When the reports came in just before noon from the Port Townsend hydrophone via Chrissy at the PT Marine Science Center, we headed to Lagoon Point, Whidbey Island but we didn't seen any whales. Then Elsa Levitt at Bush Point called at 1:25 pm to say she had seen 4 or 5 orcas heading south, so we hustled down to Bush Point, but missed them again. Apparently they were in a hurry, even though they were swimming against the tide. From about a mile south of Bush Pt. we saw at least a dozen at 1:50, maybe twice that or more, spread out over several miles along the western shore of Admiralty Inlet, all heading steadily south. From a lookout another few miles south we saw orcas rounding Point No Point about 2:30, still spread out. Next we went down to Scatchet Head, to a 200' bluff overlooking Possession Sound with Seattle on the horizon. From there we saw a far distant procession of 30 or more in small groups over several miles, their blows glowing in the slanting sunshine, between Pt. No Point and Apple Cove Pt. The leaders crossed the Edmonds/Kingston ferry lane about 4 pm, still moving south. They were distant for most of our sightings, but appeared to be at least 4 adult males, and given the number of whales and adult males, our best guess is L pod, maybe plus K's .
Howard Garrett & Susan Berta, Orca Network, Whidbey Island
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Around 15 orca off Point No Point, Puget Sound, at 1445. 4 males, 8 - 10 females, 1 calf, patch still very red. direction: south at around 10kts. Some breaching, but they were spread from shore outward 1/2 to 3/4 miles in small groups. The large male had 2 notches in its dorsel looked like the transients that were in the hood canal a few years back. (this may have been L41?)
Mark Millard, WDFW
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At about 2:50 P.M. this afternoon, a group of friends and I watched a very large group of Orcas heading south to and around Point No Point in Hansville, WA. They were fairly close to the Kitsap side of the water and took about 10 or more minutes to pass through the area. They were definitely on the move and not feeding.
Judy Roupe, Hansville, WA
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Tony Wilkie, Quartermaster on the Puyallup Ferry on the Edmonds/Kingston run, called Orca Network to report 8 - 12 orcas off Apple Cove Pt, heading south. There was at least one mother/calf pair. The orcas were crossing their stern just before they entered the Kingston dock at 1620.
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We live on President Point, just south of Apple Tree Cove in Kingston. We just spotted upwards of 10 or so Orca's travelling South towards Seattle at 4:30 pm. They appeared to be playing as we saw one breach.
Tom Kellogg, Kingston
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Candi Emmons of NOAA Fisheries called Orca Network at 5:10 pm to relay a report from Lori Robertson, who was watching from the shore (N of Seattle, Carkeek Park area) as the orcas passed heading south.
