The olympic peninsula in washington state is known for being an untouched and pristine corner of the world. Dead gray whale found in elliott bay was the 7th stranded. A few gray whales reside in the states nearshore waters during portions of the summer. Two dead gray whales in san francisco bay speak to unusual. As spring gray whale migration begins, scientists watchful for another dieoff. Friday harbor, the witchy setting for the 1998 film practical magic starring nicole kidman and sandra bullock, is a whalewatching hot spot. The gray whales of puget sound are called the sounders. The greatest whale watching value in the state just 30 minutes from seattle. Spring migration the spring migration season is when the gray whales migrate from their baja mexico breeding lagoons to their feeding grounds in the arctic. Home to charming towns such as sequim, the peninsula is famously home to the ruggedly beautiful and wild olympic national park. Seattle whale watching guide 2019 clipper vacations.
Close enough to smell their spray, ocean sportfishing charters offers whale watching tours through may, depending on tides and how well the whale season is going. Whale sightings are common off the coast of oregon and washington, but unless youre accustomed to identifying dorsal fins and spouts, it can be hard to make out what kind of whale. Meanwhile, some 20,000 pacific grey whales make their annual migration route along vancouver islands west coast. Puget sound waters teem with wildlife that attracts these mammals close to the shore. The beach is a popular spot for seals and their pups to rest, making it a draw for orcas as well.
It took an island adventures whale watching tour barely 15 minutes to find some of them on the companys first gray whale trip of the season out of the port of everett on march 7. San juan island 90 miles north of seattle is the best place for orca whale watching as we are located in the heart of salish sea. Also, whale watching tours depart from the city of anacortes located on. Whale watching in washington washington waterfronts. With the northern migration of gray whales beginning midmarch, this coastal park, which features a lookout tower. Scientists warn of potential whale dieoff as spring. Daylong whale watching tours from seattle, around whidbey island, to the iconic san juan islands. Whale watching in washington features numerous charters, cruises, tours and excursions for watching orcas, killer whales, pods, gray whales. Id like to go to seattle for several reasons but my main reason would be to whale watch. Whereand howto see whales and orcas in the puget sound.
The whales of puget sound whidbey and camano islands. Killer whale orca conservation and management washington. If youre in tacoma, skip the traffic of downtown seattle an drive up the peninsula for one of the best whale watching locations in washington state. Does anyone know if this is a good time to whale watch. Southern resident killer whales are classified as an endangered species by the u. Sail through breathtaking deception pass, and travel through the protected waters of the salish sea, while trained naturalists educate passengers about the remarkable ecosystem and its wildlife with a focus on whale and sealife conservation. Migrating gray whale watching in washington state island. Whale watching in seattle orca whale watching and gray. It is not yet clear what triggered the whale dieoffs last year. During this migration, they eat virtually nothing for at least 4 months and live on body reserves. For gray whales the best viewing months are march, april and may when they are migrating south. However, whale migration also makes the washington state coast great for spotting minke whales, humpback whales which produce the renown whale songs, and gray whales, which are found only off the coast of korea and the west coast of north america as they migrate from alaska to the baja peninsula in northern mexico. Oregon state parks celebrates the migration twice per year during whale watch weeks in late december and late march.
Whale watching tours in washington state that provide responsible whale watching. Any location with an ocean view may yield whale sightings, and morning light with the sun at your back is best. The fall migration takes place from october to february as the gray whales begin to head back south to warmer waters with pregnant females taking the lead. The 5 best whalewatching spots in washington culture trip. With a population of about 600 whales along the west coast from washington to california, combined with their small size, long dives, and elusive nature, this species of whale is difficult to study. Gaze at humpback whales along the whale trail visit port. Washington state is home to diverse and abundant species of marine mammals, from the inland waters of the salish sea to the wild pacific coast. The season they are usually seen is late may to early september. This is the best place for whale watching in sequim.
Where is the best place to go whale watching in washington state. While the gray whales are here, common loons and doublecrested cormorants share the saltwater, prior to the birds inland migrations. They spend their summers up north alaska, british columbia, washington state and their winters down south, which includes cabo san lucas. However, despite these protections, the population has fallen from 98 whales in 1995 to just 74 in 2018. To report whales please go to the orca network sightings report page, or email orca network. The purpose of orca networks whale sighting network and education project is to encourage observation and increase awareness and knowledge about the southern resident community of orcas j, k and l pods, and foster a stewardship ethic to motivate a diverse audience to take action to protect and. Early january is the peak of the migration, but whales can be spotted middecember through early february. The san juan islands, located 140 km north of seattle in the heart of salish sea, is the most famous place for orca whale watching. There are two peak gray whale migration seasons to know for the best whale watching in oregonfrom march through may and from middecember through midjanuary. With a donation or an adoption of a whale you can help to make the world a place where whales and dolphins are free and safe.
