Recent Sightings

Ideal ocean and weather conditions today allowed blows to remain suspended and for us to see backs, head, and flukes. We had excellent visibility clear to the horizon.

🟪 AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

♦️ 6 northbound gray whales – one trio, one deuce, and one single

♦️ 1 unidentified whale –  approximately three miles offshore; was not migrating as it remained between 245 and 250 compass degrees for about 40 minutes; fluked once but we were unable to identify the species with 100% certainty; most likely a humpback

♦️ 84 harbor seals

♦️ 1 great blue heron

♦️ 1 northern harrier

🟪 AT SAUNDERS REEF:

♦️ 1 northbound gray whale

♦️ 1 red-tailed hawk

🟪 Off Salt Point  State Park, Shari Goforth spotted a trio of northbound gray whales followed by a single and off Gualala point she saw one single gray whale

🟪 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

🔵   284 northbound          🔴   382 southbound          🟢   2 foragers

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we had good visibility.

✳️ 9 northbound gray whales – including our first mother/calf pair of this season!! one group of three, four singles

✳️ 63 harbor seals

✳️ 2 American kestrels

✳️ 1 osprey

✳️ 3 black oystercatchers

🔆 SHARI GOFORTH SPOTTED TWO NORTHBOUND GRAY WHALES PASSING ONE HALF MILE OFF GUALALA POINT

🔵   272 northbound  – includes 1 mother/calf pair        🔴   382 southbound

🟢   2 foragers

 

We observed today from the Noyo Center for Marine Science ‘s Crow’s Nest in Fort Bragg. Many people on the Noyo Headlanes Coastal Trail stopped at the Crow’s Nest to learn  about whales and help us spot whales.
There was a fairly strong wind, some whitecaps, and the marine layer created haziness.

🔷 5 northbound gray whales – two sets of two and one single

🔷 1 osprey

🔷 7 brown pelicans – flying north

💠 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  ➡️

🔵   261 northbound           🔴   382 southbound           🟢   2 foragers

Excellent visibility today at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula with a marine layer way off at the horizon and some minor whitecaps. There was a moderate wind.

🔶 8 northbound gray whales – two pairs and four singles

🔶 57 harbor seals

🔶 1 sea lion swimming north

🔶 4 brown pelicans flying north

❇️ NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF

❇️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES  SEEN TO DATE  🟰

🔵   256 northbound          🔴   382 southbound          🟢  2 foragers

 

 

The fog was gone and we had excellent visibility today at the Point  Arena Lighthouse peninsula. We received reports of gray whale sightings from Kate Bloch where she observed several whales traveling north past Gualala Point Island at the north end of the Sea Ranch. In addition, Fred McElroy had sightings of northbound gray whales as they were swimming past Hearn Gulch which is north of Iversen Point and south of Schooner Gulch.

💠 15 northbound gray whales – one trio, three groups of two’s, and six singles

💠 73 harbor seals

💠 1 great blue heron

💠 7 brown pelicans flying north

❇️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  ➡️

🔵   248 northbound          🔴    382 southbound          🟢   2 foragers

 

photo below by Fred McElroy