OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Whale experts are warning boaters to keep their distance from five transient killer whales that are visiting south Puget Sound.

The whales -- two mothers and three offspring -- have spent the past four weeks in Eld Inlet, Harstene and Herron Islands near Olympia looking for food.

See video of the orcas submitted to our iSpot section, here.

Some residents, like Kim Merriman, said some boaters are getting way too close and aggressive with the orcas.

“What I have witnessed several times is the boats keep following them and as they move faster the boats move faster," Merriman said.

She said some boaters are essentially herding the orcas and at times it's been getting dangerous.

"There was one boat that actually came through the entire pod. There were three blows and two fins and they went straight between the two of them," she said

The National Marine Fisheries Service says people should stay at least 100 yards away from orcas because getting any closer can distress the animals and interfere with their ability to gather food.

"Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, any harassment of killer whales is a violation," said Robin Baird of the Cascadia Research Collective.

Merriman hopes boaters get the message and steer well clear of the whales.

"I don't want them to be injured and frankly I want them to feel welcomed here and not be harassed and to come back," she said.

View Baird's research on the "Biology and Behavior Of Killer Whales."