Watch 20,000 gray whales migrate along the washington coast. Whale watching faqs what is the best time of the year to see orca whales. Seattle to san juan island day trip with whale watching often seen during the spring in the salish sea, mammaleating orcas hunt other marine animals that feed on. Sarah anne lloyd how to see whales in the san juan islands. Learn more about whale watching season in seattle including the best. The whaleplanner february a whale watching infographic. The gray whale may soon be removed from the unity state endangered species list because the 1991 population was equal to or larger than prehunting population numbers. In recent years, march may and october november, have had similar sighting success. The goal of this site is to help give a little more insight to the whale watching industry and to help the consumer make the best decision for what is going to work. Whale watchers spot an orca at lime kiln state park. John calambokidis, a research biologist at cascadia research, a marine mammal nonprofit in washington state, said he has noticed significant changes during this migration season, too. Best time to whale watch in seattle seattle forum tripadvisor. The puget sound is home to a number of resident orca whales. Orca network encourages shorebased whale watching, or watching for whales while commuting on washington state ferries.
Best whale watching locations in washington state island. In the high season for whale watching, they usually do well. An estimated 85 orcas live in the waters around southern vancouver and the southern gulf islands. Experiencing the gray whale migration visit long beach. Explore the sites using the interactive map below or click the button to find a filterable listing of sites, amenities, and commonly seen marine mammals. I highly doubt you will see any orcas in october in this area of the pnw if you go out one day on a boat in that month. These include the 34 gray whales that were stranded in the waters of washington state, seattle times reported. The best time to go whale watching in washington state is during the beginning of january as well as from march to may. While we do not guarantee whale sightings on our tours, 20 years of sightings data shows that we do have a 90% chance of seeing whales during the peak months of june september.
Where is the best place to go whale watching in washington. The whale trail is made up of a unique collaboration of government and state agencies, as well as environmental and educational nonprofit organizations, which include the washington department of fish and wildlife wdfw, noaa fisheries and the olympic. Prime whale watching season on the olympic peninsula runs from may through october. Check the whale migration season california calendar and schedule your cruise. Orca whales travel through the pacific year round, so you can catch a glimpse of them just about any time.
My dates are flexible but i would prefer to go in april. They then migrate back to the tropics segregated by sex and age, the older and pregnant whales migrating first, with the sexually immature whales bringing up the rear. Take full advantage of whale watching season in the pacific northwest. Whale watching in washington state with so many different departure locations, companies, and boat styles to pick from when choosing a whale watching trip, it can get confusing. The first gray whales have already made it to washington state. School bus sized gray whales migrate march through may. Our everett tours offer the rare opportunity to see these gentle giants feeding in calm. Best time for whale watching in california condor express. Humpback whales can also be spotted in and around the waters off northwestern washington state.
Whale watching in washington state orca whale watching in. The gray whale that was found dead in elliott bay on april 15 was the seventh that has been found stranded in washington state so far this year, according to cascadia research collective. These are the second smallest baleen whale and feed on small schooling fish and invertebrates. Orca whales usually pass through the islands in greatest numbers between midmay and midoctober when the salmon runs are strongest, although its possible to spot them through the rest of the year. The eastern pacific population of the gray whale migrates through washington waters when traveling between its alaskan feeding waters and its mexican breeding waters. Whale watching in washington state washingtoncoast.
This is one of the most popular activities in the area during migration season and should. As spring gray whale migration begins, scientists watchful. Whale watching in washington state orca whale watching. During the peak whale migration, the crew at ocean sportfishing charters takes guests out on their familyfriendly tours seven days a week, seeing whales on almost every single trip. This special limited season focuses on gray whales that migrate along the west coast, stopping to feed in local waters on their way back to alaska. One record setting gray whale, varvara, traveled from the kamchatka peninsula, russia to baja, mexico and back again. According to reports, hundreds of dead whales washed up on the beaches between alaska and mexico during last years migration season. Located on san juan island with no more than 2,500 residents, friday harbor is accessible by floater planes and the washington state ferry. I know a friend of mine who used to be a whale watch guide on boats here tells me that august is even a iffy month for spotings as they are already starting to move out of the area often even in late august. The heights around the lewis and clark interpretive center and north head lighthouse offer the best viewing. She travelled,988 miles 22,511 kilometers in 172 days.
Orca whales in washington are seen year around though most often during the whale watch season beginning in april and running through september. Theres nothing quite like seeing puget sounds largest and most. The wa whale watching season has started early with humpback whales already beginning the northern migration to the kimberley. Generally, the larger, older whales migrate the furthest north. It took an island adventures whale watching tour barely 15 minutes to find some of them on the companys first gray whale. Whale watching is a yearround activity on the oregon coast with gray whales by far the most commonly seen. Puget sound waters teem with wildlife that attracts these mammals. From march through may, gray whales take a side trip from their northern migration to feed on the abundant shrimp population around whidbey and camano islands. Whale watching cabo best time whale watch cabo tours. The long migration of the gray whale takes them from the warm waters of baja, mexico to the colder waters of northern alaska. Gray whales travel over 3000 miles to feed near island adventures everett departure location. We offer a website and email list of recent whale sightings to increase opportunities for seeing the whales it always helps to know when they are in the neighborhood. Check the california whale migration season calendar and schedule your cruise. Whale watching is not difficult, but a few tips make it easier.
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