Dolphins and Porpoises in PNW Puget Sound area ?

[baz]

Subject: Dolphins and Porpoises in PNW Puget Sound area ?

Over past month or two I've seen Dolphins and/or Porpoises nearby to my boat as I'm cruising along. This is the first time I've seen them in my area and wonder 'what's up'. Have others in PNW area Puget Sound seen them ?

They swim very close at times and typically they swim close to and across my bow.... makes me a bit nervous I may hit them. :roll: :cry:

 

[Cutwater28GG]

yes. see them all the time. not new this year to me,

 

[JamesTXSD]

They are intelligent mammals. If you aren't making sharp maneuvers, they aren't in danger while playing in your bow wake. Harbor porpoise are wide spread around the Salish Sea; Dall's Porpoise are seen regularly. Harbor porpoise tend to be more "shy" - they are about 4 to 6 feet on average and look like a small version of a bottle-nose dolphin without the beak (mostly gray in color). The Dall's Porpoise are a bit bigger and have a black and while color - they are faster (can reach peak speeds of 50 knots or so) and seem to be more curious around boats. Very likely Dall's Porpoise that would be playing around your boat in that area.

We saw both regularly when I was driving commercial whale watch boats in the Salish Sea. Any "dolphin strike" from a boat is rare.

 

[dencarst]

Almost every time I go out I see them and sometimes
once in while I see Orcas.

 

[Toki]

The Dall's Porpoise are a bit bigger and have a black and while color.

I took a few newbies on a sail through the San Juans a few years back when we came across a pod (fleet? gaggle?) of Dall's porpoises. The crew screamed "Look! A whole pod of baby Orcas!". I probably should have corrected them, but I didn't want to dampen their moment.