Recent Sightings

We had windy conditions at the Point Arena Lighthouse and the ocean had a significant amount of whitecaps.  We did have a clear view to the horizon and visibility was very good.

🔆 3 northbound gray whales – singles

🔆 86 harbor seals

🔆 3 brown pelicans flying south and 1 flying north; 3 others floating in the ocean

🔆 1 sub-adult gray whale was seen by Shari Goforth swimming north past Gualala Point within 100 yards of shore, mid-morning on Thursday, April 9th

🟪   TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

🔵   331 northbound – includes three mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢  7 foragers

After a stormy Saturday, the skies cleared and provided us with excellent visibility with a clear view to the horizon. There was a mixture of sun and clouds, and the ocean was rough with 4-6 feet waves crashing upon the shore creating  quite a bit of white water and spray.

✅ AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

💠 2 northbound gray whales – singles

💠 101 harbor seals

💠 75-85 brown pelicans flying south and about 20 circling about the north and south sides of the peninsula

💠 2 Canada geese flying west and then north

💠 2 black oystercatchers

💠 1 bobcat

✅ NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF

✅ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  ↪️

🔵   327 northbound – includes three mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   7 foragers

We observed today at Saunders Reef where the ocean was flat calm, there was no wind, a mix of sun and clouds, and some way offshore cloudiness. Blows were easy to spot.

⚛️ 2 northbound gray whales – singles

⚛️ 1 osprey

⚛️ 56 brown pelicans flying north

✅  TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

🔵   325 northbound – includes 3 mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   7 foragers

Today brought us blue skies, a calm ocean, and a clear view all the way to the horizon.  Blows, backs, and flukes could be seen.

🔶 AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

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

🔺  1 gray whale foraging

🔺  1 humpback whale

🔺  6 sea lions swimming north

🔺 2 black oyster catchers

🔺  approximately 40 Aleutian cackling geese flying north

🔺  17 brown pelicans flying south and 38 flying north

🔶  AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔺  2 northbound gray whales – singles who took long foraging dives while traveling north

🔺  18 brown pelicans flying north

🔶  AT OLLIE’S STRAIGHT:

🔺  3 adult gray whales and one calf going north observed and photographed by Shari Goforth

🔶  TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ⤵️

🔵   323 northbound – includes 3 mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   7 foragers

Mostly cloudy skies created monocolor conditions with no distinction between the sky and the ocean.  The ocean was calm and there was only a slight wind.

♦️♦️  AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🔷 NO WHALES SEEN

🔷 75  harbor seals

🔷 approximately 170 brown pelicans flying north

🔷 3 black oystercatcher

🔷 1 bobcat

♦️♦️  AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔷 2 northbound gray whales – traveling together

🔷 1 osprey

🔷 49 brown pelicans flying north

♦️♦️  AT GUALALA POINT:

🔷 1 northbound gray whale seen by Shari Goforth

♦️♦️   TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  =

🔵  312  northbound – includes 2 mother/calf pairs  –

our second mother/calf pair was seen on Sunday, April 4 by Mel Smith who spotted them swimming past Goat Rock along the Point Arena- Stornetta Lands, heading towards the Lighthouse

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   6 foragers