Complete Guide to Gray Whale Watching

If you've ever been curious about gray whales and where/how to book a whale watching tour to see one, you've come to the right place.
In this gray whale watching guide, we'll explain everything you need to know in order to give yourself the best chance to view a gray whale in its natural habitat. Keep reading this guide to learn basic facts about gray whales, where to see gray whales, gray whale migration patterns, their eating and mating behaviors and more.
First, let's start this guide by introducing you to gray whales and a few key gray whale facts to know before you book a whale watching tour.

About Gray Whales (Eschrichtius Robustus)

Gray whales are medium-sized whales. They can reach up to 45 feet (14 m) in length, with the females usually being larger than the males. Adult gray whales weigh around 60,000 lbs.

Gray whales are gray with white patches, which mostly consist of areas where barnacles and lice have attached themselves to the whales. In fact, gray whales carry over 400 pounds of barnacles and whale lice on their bodies!

Gray whales have no dorsal fin. Instead, they have a low hump and a series of six to twelve knuckles or bumps. Gray whales are one type of baleen whale. Each gray whale has approximately 300 plates of cream-colored baleen hanging from its upper jaw. Two to five throat creases allow their throats to expand during feeding. Sparse hairs are found on the snout, especially in young gray whales. Their whale spouts are usually low and puffy or heart-shaped.

Gray whales can live for up to about 70 years.

Next, let's find out where in the world you should go to see gray whales on a boat tour or from the coast.

Where to See Gray Whales

If you want to see gray whales, one of the best places to go is the west coast of the United States. This is because gray whales are found only in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of approximately 26,000. The largest group of gray whales spends their summer north of Alaska in the Bering and Chukchi Seas. In winters, gray whales are found in the waters of Baja California, Mexico.

Another group in the Pacific, found in the waters of Korea and Japan, is close to extinction with only 100-250 individuals. Previously, a group of gray whales once lived in the North Atlantic Ocean and became extinct in the 17th century, due to hunting.

Gray whales generally stay around the continental shelf and are truly a coastal species. During gray whale migrations, the coasts of California and Baja California are the most popular gray whale watching destinations in the world.

You can book a Southern California whale watching tour with Newport Landing during gray whale season in the region. The annual gray whale migration along the Orange County coastline takes place from late December through April.

Now that you understand when and where to go to view gray whales, let's get into a few things that are good to know if you should have an epic gray whale watching encounter on your trip to the Pacific coast. This next section includes information on gray whale behaviors and what gray whales eat.

Gray Whale Behavior, Mating and Breeding

Behavior

In the seventies, "friendly whales" were first encountered in San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja California, Mexico. Here, gray whales would sometimes swim near small boats and allow themselves to be touched by whale watchers. However, concern has grown about the impact of boat traffic around whales, and the number of boats allowed in the breeding lagoons is restricted today. Along the gray whale migration route, boats' proximity to whales is also limited.

Gray whales feed by sucking in bottom-dwelling animals, mostly amphipods (which are related to shrimp). Muddy patches of water are often seen in places where gray whales are feeding. They feed primarily in the Arctic, although some have been observed feeding during the migration.

Mating and Breeding

Gray whales have one of the longest migrations of any marine mammal. During summer, they live in the Arctic in areas rich in their food: bottom-dwelling organisms. As fall approaches, there is less sunlight, less food, and the water turns cold. This is when the migrating whales travel to their summer feeding grounds of Baja California. There, gray whales arrive at lagoons to give birth and mate.

For whale watchers traveling to the California coast to view the gray whale migration, there are two periods of note. The southern migration can be viewed along the California coast from December to February. From March to April, those same California gray whales on their northern migration can be viewed again from the coast of California.

Since gray whales migrate relatively close to shore, whale watching specifically for gray whales has become very popular. Many opportunities are available for viewing gray whales from coastal cliffs and headlands or from whale watching boats.

To wrap up this complete whale watchers guide to gray whales, let's cover the endangered species status of the gray whale.

Are Gray Whales an Endangered Species?

Gray whales are currently not considered an endangered species, but their status does vary depending on the population. The population of gray whales that call the Eastern Pacific Ocean their home is a marine conservation success story. This previously endangered gray whale population was taken off of the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1994 after conservation efforts successfully helped recover the whale population. The gray whale population in the Western Pacific Ocean near Russia and Japan is currently endangered.

The gray whale was previously a nearly extinct species. In the late 1800s, gray whale breeding grounds were discovered, and whalers killed a large percentage of the population. The drop in population made it no longer profitable to hunt gray whales; they were left alone and their numbers recovered.

However, the early 1900s brought the invention of factory ships, which processed whales aboard the vessels. This new technology allowed intensive hunting of the grays once again, and their population again dangerously dropped to probably fewer than 2,000 individuals.

Gray whale protection finally came in 1946 through an international agreement to stop hunting them. Since that time, the population has grown to over 26,000, similar to what it was before modern-day whaling. As a result of this population recovery, gray whales were removed from the endangered species list in 1994, as mentioned above.

In 1998, the International Whaling Commission reinstated a treaty made between the U.S. Government and the Makah Indians in 1855, giving the Native American group the permission to hunt gray whales. Under the new agreement, the Makah are able to take 20 whales through the year 2004. After a 70-year ban on gray whale hunting, the Makah took their first whale in May of 1999. The revival of the treaty is very controversial. Since the Makah have been allowed to continue gray whale hunting for its importance to their native culture, the environmentalists are calling for no exceptions to the hunting ban. This is because of the fear that the treaty revival will start a trend toward hunting other marine mammals.

Other Common Gray Whale FAQs

Have more gray whale questions? Here are a few questions people commonly have about gray whales, and brief answers to each.

Do gray whales have teeth?

No, gray whales do not have teeth. Gray whales are "baleen whales". This means that instead of traditional teeth, gray whales have baleen plates. As they take in massive amounts of water through their mouth, gray whales use their baleen plates to filter out their food.

Do gray whales eat humans?

No, gray whales do not eat humans! Humans are much larger than typical gray whale food and are not in danger of being eaten.

Can gray whales breach?

Yes, gray whales can breach. It is most common to see gray whales breaching during periods of migration or breeding.

Gray Whale Guide Overview

In conclusion, gray whales are one of the most incredible marine mammals on the planet, and booking a Southern California whale watching tour during the migration period is an experience of a lifetime. Whale watchers around the Pacific Ocean, including Southern California, have multiple opportunities per year to see a wide variety of marine life, including gray whales, blue whales, humpback whales, sea lions, and much more.

 

Reserve your whale-watching trip!

Make your online reservation below, or call (949) 675-0551 to reserve.

---