Each winter the Pacific Gray Whales pass by after spending the summer feeding
in the food-rich waters of the arctic, the Grays swim south along the coast, where they mate and nurse their young. Along
the way they pass by Cape Meares, Oceanside, and Cape Lookout, where you can witness the annual winter journey.
When To See Whales
Mid January is the peak of the migration,
but the Grays are visible mid-December through March. The Cape Lookout trail out to the point or Cape Meares Lighthouse
offer the best viewing. Bring binoculars if you have them. Binoculars make viewing much easier and more enjoyable. It is possible
to see a whale at any time of the day (they swim 24 hours a day)! Park staff will happily help you spot a whale if possible.
Check at the visitor center for information about ranger talks and whale watching.
Look west from the park overlooks, toward the ocean. The whales are migrating from the arctic
to the warm bays of Baja California and mainland Mexico, so they will be moving from the north (right), to the south (left)
as you look from the park. Expect them to be moving at a steady speed of four or five knots (about five miles per hour). Although
some swim close to shore, most whales swim in an area that extends from the kelp beds (about 3/4 miles out) out to the horizon.
Binoculars are an immense help, so bring a pair if possible.
NOTE: Later,
in the spring, the gray whales will migrate north again, but they are generally too far out in the ocean to see from the park,
even with binoculars.
What to Look For:
The
Blow or Spout
A
gray whale's blow is up to 15 feet high, and each blow is visible for about 5 seconds. When warm, moist air exhaled from the
animals' lungs, meets the cool air at the ocean surface, it creates the bushy column we call a blow, or spout. Anticipate
that the whale will dive for 3 to 6 minutes, then surface for 3 to 5 blows in row, 30 to 50 seconds apart, before diving deep
for 3 to 6 minutes again.
The
Flukes (Tail)
Before
making a long, deep dive, a gray whale often displays its 12 foot wide fan shaped flukes, or tail. The weight of the tail
above the whale's body helps the whale to dive deep. The gray whale normally swims about 5 miles per hour about the speed
of a child on a bicycle. The flukes have no bones and connect to the body and tail muscles by banks of tendons.
The Knuckled Back
If the lighting is right, and if the
whale is close enough, it is possible to see the back of a gray whale during and after the blow. It is shiny and black or
gray, with a knuckled ridge along the spine. After the whale submerges you may note an elongated, smooth oval of calm water,
known as a footprint, where the whale has been.
Breach and Splash
Gray whales occasionally hurl themselves out of the water and plunge back in with a tremendous
splash! This is called a whale breach. Scientist do not know why gray whales do this, but it is very exciting sight to see!
Sometimes other whales in the area will copy this behavior, so keep your eyes open.
Once you have spotted a Whale
Remember that they are migrating south, which is to your left as you look west out over
the ocean. Once you have spotted a whale, you can expect that it will surface again to the south. Gray whales swim in a cycle
of 3 to 5 blows, 30 to 50 seconds apart, followed by a deep dive lasting 3 to 6 minutes. After watching an individual Gray
Whale you will be able to anticipate its unique rhythm of breaths and dives, and where it will surface next.
