Kites and orcas fill the sky and Sound on Mother’s Day

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 13, 2026

At Point Robinson Park on Mother’s Day, children tugged strings across the beach, hoping the sky would catch their kites.

But with barely enough breeze to lift them, most stayed close to earth. Instead, the day’s lift came from the water, where four transient orcas slipped past the point and drew the crowd’s gaze from the sky to the Sound.

Point Robinson’s annual Kite Day brought families, dogs and hopeful kite-flyers to the beach Sunday, May 10, for free kites, lighthouse tours and an unexpected glimpse of orcas passing close to shore.

“So many people saw orcas for the first time,” said Marla Smith, an island photographer who also works part time for Orca Network. “It was happy people, kites in hand, mesmerized by what they were seeing in the water — a family of orcas traveling south past Point Robinson, close in to shore. A beautiful quintessential PNW beach day.”

Smith identified the whales as the T137s, a family — or matriline — of transient killer whales. Unlike Southern Resident killer whales, transient killer whales are seen in Puget Sound year-round and have a relatively stable population, Smith said.

The matriline includes T137, also known as Loon, who was born around 1984; her son, T137A, also known as Jack; and her daughters, T137B, also known as Tempest, and T137D, also known as Wright, Smith said. Smith photographed Jack and Wright as they passed Point Robinson.

As of Monday, May 11, the family was in South Sound, where Smith said they were expected to stay for a few days before eventually passing Vashon again as they travel north, often through East Passage.

Smith said the sighting was also a timely reminder to give orcas plenty of space.

“What we are concerned about in the summer months ahead is having people be very aware if they have boats in the water — that people are educated on the laws, and giving these animals plenty of space and abiding by all of the rules,” Smith said.

Back on the ground, children were still trying to coax their kites into the air.

The event was well attended, though light wind kept most kites grounded, according to island photographer Ray Pfortner, who was also at the event. Many kites were assembled, but only three — all custom kites — stayed aloft for long, he said.

Still, there was plenty to see. Visitors spotted an otter with a salmon later poached by a great blue heron, seals in the water and the four orcas cruising past the point, drawing oohs and aahs from the crowd, Pfortner said.

The annual event has long been associated with Point Robinson and was originally started by the Keepers of Point Robinson, according to Vashon Park District Recreation Manager Eric Wyatt. The volunteer group is led by retired U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Joe Wubbold III, who also gives lighthouse tours and shares the history of the lighthouse and its rare Fresnel lens.

Kite Day was traditionally held in early spring. Three years ago, Wyatt began pairing it with the start of Point Robinson’s lighthouse tour season on Mother’s Day and added a free kite giveaway so more children visiting the park could take part.

This year, the park district offered 100 free kites for children, while more elaborate kites were available for sale in the Ship’s Store.

Wubbold, who presided over the lighthouse Sunday, said in an email before the event that Kite Day has seen all kinds of weather over the years — including one rainy year when a child was coaxed into running in front of the lighthouse with a kite in tow, just so organizers could say at least one kite had flown.

This year, there was no rain. Just not much wind. Even so, there were plenty of children trying, Pfortner said, and the event marked the official opening day of Point Robinson Lighthouse tours.

Tours will continue from noon to 4 p.m. every Sunday through mid-September. The tours are free and open to the public.

Information about laws and guidelines for boaters near whales can be found at bewhalewise.org.