This morning, we had a fun trip scouting for wildlife! We left the Mission Bay jetties and hugged the coast to the north. We reached La Jolla and pushed out to the SW. We sighted some diving birds a few miles from us, so we continued to investigate. Within a half mile from them, we could start to see Long-Beaked Common dolphins! They were scattered everywhere just outside the drop-off. We enjoyed watching them race to boat and surf alongside us! We continued in, and once we got to 3 miles from shore, we began another thorough search for Grays! We did not have to look very hard, as a southbound Gray whale surfaced at our 2 o’clock position in front of us! Passengers were stoked! We watched the Gray surface for 2 breaths and 3-min dive times! We were only 1-mile from shore in about 100-ft of water!! This goes to show that you never know where they will be. We just gotta be patient and keep our eyes peeled!!
On our lunchtime excursion we were dedicated to catch up with that south heading gray whale and the effort paid off! While enjoying great close views of Sunset Cliffs, Pt Loma and Downtown San Diego that gray whale was slowly moseying along its great journey. This whale was hanging out in only 60 ft of water! So not a lot of deep dives being had but we got to enjoy it taking several breaths at the surface and shorter dive times. A real treat!
On the final sunset whale watch of 2024 we changed direction from the afternoon trip enjoying some glassy but rolling seas and headed to the northwest scanning and searching where an very graceful pod of ~80 long beaked common dolphins were gently surfing the waves. They changed directed and decided to follow us south as we returned to Mission bay. Seeing both Baleen and tooth whales is really the perfect way to close out 2024 and ring in 2025.
We want to wish all of you a safe and wonderful New Years Eve!
Naturalists Vanessa and Ruth
