Places to whale watch

A fluke pops up from a 40 foot long Pacific gray whale seen from Bodega Head. (photo by Crista Jeremiason)

There’s a choreography to whales’ migration in the spring.

“There are 20,000 animals migrating up and down the coast,” said Captain Rick Powers of Bodega Bay’s Boat House. “They leave Alaska and go to Baja California. They go two to three miles an hour. They don’t stop. They never sleep.”

The whale-watching season started this month and the migration is being celebrated up and down the coast. There are, in fact, three whale festivals coming up in Mendocino county.

As for Powers, he’s plenty busy taking groups out to sea in his New Sea Angler, a 65-foot charter boat, to catch a glimpse of this yearly ritual — the whales’ migratory dance.

“The whales will spout,” Powers said. “They’ll fluke or show their tail after taking a deep dive. They also breach on occasion, which means come all the way out of the water, one of the most exciting things.”

The whales’ migration is a round trip of roughly 12,000 miles — southbound to calving grounds off Baja, with their northbound springtime return leg to feeding grounds off Alaska.

The season, which typically ends in April or May, sometimes extends through the summer and into fall with certain whales “taking up residence” in the area if they find good feeding grounds, Powers said.

“Kids are just amazed and awestruck when they see whales,” Powers said. “Whales are our largest mammals. The largest whales are Blue Whales, which are 90 feet long.”

Powers said there is something spectacular about watching whales up close and personal. “It’s one thing to see a whale’s spout from Bodega Head, but when you get close enough up to see the barnacles on a Gray Whale’s back, it’s something really special,” he said.

The most exciting part, Powers said, is the mystery.

“You just never know what you’re going to see,” Powers said. “On a recent trip we saw Gray Whales, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, Dall’s Porpoises, Harbor Porpoises, California Sea Lions and Harbor Seals.”

There are laws governing the sea and the animals have the right of way. “You cannot hamper the animals during their normal migratory path and we strictly adhere to those laws,” Powers said. “Those animals are on a mission.”

Powers, 58, has been taking groups out to sea for nearly 40 years. “These are wonderful trips for families and children,” he said. “It’s really a special thing to view these majestic animals on their migration. It’s something everyone should do at least once.”

Captain Randy Thornton, of Telstar Charters in Fort Bragg, said about once a year he’ll come across people-friendly whales — those that venture close to his 50-foot charter boat.

“They’ll come up five feet from the boat, look right at us and never touch the boat,” Thornton said. “One time a crew member on a different boat nearby used a deck brush and rubbed the whale’s back and the whale was fine with it.”

Of course, the crowd pleaser tends to be the breach.

“If the sun’s just at the right angle, if the water is clear, you can see the whole whale,” he said. “Even adults act like 4-year-old children — clapping their hands and stomping their feet, saying ‘This is so cool.’ ”

Here are a few local places to catch some fin:

Bodega Head
This is by far the most popular place to see whales.  Located at 3799 Westshore Rd: Head north on coastal Hwy 1, drive through the town of Bodega Bay. Turn left at the intersection of Eastshore Rd, following sign for Bodega Head, Marinas, and Westside Park down a steep hill. Turn right at Bay Flat Rd and around harbor past Westside Park. There will be a sign for Campbell Cove and the road takes a sharp right. Drive uphill and stay to the right at the fork until you’ve reached the free parking lot by the cliff.

Gualala Point
Located at 42401 Coast Hwy 1: 36 miles north of Jenner and one mile south of Gualala. Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Parking is $6 per vehicle (special rates apply for buses or vehicles carrying over 9 people). Dogs are allowed on a 6′ leash or shorter. Restrooms and picnic tables are available.

Stillwater Regional Parks
Loated at 22455 Hwy 1: 16 mile north of Jenner. Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Parking is $6 per vehicle (special rates apply for buses or vehicles carrying over 9 people). Dogs are allowed on a 6′ leash or shorter. Restrooms and picnic tables are available.

Black Point Beach Access
Located in Sea Ranch, along Hwy 1 south of Sonoma/Mendocino County line. Park is open seasonally. Opening hours vary from 6-8am and remain open till sunset. Parking is $6 per vehicle (special rates apply for buses or vehicles carrying over 9 people). Dogs are allowed on a 6′ leash or shorter. Restrooms available.

Another option is to go on a docent-led tour:

Docent-led tour with Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods
Meant for groups of 10 or more, watchers can make reservations at least 2 weeks in advance of their requested date by filling out the online reservation form for groups. For more information, visit stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org

Take a boat
Many fishing boats offer trips out on the ocean to catch an up close and personal view of whales. Prices and locations vary, but a few that we found are Bodega Bay Sport Fishing Center and Miss Anita Fishing Charters.

More boat tours
Anchor Charter Boats, Fort Bragg, reservations 964-4550
The Boat House, Bodega Bay, reservations 875-3495
San Francisco Whale Watching, Sausalito, reservations (415) 706-7364
Telstar Charters, Fort Bragg, reservations 707-964-8770

Upcoming Festivals
Mendocino Whale Festival: March 3 & 4.
Little River Whale Festival: March 10 & 11.
Fort Bragg whale Festival: March 17 & 18.
For more information about the festivals, visit mendowhale.com/events.htm

Check out an article on a recent whale watch, as well as a photo gallery of the spectacular sight.

Peg Melnik contributed to this article.