching Carl. There are multiple issues threatening orcas: scarce salmon runs, environmental pollution and especially harassment by whale watchers. There have been orca watching regulations for years but mostly written by the whale watch businesses themselves, i.e. 100 yard exclusion zone, no more than 6 boats at one time, 20 minute limit per boat, etc. Except 6 tour boats running engines and sonar gear within 100 yards kind of interferes with an Orca trying to use its own sonar to locate salmon. They are limited to 6 commercial whale watchers but recreational boats see the whale watchers and wander over for a look also which results in a crowd. And the 20 minute limit is really only to allocate viewing time between commercial boats. As soon as one boat peels off another moves in to take that slot--result 6 tour boats surrounding Orcas all day long. Throw in a couple drones and the whales really get no peace.

Finally the state stepped in and wrote new regulations. I believe there is a layered 200-300 yard exclusion zone and a 400 yard exclusion around pregnant whales and newborns. Result--J pod has 3 new babies this year. I guess feeding wasn't the only thing all the whale watching was inhibiting!

I don't even try to get within permitted range. If we see any Orcas we just shut down or veer well off which is why the video was way from a distance.

Wonderful pictures Peter!

[DanielM]

Doug, I didn’t realize how much of an issue whale watching was in the PNW. We just got lucky in Cabo and saw them as we were fishing.

Peter, It looks like Pancho the seal got up close and personal with you. We went out there to Cabo pretty regular for several years but haven’t been in quite some time.

[PeterPalmieri]

Daniel,
The boys are 9&12, we went two years in a row before Covid. We are all dying to go back but also hoping the new Cummins can somewhat replace a 10 hour flight with a 3 hour boat ride.

[Carl]

Good times are good times wherever they are.



My ,02 ….and worth every penny has been to make daily life better to not rely on the 1 or 2 week yearly vacation.


…as I said that’s my view, not always shared by others.

[ktm_2000]

I heard a couple of orcas were around the Cape this year, I've never seen one and would love to do so if I ever get a chance.

In our area we get a whale show most every Tuna trip, standard operating procedures is to find the whales an get in with them to find the tuna.

Minkes and Humpbacks are the most common to see, I've seen a handful of sperm whales in the canyons.

I have to say 6am in the morning having a Minke come up and run 5-6' off the side of your boat while slow trolling is a pretty cool sight until they exhale and give you a blast of their fish breath.