Welcome Whales!
Winter Whale Watching Underway!
People come from all over the world to learn about the gray whales that travel along the Oregon coast each year.
In Winter, nearly 20,000 gray whales from mid-December through mid-January as they travel south to the warm lagoons of Baja Mexico.
Whale watching tips
Whales are spotted when they rise to the surface and spout a plume of mist and vapor that can reach up to 15 feet in the air. Calm days are best for whale watching, as the spout can linger in the air for up to five seconds when there is little wind. Seas without white-capped waves make whale spotting easier. And, early daylight from a low angle that illuminates the lingering spout also helps.
With your binoculars, keep an eye out for a spout. Once you have it spotted, just raise your binoculars to where it was and keep looking.
Whales typically spout three to five times, about 15-30 seconds apart, before making a deep dive of up to six minutes long.
Once spotted, keep their direction of travel in mind. Then, you will have it down in no time.
A good spot to look for migrating whales is from nearby Ecola State Park, where “Whale Spoken Here” volunteers can point out the gentle giants and answer your questions