San Diego Whale Sightings — Updated Daily!

See what our naturalists have spotted during our last 7 trips in Mission Bay and off the coast of San Diego.

22

Whales Spotted

4,900

Dolphins Spotted

5

Different Species Spotted

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Today's Sightings Summary

Detailed Sightings Log - September 13, 2026

Tour Species Count Behavior
Mid-day TourShort-beaked Common Dolphin200BreathingFeedingBow Riding
Mid-day TourHumpback WhaleBreathingDiving

Detailed Sightings Log - September 12, 2026

Tour Species Count Behavior
Sunset TourLong-beaked Common Dolphin1000Running for their livesForagingSurfingSurface ActivePlaying
Sunset TourOrcas8HuntingMugging

Detailed Sightings Log - September 12, 2026

Tour Species Count Behavior
Mid-day TourHumpback Whale1BreathingFeeding
Mid-day TourLong-beaked Common Dolphin750ForagingBreathingSurfingStampede

Detailed Sightings Log - September 12, 2026

Tour Species Count Behavior
Morning TourLong-beaked Common Dolphin750ForagingSurfingSleepingStampedeSurface ActivePlaying
Morning TourHumpback Whale1BreathingMegapod
Morning Tour

Detailed Sightings Log - September 11, 2026

Tour Species Count Behavior
Mid-day TourLong-beaked Common Dolphin1100Surface ActiveCow/Calf PairBow Riding

Recent Sightings

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Breaching Humpbacks for Sunday Brunch!

Our Sunday morning trip started with a big splash from a breaching humpback seen inside the drop…

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We set out on our own adventure tonight

We set out on our own adventure tonight and went where nobody else had gone all day…

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Dolphins in Mission Bay!

2 bottlenose dolphins swam by the Privateer as she headed out on her afternoon tour! The bottlenose…

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Spouts, Splashes, and Seabirds!

The Privateer had yet another successful trip south. Following our three S’s to finding whales (spouts, splashes,…

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UNBELIEVABLE!

Somehow it’s just getting better out there! Eight whales! Three species — blue, fin, and humpback —…

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Sneaky Cetaceans!

This afternoon the Privateer sailed south again to search a whale feeding ground. Early into the trip…

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Our Typical Route

While our route varies with sightings, we typically follow a similar course near known feeding areas.

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This Year's Stats

Total: 24,147 dolphins and 317 whales.

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Departing daily from Mission Bay.

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