Orcas Block Puget Sound Commuters During Rush Hour

SEATTLE, WA - Ferry commuters in Seattle on Monday experienced a pretty unique rush hour delay. A pod of orca whales was hanging out near the Fauntleroy ferry dock in West Seattle, preventing two ferries from leaving port.

At around 3:30 p.m., WSDOT announced the ferry Sealth was delayed due to being "surrounded by orcas." Around 4 p.m., the ferry Kititas was also blocked by the whales.

By 5:30 p.m., both vessels were back on schedule. The Fauntleroy dock serves commuters headed to and from Vashon Island and the Southworth dock in Kitsap County.

The delay was perhaps welcome by the commuters.

Over the summer, the Puget Sound orca population suffered several tragedies. Orca J35 gave birth to a calf in June that later died. She was seen pushing the calf's carcass around Puget Sound for weeks in what many believed was as a sign of mourning.

In September, orca J50, a juvenile killer whale, died after weeks of being sick. Puget Sound's orca population has not had a successful birth in three years, according to researchers.

Image courtesy WSDOT