The L25 subpod of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Dyes Inlet, Washington

Jodi C. Smith, B.Sc.¹, Kelley Balcomb-Bartok¹, Rich W. Osborne, Ph.D², Kenneth C. Balcomb III³
¹ Orca Conservancy, 319 Smugglers Cove Road, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
    Smith E-mail: dyesqueen@rockisland.com
    Balcomb-Bartok E-mail: orcatrust@rockisland.com
² The Whale Museum, P.O. Box 945 62 First Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
    Osborne E-mail: whale@rockisland.com

On October 21, 1997, 19 killer whales (Orcinus orca) from the Southern Resident subpod L25 were reported in Dyes Inlet near Bremerton, Washington, USA. The whales had likely followed a Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) run to Chico Creek, one of the last well preserved fall spawning streams in Puget Sound. Members of The Center For Whale Research arrived in the following days with hydrophones, video and behavior logs to observe the animals. The whales stayed for a total of 30 days, during which time, thousands of people arrived and took the opportunity to view the killer whales. All nineteen whales left on a rainy Wednesday afternoon, escorted through the Port Washington Narrows and under the Warren Avenue bridge by The Friday Harbor Whale Museums' Soundwatch vessel as well as Echo, an inflatable research vessel from the National Marine Mammal Labs.

Data was collected consistently from November 1 through November 19, 1997, highlighting the predator-prey relationship of the killer whales and the chum salmon. We use this data as well as other cases to illustrate the possibility of entrapment within the Inlet. Because of the rare nature of incidences such as this, we discuss whale/human interactions and give recommendations on boater management should a similar situation happen again.