Nice afternoon for a wake

Just a little south of where I live, a huge Fin whale had washed ashore on the beach at a local park.

This Fin whale is estimated to have been around 65 feet in length. While we have many whales that swim the 100+ miles from the Pacific Ocean into the greater Seattle area, it is quite rare to see a Fin whale. These whales prefer to be out in the ocean.

The whale may have gotten lost, but the cause of death is believed to be the result of being hit by a large ship. The local experts seem to think the whale may have been dead for about a week before being washed up on shore.

In the foreground, you can see where someone left a bouquet of flowers on one of the large rocks along the seawall. As I left, I noticed other folks laying bouquets on the nose of the whale.

The picture was taken looking towards the west. The body of water is Puget Sound, and to the right leads towards the Pacific Ocean. To the left, Tacoma is about 20 miles to the south.