A group of Southern Resident killer whales from J-Pod cruised past West Point on Wednesday afternoon after a long stretch swimming south. The sighting put the endangered orcas right at the edge of Elliott Bay, within view of Seattle's waterfront.
Whales Spotted Steadily Southbound Before Reaching West Point
Naturalist Kersti Muul reported that the J-Pod whales were starting to pass West Point after traveling steadily southbound for a while, according to West Seattle Blog. West Point sits at the northwest edge of Elliott Bay, putting the pod within sight of the city before their path shifted.
The sighting marked another appearance for J-Pod in waters close to Seattle.
A Familiar Pattern for Fall and Winter
J-Pod's presence in the area tracks with a seasonal rhythm. According to The Whale Trail, the pod returns to the central Sound each fall and winter, following winter salmon runs — a pattern that lines up with this week's sighting near West Point.
It isn't the first time whale-watchers have tracked J-Pod moving through this exact stretch of water. In October 2024, Muul reported the orcas southbound in north Elliott Bay, last seen off West Point, before they were later spotted off Bainbridge Island near Winslow, the blog's earlier report noted.
An Endangered Population Still Under Watch
The Southern Resident killer whales remain listed as endangered, and their numbers continue to be closely tracked by researchers. A snippet from Washington's Puget Sound Vital Signs indicator page states that as of July 1, 2026, there were 76 Southern Resident killer whales remaining, a count it describes as significantly below baseline reference and target values, though above the previous year's count of 74 whales.
Pod size estimates for J-Pod specifically are less settled. The Whale Trail's page lists J-Pod as currently consisting of 27 individuals, while a separate search-result snippet for the same page cites 28 individuals, including a newest calf identified as J64. Either way, every sighting like Wednesday's offers researchers and observers another data point on a population that remains fragile even as it shows signs of slow stabilization.
