We had a nautical day out on the Pacific today! 
Some larger swells rolled in with a bit of wind, which made sightings a little trickier — but we STILL FOUND WHALES ON EVERY TRIP!
We spotted southbound Gray whales all day long. Watching whales in a swell is so dynamic: they float with the ocean, and when a big swell lifts them just right, you can sometimes see the entire outline of their body glowing beneath the surface. Pure magic.
Our final whale of the day gave us a glorious last look. It was cruising southwest into the sun, its spout erupting in golden light as its dense, blubbery body jiggled over a rolling swell. A perfect farewell.
We’ve also been seeing a small pod of Pacific white‑sided dolphins that loves hanging out a few miles off the coast between Windansea and Mission Beach. Today they were EXTRA rambunctious — leaping, flipping, and twirling around each other just below the surface.
And the rare sighting of the day? An OSPREY! Miles offshore, we’re used to seeing seabirds diving for fish, but this was a first. We watched it dive and snag a huge fish — looked like a bonita! 
Naturalist, Alison
