Photographs capture humpback whale’s Seattle visit, breaching in waters in front of Space Needle

This young whale, which is estimated to be about two years old, now has the designation of CRC-20899, according to Cascadia Research Collective.

The photos were taken by Jeff Hogan, co-coordinator of the Seattle-branch of Soundwatch Boater Education Program. Hogan shadowed the whale for most of its time in the bay to alert other vessels to it. Hogan said the whale looked healthy and watched it breach nearly 30 times.

“It not only was a beautiful day and experience, it was a great opportunity to collaborate with all operators out there,” said Alanna Frayne, a coordinator for Soundwatch. “This humpback provided education.”

Smiley’s last calf, Chip, was fatally struck by a Washington state ferry in 2020, according to the Canadian group Vancouver Island Whale Watch.

Humpback whales visit the waters off Seattle as they migrate along the West Coast. Before the commercial whaling industry nearly drove them to extinction, researchers think the Puget Sound was used as a nursery by humpbacks.