There's a few things you can count on when you visit the Ballard Locks. You're going to see boats go up and down. You're going to see a salmon ladder. You're going to see a lot of people taking pictures. But if you stopped by Wednesday, you saw something extra special: A gray whale.
Have you ever seen a Whale Rainbow?
— 206SportsGuru (@hydro23) April 6, 2016
It appears to be a GrayWhale at the Ballard Locks!#WhaleRainbow @KING5Seattle pic.twitter.com/7jKYZohuaB
Just saw what appears to be a gray whale! pic.twitter.com/Zmg2ui1PXi
— 206SportsGuru (@hydro23) April 6, 2016
Unfortunately, this rare sight probably isn't cause for celebration. According to John Calambokidis with Cascadia Research Collective, this kind of erratic behavior often happens to weaker whales who haven't found enough food. Another expert agreed and said the whale looked "emaciated."
The whale didn't cause any issues for boaters in the area and the Coast Guard didn't receive any calls regarding it.
· Gray whale spotted in Ballard Locks appears ’emaciated,’ fisheries official says [Q13]