December Killer Whales near Spieden Island - December 9, 2013

And we have confirmed sightings of Southern Resident Orcas! This is a treat in December. During the last two weeks or so, our endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales have been frequenting the Seattle area, which is very common. Then, to our surprise, K pod was heard vocalizing on the Lime Kiln Lighthouse Hydrophone late last night around 10:00pm.

Then, around 10:30 this morning, we received reports of 20 killer whales traveling north in Haro Strait near Kelp Reef, which is on the Canadian side of Haro Strait. At it's deepest point, Haro Strait is close to 1200 feet deep. Our Southern Resident Orcas have been recorded diving as deep as 800 feet. However, the Kelp Reef area is relatively shallow in comparison. The Washington State Ferry spotted Orcas near Spieden Island around 11:00am and reported that the pod was still traveling north.