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

Recent Sightings


  • MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2025

    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


  • FRIDAY, AUGUST 15, 2025

    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


  • THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2025

    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


  • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2025

    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


  • TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2025

    OBSERVATIONS FROM THE SALAL TRAIL ON THE NORTH END OF THE SEA RANCH, LOOKING TOWARD GUALALA POINT ISLAND:

    The foggy conditions today created poor visibility. We were hoping to see the gray whales that have been seen at this location by Kate Bloch and Shari Goforth but we were not successful in finding them.

    🟧 12-14 sea lions

    🟧 2 harbor seals bottling