December 11, 2023: K Pod | Saratoga Passage, Whidbey Island, WA
Date: Monday, December 11, 2023
Location: Hidden Beach, Whidbey Island, Washington
Weather: Cloudy, 46 degrees Fahrenheit with 7mph winds from NNW
Tide: High to ebb
Pods: K Pod
Total Whale Count: 15
Behaviors: Traveling, foraging, socializing
Boat Count: Unknown
On the previous day, online sightings pages reported a large group of orcas southbound approaching Seattle. The distance made it difficult for shore-based whale watchers to get IDs on the whales, but eventually, the group was confirmed to be K Pod. One of our Scientists, Chloe Kotik, was able to intercept K Pod at Westpoint in Discovery Park, Seattle, while two other staff members, Shari Tarantino, and Tamara Kelley, met up at Alki Beach, eventually making their way to Me-Kwa-Mooks park along the water where they watched Ks traveling south from afar.
We had a strong suspicion that they would be back up north around Possession Triangle or in Possession Sound the next morning, and our suspicions were correct. After hearing of reports of orcas around the South of Whidbey Island, Tamara set out to Edgewater Beach in Mukilteo and was able to get a positive ID on K37 Rainshadow, confirming the group to be K Pod. After watching the whales forage in front of Hat Island, the group started making their way northwest into Saratoga Passage. Tamara went home to wait and see where they would end up, deciding whether to travel to Camano Island or Whidbey Island to try and catch up with Ks. She decided to go to Whidbey Island in the event they flipped, giving her more land-based access points to potentially view them regardless of their direction of travel.
After the short drive and ferry drive, she started in Langley but had just missed the majority of K Pod. As she arrived she caught two quick, but close looks at members of the K12s, including K37 Rainshadown and his grandmother K12 Sequim, who had been making up the tail of the group and were traveling north further into Saratga Passage. Tamara then relocated to the next public access point which was Hidden Beach, where she waited along with other whale watchers for K Pod to arrive.
After a little over an hour, members of K Pod started making their way into view with the whales traveling in small groups. The whales ranged from mid-channel closer to the Camano Island side, making visibility and IDs challenging. A couple of the groups that were more mid-channel we were able to get positive IDs including K43 Saturna, followed by K37 with K12, and then K20 Spock with calf K45 Prosper.
After all the whales passed Tamara remained at the same location with other whale watchers. This ended up being a good decision, shortly after leaving site, K Pod eventually flipped and started traveling back south. On the second pass with K Pod, all the whales were traveling tightly grouped mid-channel making them easier to view than the first pass. As they continued southbound, there appeared to be much more surface activity including breaches, tail slaps, and pec slaps. With it being December, we were losing light quickly, and after K Pod left view, Tamara packed up for the day and headed home.
Learn more about K Pod on our Meet the Southern Resident Page.