The Whale Trail
Organizational History
Orphaned orca A73 Springer discovered near Seattle. Six months later she was successfully rescued, rehabilitated and reunited with her family on the north end of Vancouver Island. Orphan Orca Fund leads community fundraising efforts.
Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) are listed as endangered by NOAA Fisheries. If current population trend worsens or stays the same, J, K and L pods could go extinct in as few as 100 years.
Core team meets for the first time. Founding team includes NOAA Fisheries, WDFW, People for Puget Sound, Seattle Aquarium, and Whale Museum. Mission and goals established. Sixteen inaugural sites selected.
Whale Trail inaugurated at Salt Creek Recreation Area with welcome by Lower Elwha Klallam tribe. Signs funded by ALEA grant.
Recognized as a 501c3 non-profit organization.
John Calambokidis launches our long-running lecture series with a talk about gray whales, held at the Duwamish Longhouse
Our largest sign is hung on the exterior wall of PTMSC. We invent Orca Bingo and play for the first time at the sign dedication!
Two signs posted on every Washington State ferry and one at every terminal!
Four new signs funded by City of Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF)
Citizen steward training in West Seattle funded by City of Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund
Tenth anniversary of Springer’s homecoming celebrated in Seattle, Vancouver, and Telegraph Cove, BC
Author and marine conservationist gives his first lecture in PNW in more than 40 years.
Springer is spotted with her first calf on the central BC coast! The calf survives her first year and is named Spirit.
New signs including Kalaloch Lodge in Olympic National Park (ONP) installed in partnership with OCNMS and ONP.
TWT produces lecture tour featuring Erich Hoyt. We travel from Saturna BC to Monterey CA – 9 cities, 4 states, 2 countries in 2 weeks. Co-hosted by SIMRES, ACS Oregon, PTMSC, OCNMS, NMS West Coast Region and the Georgia Strait Alliance. We travel with Mike, a life-size replica of J26!
New signs at Point Lobos, Point Reyes, and Santa Cruz – southern end of SRKW range!! Funded by NMS West Coast Region.
We partner with BC Cetacean Sighting Network to promote shore-based whale watching in BC.
Interpretive panels installed in Vancouver, Southern Gulf Islands, Uclulet and Telegraph Cove. Southern Gulf Islands fund and install custom Whale Trail markers.
A new tour with Erich Hoyt, featuring stops in Saturna, Sydney, Olympia, Tacoma and Seattle.
Cayucos, Avila, Los Osos/Baywood, Oceano Dunes/Nipomo, Montana de Oro State Park! Partners include Stewardship Travel, Highway One Discovery Route, California State Parks and more.
DFO team spots Springer, Spirit and a new calf in Whale Channel!
Team gathers on Vashon Island and Telegraph Cove to celebrate 15th anniversary!
Funded by Patagonia/World Wildlife Fund
Faye Bainbridge, Point Robinson and Point Defiance. Funded by WDFW Enforcement.
Mexico team forms!
At beautiful Don Davis Park, Partners: American Cetacean Society Oregon Chapter, Hallmark Resorts and City of Newport
We start our second decade with a new look! Thanks to Lucky 7 Foundation, NOAA Fisheries, developers Casey McSpadden and Jamie Shairrick, and volunteers Faye Kennedy, Anderson, Karen Sinclair and many others for making it possible.
Hollings Award from National Marine Sanctuary Foundation funds 11 new signs!