Summer 2026 delivered wall-to-wall Bigg’s activity across Puget Sound, a Southern Resident resurgence in Haro Strait in August, and T137A Jack putting on one of the most sustained breach performances the South Sound has ever seen.
J Pod, K Pod, L Pod
August brought two significant Southern Resident events. On August 5–6, J Pod and L Pod transited Haro Strait northbound and then southbound, with strong visual and acoustic documentation from Lime Kiln. Then on August 12–13, J Pod and K Pod made a two-day appearance — northbound at sunset on the 12th, visible on the Lime Kiln webcam with beautiful backlit blows, then southbound past Cattle Point toward Salmon Bank on the 13th. K37 Rainshadow, K45 Uhura/Prosper, and K20 Spock were among those photographed. The August 12 pass was described by observers as feeling like “the good old days” of regular summer Haro Strait encounters. On August 17, J Pod was documented off the Washington Coast near Neah Bay, roughly 13 miles offshore.
August is historically one of the quieter Southern Resident months in inland waters, with the whales often foraging along the outer coast during peak salmon season. These appearances were welcome exceptions to that pattern.
T19s, T23s, T35As, T36/T36Bs, T37A/T37A2, T38As, T46s/T46Bs, T49A1, T60D/T60E, T63, T65/T65As, T77s, T87, T100s/T100E, T109As, T124A1s, T124A2s, T137A
The T36/T36Bs and T137A Jack were the dominant story of the summer — a near-constant South Sound presence from late July through August 22. Jack (T137A) made multiple multi-day runs through Puget Sound, reaching as far south as Nisqually Reach and as far north as the Strait of Georgia. His breach sequences became a summer signature: seven consecutive breaches at Fox Island Fishing Pier on August 15, multiple quadruple breaches at Chinese Reconciliation Park and Commencement Bay, and a famous pass that stopped cars along Ruston Way. Tattertip, Flapjack, Bhotia, Greenfelder, Maple (T36B1A), and Auk (T36B4) were all confirmed. On August 10, part of the group entered the Ballard Locks — one of the more unexpected South Sound detours on record. The T36/T36Bs and T137A were also documented in the Gulf Islands BC on August 6 and 9, and in Haro Strait on August 6 northbound.
The T65As (often minus T65A5 Indy) were the other major recurring presence, working Hood Canal repeatedly through August — documented traveling as far south as Belfair on multiple dates, and into Dabob Bay, Liberty Bay, and Poulsbo. T65A3 Amir ranged widely as a solo male, appearing in Admiralty Inlet, Discovery Bay, and Port Ludlow across multiple days. T65A5 Indy was documented separately in Penn Cove (spending over two hours near the mussel rafts on August 10), Holmes Harbor, and Admiralty Inlet. On August 19, T65A3 joined the T77s for a southbound run through Admiralty Inlet, with a documented porpoise predation near the Lagoon Point area and a close pass at Bush Point at sunset.
The T77s (Asja, Neftali, Alcyon, Misneach) had two memorable South Sound runs. On August 20 they made an extended transit from Colvos Passage through Commencement Bay to Ruston Way, hunting a harbor seal close to shore and making extremely close passes at Chinese Reconciliation Park to large crowds. On August 21–22 they were back in South Sound with the T36/T36Bs, passing the Narrows Bridge, Fox Island Pier, and working south through Carr Inlet and Nisqually Reach. T77E Misneach’s distinctive paw-print saddle patch was documented close to shore at McNeil Island on August 22.
The T100s (Hutchins, Laurel, Estrella) made multiple Puget Sound appearances. On August 10 they joined the T36/T36Bs and T137A for a long southbound transit that included the Ballard Locks detour, then continued south through the full length of East Passage. On August 11 they split from the T36 group in Commencement Bay and made their own northbound run. They were also documented in Saratoga Passage (August 12–13) and in the Discovery Islands near Campbell River, BC on August 17.
The T46s and T124A2s traveled together for a multi-day stretch in early August (August 4–6), covering South Puget Sound and Admiralty Inlet, with T46E Thor and T124A2 Elkugu both confirmed. The T46Bs made their own Admiralty Inlet and Saratoga Passage appearances in August, including a notable Fort Casey pass on August 10.
Additional groups documented through the summer: the T19s (Nootka, Galiano, Spouter) in the San Juans and Admiralty Inlet on multiple dates. The T49As in the San Juans and Haro Strait on multiple dates including August 20, when they were inside Roche Harbor Marina. The T99s in Admiralty Inlet on August 22. The T109As at Roche Harbor and Deer Harbor on August 21, and previously documented in Victoria Harbour on August 19. T35As in Haro Strait on August 12. T23Ds in Blackfish Sound August 17. T63 Chainsaw and T65 Whidbey in Haro Strait on August 11. T60D and T60E off Victoria on August 10. T37A Volker and T37A2 Inky in the San Juans on August 1. T38As in Bellingham Bay on August 2. T87 Harbeson, T100E Tharaya, and T124A1 Bonapartes were documented together near Hoonah, Alaska on August 15 — T124A1 photographed with her calf T124A1B. T124A2 Elkugu was photographed in Sitka Sound, Alaska on August 20.
A rare BC encounter on August 7 brought T60s, T69A2, and four rarely-documented whales — T165, T166, T166A1, and T259 — into view near Telegraph Cove in Queen Charlotte Strait, spotted by OBI researcher Jared Towers.
Ballard Locks — Aug 10 The T36/T36Bs and T137A entered the Ballard Locks during their northbound Puget Sound run, one of the more unusual inland detours documented this year.
T124A1B calf — Aug 15 T124A1 Bonapartes was photographed with her calf T124A1B near Hoonah, Alaska, traveling with T100E Tharaya and T87 Harbeson.
T77s at Chinese Reconciliation Park — Aug 20 The T77s made extremely close passes along Ruston Way in Tacoma, hunting harbor seals within 20 feet of the rocky shoreline at the park. One of the most-documented shore encounters of the summer.
T36Bs at Carlyon Beach Marina — Aug 22 The T36Bs entered Carlyon Beach Marina in Pickering Passage, swimming directly under the dock. Observers reported being misted with orca breath.
Rare BC encounter — Aug 7 T165, T166, T166A1, and T259, four rarely-documented whales, were encountered alongside T60s and T69A2 near Telegraph Cove in Queen Charlotte Strait by OBI researcher Jared Towers.
Gray whales CRC53 Little Patch and CRC2687 remained in Saratoga Passage through late August, well past their typical departure window. Humpback CRC-19313 Graphite was documented repeatedly in central Puget Sound through early August, with confirmed sightings near Possession Point, Hat Island, and the Edmonds waterfront. CRC-17724 Scuttle was seen in Rosario Strait. Northern Residents were documented in Blackfish Sound (A25s and A34s on August 22) and Johnstone Strait (A23s on August 19). G39 was documented at Swiftsure Bank on August 16.
The T36/T36Bs and T137A Jack were still active in Haro Strait at the end of the reporting period. The T37A4s and T99s were in the eastern San Juans through late August. With September historically one of the strongest months for Southern Residents inland, the fall window is approaching.