Gray Whale at Alki Pipeline

[Magoi]

Did a dive at the Alki Pipeline Saturday, Jan. 11. Went out a little beyond the end of the pipeline and then turned around to head back. We were in about 30-40 ft of water with 15 ft visibility. Noticed some motion to my left and saw a the head of a gray approaching. It swam right in front of us - the flukes were only about 5 ft away when it passed us. I guess it wanted to check us out. Sometimes it is really an advantage to be leading. My buddy only saw the flukes swimming away. Nearly turned my dry suit into a wet suit.

[Sounder]

Seriously?! Wow!! That is very very cool!! I've never heard of such an encounter!

[ktb]

HOLY CRAP! Really?!?

[CaptnJack]

They are often in Possession Sound most of the spring. There's lots of ghost shrimp up there to chow on during migration.

[cardiver]

Did a dive at the Alki Pipeline Saturday, Jan. 11. Went out a little beyond the end of the pipeline and then turned around to head back. We were in about 30-40 ft of water with 15 ft visibility. Noticed some motion to my left and saw a the head of a gray approaching. It swam right in front of us - the flukes were only about 5 ft away when it passed us. I guess it wanted to check us out. Sometimes it is really an advantage to be leading. My buddy only saw the flukes swimming away. Nearly turned my dry suit into a wet suit.

It never happened if you don't have pics!

[airsix]

That's awesome! :smt038

-Ben

ps - you should come around here more often! 3 posts in 2 years?

pps - Ron is just jealous.

[spatman]

that is just too f'n cool.

[cardiver]

That's awesome! :smt038

-Ben

ps - you should come around here more often! 3 posts in 2 years?

pps - Ron is just jealous.

Very!

[Tom Nic]

Wow!!!! I hope you realize how incredibly fortunate you are!!

[Norris]

Did a dive at the Alki Pipeline Saturday, Jan. 11. Went out a little beyond the end of the pipeline and then turned around to head back. We were in about 30-40 ft of water with 15 ft visibility. Noticed some motion to my left and saw a the head of a gray approaching. It swam right in front of us - the flukes were only about 5 ft away when it passed us. I guess it wanted to check us out. Sometimes it is really an advantage to be leading. My buddy only saw the flukes swimming away. Nearly turned my dry suit into a wet suit.

I dont know, I'm not a detective but you went on Saturday January 11th and posted about it on Monday January 11th so I think by seeing this whale you may have created a tear in the time space continuem????

All joking aside that is a GREAT find!

[Geek]

Did a dive at the Alki Pipeline Saturday, Jan. 11. Went out a little beyond the end of the pipeline and then turned around to head back. We were in about 30-40 ft of water with 15 ft visibility. Noticed some motion to my left and saw a the head of a gray approaching. It swam right in front of us - the flukes were only about 5 ft away when it passed us. I guess it wanted to check us out. Sometimes it is really an advantage to be leading. My buddy only saw the flukes swimming away. Nearly turned my dry suit into a wet suit.

I dont know, I'm not a detective but you went on Saturday January 11th and posted about it on Monday January 11th so I think by seeing this whale you may have created a tear in the time space continuem????

All joking aside that is a GREAT find!

Haven't you seen Star Trek IV?? Whales and Time travel are commen place, geez I thought you had Geek cred....

[Winter]

Another jealous diver.

[airsix]

Haven't you seen Star Trek IV?? Whales and Time travel are commen place, geez I thought you had Geek cred....

Forget the whales!!!! Did you get the formula for transparent aluminum? Well did you? Speak man, speak!

[spatz84]

thats cool! I know the greys come into the HAt Island lagoon in spring and sift for shrimp in the sand. I geuss last spring a couple of divers had close encounters with them just 1 week after I was diving there. I was so bummed!

[Geek]

Haven't you seen Star Trek IV?? Whales and Time travel are commen place, geez I thought you had Geek cred....

Forget the whales!!!! Did you get the formula for transparent aluminum? Well did you? Speak man, speak!

I did... but I am a responsable Geek... don't want to mess up the time line... unlike SOME movies

[kraigs]

Dec. 31st, we were tied to the dock in Oro Bay, Anderson Island and we had a Grey Whale surface about 15' away, on the opposite side of the dock. Amazing experience....I had been talking to my wife a little earlier about getting into the water and cleaning the bottom of the boat. I think I would have ruined my drysuit had I been in the water at the time.....

[Tangfish]

That's crazy cool. The pipeline is so shallow that this is the last place I'd expect to see something this big. What depth were you at?

[spatz84]

I wonder if the brutus whale carcuss that turned up in S. sound is the same whale or not?

[Magoi]

We were in about 35 ft of water when we saw the whale. It was about 100 ft the pipeline outlet, heading toward shore.

For those (and I am sure they are few) doubters, there was a team of divers from the Seattle fire department at the site, and 2 of their divers came out of the water about 5 min. after us. They reported seeing the whale too, and it swam across right in from of them just like it did for us. I am sure it was checking out our sound and wanted to get close enough to see us.

[no excuses]

wow just wow, another diver that would have went from drysuit top wetsuit lol

[Ken G]

Amazing!

[WellEquippedDiver]

Wow, that's unbelievably cool!