San Diego ExperienceIt's Whale-Watching Season
San Diego offers front-row seats to migrating grays Every November, gray whales embark on an extraordinary, 10-12-week journey south from their summer feeding grounds in Arctic seas to the warm-water breeding lagoons of Baja. Their return north typically begins in mid-February with single whales departing first, mother-calf pairs a month or so later. It’s the longest migration of any mammal, clocking in at approximately 12,000 miles round-trip, and San Diego just happens to have front row seats.  Catching a whale fluke. Courtesy of Birch Aquarium at Scripps From mid-December through March, the steadfast parade of gentle gray giants meanders through our waters at two to six miles per hour. They generally travel alone or in pods of two or three, but during the peaks of migration – late December through January and early March through late April – a dozen or more whales may be seen together. In recent years, up to 200 whales have been spotted in one day. “My favorite aspect of whale watching is the element of surprise,” says Staci Shaut, whale watching coordinator for Birch Aquarium at Scripps. “Gray whales are 45 feet long and have a predictable migration pattern, but you never know where they might surface. When you do see one, it just takes your breath away.” You can increase your whale-sighting odds by tuning into the whales’ breathing patterns. Start by looking for the plume-like “blow” or “spout” that is released when warm, moist air exhaled from a whale’s lungs meets cool air at the ocean’s surface. A gray whale’s spout reaches heights of 15 feet and is visible for about five seconds. As a general rule, whales will make three to five shallow dives in a row, spouting between each one, before diving for a longer period. Following a last spout, whales often display their wide fan-shaped tail or “fluke” as they position themselves for a deep dive, one that keeps them underwater for three to six minutes. It’s a great photo if you can catch it. And if luck is on your side, you may witness gray whales leaping or “breaching” out of the water. Scientists haven’t pinpointed the reason behind the behavior, but if one whale decides to take the stage, there’s a good chance others will follow. On land, ideal whale-watching points include the cliffs at Torrey Pines State Beach, the tide-pool plaza at Birch Aquarium and Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma. The latter two offer educational exhibits, films and plenty of staff on hand to answer questions. Still, your best chance of getting up close and personal with gray whales is by boat. Here, a list of charters around town suited for all levels of adventure:
 Rebecca Chappell About the author: Rebecca Chappell is an award-winning freelance writer. Her work has been published in numerous local and national publications including San Diego Magazine, Ranch & Coast, Where Guestbook, Luxveria and Draft. More by this author Subscribe to Experience:
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