Recent Sightings

A huge thank you to Michel Reinhart for allowing us to share his amazing photos of these humpback whales he photograph from his home on the south end of the Sea Ranch on Monday evening, August 18th. Look closely and you will see that birds have joined the humpbacks in snatching a meal.

Excellent visibility today with very  calm ocean and little to no wind.

AT SAUNDERS REEF, we observed:

🔶 10 humpback whales- one whale breached once, another whale breached five times,  one whale was tail lobbing

🔶 6 sea lions swimming northwest towards the reef

🔶 53 brown pelicans

AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA, we observed:

🔶 8 humpbacks- one breached once

🔶 123 harbor seals

🔶 1 black oystercatcher

🔶 24 brown pelicans flying north

On this windy day, we observed at Saunders Reef and the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula.

✳️ no whales seen at Saunders Reef

✳️ 7 humpback whales

✳️ 65 harbor seals

✳️ 1 great blue heron

✳️ 1 black oystercatcher

✳️ 18 brown pelicans

WIND AT 19 mph from the north northwest with 33 mph gusts created poor visibility. Whitecaps covered the ocean.

🔷 NO WHALES SEEN AT COOK’S BEACH OR AT SAUNDERS REEF 🔷

At Cook’s Beach, we observed:

🔷 1 sea lion

🔷 37 brown pelicans, many feeding

CONDITIONS TODAY WERE EXCELLENT! Blue skies, very little wind, calm ocean!

💠💠 Humpback activity was observed all along our coast today from the south end of the Sea Ranch to Hearn Gulch and Saunders Reef. 💠💠

OBSERVATIONS FROM COOK’S BEACH WHICH IS NORTH OF DOWNTOWN GUALALA AND SOUTH OF ANCHOR BAY (ACROSS FROM ST. ORRS):

💠 15-17 humpbacks – backs and flukes visible, some in groups of four feeding in the same area, others traveling north

💠 6 sea lions

💠 1 osprey

💠 18 brown pelicans