Category: Daily Observations

On this sunny day, there was good distinction between the ocean and the sky. However,there were many whitecaps and some offshore haziness that did limit our visibility. At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula: 🔆 NO WHALES WERE SEEN 🔆 43 harbor seals – including 3 pups 🔆 1 sea lion vocalizing while swimming south 🔆…

While hiking along the bluff trail at the Sea Ranch, one foraging gray whale was seen. No migrating grays were seen today. 🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵 GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE: (since November 1, 2024) 🟰 ✅ 329 northbound – includes 1 mother/calf pair seen on March 14th ✅ 391 southbound 🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵🟡🔵

Today was Wind and Whale Celebration Day at the Point Arena Lighthouse. Unfortunately, there was no wind and therefore, the kites were unable to take flight. We spoke with many visitors today, young and old, about gray whales, their migration, the challenges they are facing, as well as many other types of cetaceans (whales, dolphins,…

Observations today were at Gerstle Cove in Salt Point State Park in northern Sonoma County. The ocean was very calm and visibility was good. 🔆 2 northbound gray whales – singles; backs and heads visible 🔆 1 minke whale first seen swimming south, then north, then continuing on south may have been feeding in the…

Mostly cloudy skies with a few breaks of sun. The ocean was calm and visibility was good. At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed: 🟣 5 northbound gray whales – all singles; none fluked but heads and backs on all were visible 🟣 22 harbor seals 🟣 3 black oystercatchers 🟣 125 brown pelicans…

Cloudy and gray today with some offshore fog. Conditions and visibility improved throughout the day and the ocean was calm. At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed: 🔷 3 northbound gray whales – one set of two traveling together and one single 🔷 24 harbor seals 🔷 1 bobcat hunting in the pasture –…

On this warm, sunny day with calm seas, a thick fog rolled into our observation area at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula reducing visibility to zero. Gradually, the fog lifted and visibilty returned to about 3 miles. The day remained gray and cloudy. ♦️♦️ NO WHALES SEEN AT PAL OR AT SAUNDERS REEF ♦️♦️ AT…

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed: ❇️ 1 northbound gray whale ❇️ 36 harbor seals ❇️ 1 sea lion swimming south ❇️ 10 brown pelicans flying north ❇️ 1 white-tailed kite ❇️ 1 red-tailed hawk ❇️ 1 black oystercatcher AT SAUNDERS REEF, we observed ❇️ 1 northbound gray whale ❇️ 1 Canada goose…

At Gerstle Cove this morning, we had dense fog for about an hour and 15 minutes. When the fog lifted, visibilty was good but we were challenged by plentiful whitecaps, spray, and northwest wind at 15 mph gusting to 24 mph. We observed:; 🔻 2 northbound gray whales – both singles 🔻 20 harbor seals…

Ideal ocean and weather conditions today!! Excellent visibility all the way to the horizon. At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed: 🔆 11 northbound gray whales – two sets of two and seven singles; one of the singles breached twice in quick succession!! 🔆 45 harbor seals 🔆 4 black oystercatchers 🔆 32 brown…

The day began with excellent visibility, sunny skies, and a light breeze. However, in the afternoon, our observation area at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula become completely encompassed in fog for approximately one hour. The fog did lift and our visibility returned. At PAL: 🔸 3 northbound gray whales – all singles 🔸 50 harbor…

gray-whales-are-dying-off-the-pacific-coast-again-and-scientists-arent-sure-why This important article was written by Susanne Rust, an award-winning investigative reporter specializing in environmental issues. She has been following and reporting about the status of the gray whale population for several years. We had the great privilege of meeting Susanne in 2020.