Orca whales noticed swimming in Bellingham Bay

A group of orca whales was photographed swimming in Bellingham Bay on Thursday morning.

Bellingham resident Anne Burnett captured photos and videos of the whales at about 11:20 a.m. as they were swimming near the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven.

“I noticed a collection of seagulls hovering around the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven and a splash in the water near the pier, then spotted the orcas surfacing occasionally,” Burnett told The Bellingham Herald.

Burnett said she was able to see the whaled from her home near Fairhaven. Several orcas can be seen in the photos and videos. Burnett said she suspected four or more whales in the pod, based on what she saw.

Burnett watched the orcas swim past nearby boats and a group of kayakers before continuing in the direction of Boulevard Park. She said she lost sight of them by about 11:35 a.m.

Burnett said she saw orcas in captivity as a child, but this was her first time seeing them in the wild.

“Pretty exciting seeing them in their natural habitat,” Burnett told The Herald.

Burnett posted the sighting to the social media Nextdoor, where the videos had received a handful of comments in just a couple of hours.

“So AWESOME!!” one commenter said.

All whales are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) urges members of the public to observe marine animals from a safe and respectful distance, and to not approach or touch them.

People should remain at least 100 yards — the length of a football field — away from whales. Federal law requires vessels to remain 200 yards away from killer whales in Washington inland waters.

This story was initially printed June 4, 2026 at 3:34 PM.