This image shows the fins of several gray whales above the surface of the water

Recent Sightings


  • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2026

    After a very stormy day yesterday, today was mostly cloudy with some breaks of sunshine. Wind speed increased throughout the day and reached 18 miles per hour with gust of 30 miles per hour from the northwest.  We were also delayed by a rain shower that blew in off the ocean.

    AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA, WE OBSERVED:

    🔅 2 northbound gray whales – both singles

    ✅ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  🟰

    🔵  7 northbound             🔴  379 southbound

    🔅 65 harbor seals


  • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2026

    We faced variable conditions at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula today. It was quite windy, cloudy, the ocean was covered in whitecaps, there was a great deal of spray from breaking waves, and offshore fog.  At times, a rain shower would occur but generally cleared up quickly.

    ♦️ 2 northbound gray whales – both singles; round bushy blows that disappeared quickly; one fluked before diving; both were difficult to track for any great distance but certain each one was traveling north

    💢 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  ↪️

    🔵   5 northbound          🔴  379 southbound

    ♦️ 35 harbor seals during an outgoing tide

    ♦️ 1 great blue heron foraging on the rocks at the seal haul out

    ♦️ 2 black oystercatchers

    ♦️ 2 brown pelicans flying north and 3 circling the area


  • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2026

    We met with challenging conditions today at Gerstle Cove in Salt Point State Park.  The ocean was covered with whitecaps and the wind was blowing 15 miles per hour with gusts of 20 miles per hour out of the northwest.  Both the wind and the whitecaps increased throughout the day.

    ✳️ NO WHALES SEEN

    🟧 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  ➡️

    🔵  3 northbound          🔴  379 southbound

    ✳️ 32 harbor seals

    ✳️ 3 American kestrels

    ✳️ 2 black oystercatchers

    ✳️ 8 brown pelicans flying south

    ✳️ 1 Northern harrier


  • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2026

    Today we had sunny conditions with excellent visibility.  The ocean was a bit choppy due to some wind and there were numerous small whitecaps.

    AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA WW OBSERVED:

    💠 2 southbound gray whales – both singles

    💠 2 northbound gray whales traveling as a pair

    🔺🔶 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

    🔵  3 northbound          🔴 379 southbound

     

    💠 88 harbor seals

    💠 3 American kestrels

    💠 2 brown pelicans flying south

    💠 2 black oystercatchers

    💠 1 Northern harrier

     

     

     


  • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2026

    After a rainy morning, the afternoon remained cloudy but visibility was quite good at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula.  We did have some light rain showers to contend with but they passed quickly. The ocean was calm and wind was not a factor.

    🔆 3 southbound gray whales – one pair and one single traveling fairly close to each other

    ✅🔆 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

    🔴 377 southbound

    🔵 1 northbound

    🔆 120 harbor seals

    🔆 7 brown pelicans flying south and 4-5 circling the area

    🔆 1 red-tailed hawk

    🔆 2 American kestrels