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

Recent Sightings


  • FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2026

    The wind picked up as the day went on creating numerous, small whitecaps upon the ocean. At first we had blue skies but clouds also began to roll in. The wind was blowing 14 mph and gusting to 21 mph out of the south southeast.

    AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

    ❇️ 4 humpbacks whales – two were close to one another and two singles, all four whales slowly moving south and north

    ❇️ 73 harbor seals

    ❇️ 1 great blue heron having a difficult time flying into the wind

    ❇️ 2 black oystercatchers

    ❇️ 4 brown pelicans

    🌀 The blows from three humpback whales were photographed later in the day by Janet McElroy from her home overlooking Hearn Gulch.

     

     


  • TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2026

    Good visibility today with a partly cloudy sky and small, choppy waves upon the ocean.

    AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

    💠 NO WHALES SEEN

    💠 7-8 bottlenose dolphins swimming rapidly south about 500 yards offshore

    💠 32 harbor seals – outgoing tide

    💠 7 brown pelicans

     

     


  • MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2026

    The ocean was as calm as a lake today as there was no wind and no whitecaps. The sky, however, was white due to a large, lingering fog bank offshore. This made it difficult to detect blows but whale backs could easily be seen.

    🔆 AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

    🔆 2 humpbacks whales – traveling slowly north about 1 mile offshore

    🔆 37 harbor seals – outgoing tide

    🔆 several barking sea lions could be heard

    🔆 20 brown pelicans

    🔆 3 black oystercatchers

    🔆 NO WHALES  SEEN AT SAUNDERS  REEF

     


  • FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2026

    Upon arriving at Gerstle Cove in Salt Point State Park early this morning, the fog quickly receded and we had good visibility. Unfortunately, within less than one hour, the fog returned leaving us with no visibility the rest of the day.

    🔶 NO WHALES SEEN

    🔷 3 osprey- 2 carrying fish

    🔶 12 sea lions hauled out on the rock and 1 swimming and barking loudly

    🔷 9 harbor seals


  • THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2026

    Still quite windy at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula as well as at Saunders Reef. Lots of whitecaps and spray limited our visibility.

    🟪 NO WHALES SEEN

    🟪 78 harbor seals

    🟪 1 black oystercatcher

    🟪 7 brown pelicans flying north