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10 May 2025
The sounders are a small population of gray whales that pause their annual springtime migration to loiter in Possession Sound. While most gray whales proceed directly from Baja to Alaska, the sounders spend several months foraging for ghost shrimp in the inland waters.
The sounders are the easiest whales to find in Washington, but that doesn’t mean success is guaranteed. In April, I paddled out on Possession Sound but did not find any whales. I tried again in May, this time accompanied by my friends JT and Yoshimi. To my delight, we succeeded to the tune of no fewer than six gray whales.
Route map. Total paddling distance was around ten miles (16 km).
Gray whales are not the only interesting animals in Possession Sound. The Everett waterfront around Jetty Island, gateway to Possession Sound, is some of the best habitat in western Washington for birdwatching. In spring, the waterfront is a stopping point for migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. It is also a nesting ground for ospreys, purple martins, and geese. Long before we reached the whaling grounds, we were treated to a parade of birds.
The most surprising birds of the trip were a trio of American white pelicans roosting on the mudflat just north of the marina. Pelicans of any kind are unusual in Washington’s inland waters, but American white pelicans are particularly rare. These three were in their full breeding plumage, with orange horns on their bills and white crests on their heads. For me as a birder, these pelicans were as exciting as the gray whales themselves.
Launch at Everett Marina. The boat ramp here is large enough that kayakers and powerboaters don’t get in one another’s way.
Dunlin flock off Jetty Island. Dunlin were more numerous in April, but there were still a few small flocks as late as May.
Dunlin on Jetty Island. This shorebird overwinters in Washington but departs for the arctic each spring to breed.
American white pelicans, Everett Marina. This was my first time seeing this species in Everett.
Osprey, Jetty Island. The Everett waterfront is one of the osprey’s chief nesting grounds in western Washington.
Purple martin, Jetty Island. A small colony of martins had taken up residence in gourds installed atop the old pilings off Jetty Island.
The gray whales made us work to find them. We emerged from the mouth of the Snohomish River and headed out onto Possession Sound but saw no sign of any whales. Gray whale spouts are visible to the naked eye out to around two miles (3 km), so we stayed our paddles and bobbed in the sound, scanning the horizon, hoping to see a spout.
After twenty minutes, the only marine mammals we had spotted were harbor seals. JT and Yoshimi live in Chicago, so even harbor seals were an unusual treat for them. Still, it’s hard to feel too excited about harbor seals when you have been promised gray whales. We headed over to Jetty Island for a lunch break and a short walk down the beach. We hoped the whales would appear by the time we were done.
While we were on the island, I continued to scan the horizon for spouts. I also cheated by checking the Orca Network’s Facebook page, where shore-based whale-watchers post up-to-the-minute sightings. Sure enough, a keener-eye observer than I reported six gray whales southeast of Hat Island in the middle of Possession Sound. Once I knew where to look, I was able to spot the spouts myself from the island. I’m not sure why we missed them from the water. Perhaps the added few feet of elevation on Jetty Island made the difference.
Catching up to the whales was easy once we’d finally located their spouts. They were milling around slowly, as gray whales often do in Possession Sound. The only hard part was deciding which of the several whales to pursue. Every time we thought we were heading toward the closest whale, another whale would surface even closer in a different direction.
We caught up with two gray whales swimming in tandem about thirty yards from our kayaks. Gray whales do not show their flukes as often as humpbacks do, but one of this pair raised its tail a couple times as we pulled alongside. At one point, the whales turned and headed toward us, so close that we banged on the hulls of our kayaks to alert them to our presence.
JT and Yoshimi, Snohomish River delta. Currents on the inside of Jetty Island were setting southward at about one knot when we launched.
Harbor seal off Jetty Island. Even by the standards of harbor seals, the seals here were unusually curious about kayakers.
Gray whale, Possession Sound. Patches of barnacles are visible to the right of the whale’s dorsal ridge.
Gray whale spout, Possession Sound. From a distance, the spout is much easier to detect than the body.
Pair of gray whales, Possession Sound. Gray whales do not form large pods and often can be found swimming alone, but they do occasionally travel in groups of two to six for brief periods.
I visit the gray whales of Possession Sound every year, but no matter how often I see them, each encounter remains a thrill. I’m delighted to have been able to share them with JT and Yoshimi. It was thoughtful of the whales to put on such a show for us.
—Alex Sidles