72 Microseasons of the Pacific Northwest

Bigg's killer whales — also called transient orcas (Orcinus orca) to distinguish them from the fish-eating resident pods — are mammal hunters that prey on harbor seals, Steller sea lions, porpoises, and occasionally minke whales. Their activity peaks in autumn and winter when prey concentrations are highest in the Salish Sea, and December is one of the most productive months for encounters. Unlike the well-known southern resident orcas that follow chinook salmon, Bigg's orcas travel in small, tight family groups of 2–9 animals and range throughout the inland waters year-round. By early December, Bigg's orcas are regularly hunting the seal concentrations around Protection Island, the Smith and Minor Islands harbor seal colonies, and the rocky haul-outs throughout the San Juan Islands. Their hunting behavior is dramatic — multiple whales coordinating to isolate and dispatch an adult Steller sea lion is among the most powerful predator-prey interactions visible in North America, sometimes lasting 30–45 minutes. Whale-watching operators from Anacortes, Friday Harbor, and Victoria regularly encounter these animals through December, often with near-flat-calm days between fronts offering superb viewing conditions. From shore, Lime Kiln Point State Park on San Juan Island's west side is the Pacific Northwest's best land-based whale-watching point. The kelp-lined rocky shoreline here funnels marine traffic through a narrow passage, and orcas of all types pass within 50–100 meters of the viewpoint. December sightings at Lime Kiln are less predictable than summer but not unusual. Humpback whales have also become increasingly common in the Salish Sea through December in recent years, sometimes visible from Puget Sound ferry routes.