We catch our breath.
A whale breaches magnificently and dives back into the water. Frustrating for photographers, once spotted coming up out of the water, it is near impossible to photograph breaching whales as their movement above water comes in a flash.
Breach is when the whale rises out of the water. Our charter boat guide tells us breaching whales are challenging to spot.
Whale watchers are more likely to spot the whale’s fluke or tail as they dive back down into deeper water, where the average ocean floor is 12,000 feet.
Whales have two refrigerator size lungs and spout up to five times before moving back to feed in open water. At about 100 miles per hour, whales spout water to release air from their lungs. Their mist spouts rise high above the water and can easily be seen.
Whale watchers flock to the coastal Pacific annually hoping to spot a pod of whales making their winter migration south. Seasonal migration of gray whales from Alaska to Mexico take place from mid-December to mid-March and are seen by their spouts, especially with binoculars.
A popular whale watching destination for Southern Nevadans is Dana Point, California. There you can easily find a commercial tour guided boat going out along the coastline to whale watch.
The Visitor Center in Depoe Bay, Oregon is operated with park rangers and volunteers happy to provide information about gray whales and how to watch them off shore.
Unfortunately, on occasion, a dead whale washes ashore. The cause can have many explanations. To learn more, scientists quickly arrive and close the area to the public.
They investigate the cause of death and what health issues the whale had before coming ashore. Anyone witnessing a washed up whale will tell you the smell, a putrid odor of decay can be overwhelming.
Approximately 20,000 gray whales will migrate from Alaskan waters to the warmer climate of Baja, Mexico. During their 6,000-mile journey, the whales swim along the Washington, Oregon and California coast before reaching Mexico.
