{"id":518,"date":"2015-06-24T21:03:14","date_gmt":"2015-06-24T21:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brendarees.com\/?p=518"},"modified":"2015-11-01T21:15:26","modified_gmt":"2015-11-01T21:15:26","slug":"best-whale-watching-season-ever-socalwild-december-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/?p=518","title":{"rendered":"Best Whale Watching Season Ever?, SoCalWild, December 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s being heralded as the \u201cBest Whale Watching Season Ever\u201d in Southern California, but what exactly does that mean? Abundant whales? Different species of whales swimming about?\u00a0 Whales coming into closer contact with human observers? Baleen and toothed whales performing their own version of West Side Story<\/em>?<\/p>\n

There are many ways to consider what makes a season spectacular.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me it\u2019s all about the diversity of whales that we can find at any given moment in the waters off of Los Angeles,\u201d says Kera Mathes, marine biologist for the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific<\/a>who was accompanying a recent whale watching excursion out of Long Beach.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had lot of gray whales, fin whale sightings, numerous orcas, the latest being Dec. 26. There was a pod of five fin whales observed a few days ago. We\u2019ve even seen humpback whales and there even was word of a pilot whale in San Diego recently,\u201d she says. \u201cYou never know what you are going to see in the waters this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OFF<\/a>
OFF SOCAL COASTLINES \u2013 Marine mammals are many. ILLUSTRATOINS: MASSIMO DEMMA, OCEAN CONSERVATION SOCIETY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Indeed, rare whale sightings are becoming, well, not quite so rare these days. Over the past few months, folks have also seen sperm whales and even false killer whales. \u201cThere is a lot of food here that may be bringing those rare species into our waters,\u201d says Mathes about the bounty of krill, sardines and anchovies not to mention sea lions which orcas enjoy.<\/p>\n

Mathes contends that researchers, however, may also label a season remarkable by the sheer number of whales they are studying. Case in point: the gray whales.<\/p>\n

Alisa Schulman-Janiger who coordinates that annual Gray Whales Census\/Behavior Project for the American Cetacean Society,<\/a> Los Angeles, has been regularly posting the phenomenal numbers of gray whales spotted at Pt. Vicente Interpretive Center by trained on-shore volunteers. To date, 385 grays \u2013 that includes moms and babies \u2013 have been counted going southbound to Baja in the month of December.\u00a0 That number has broken all records since the census began in 1984.<\/p>\n

**\u00a0Gray Whale Update: As of Jan, 3, 2014 the count is 432 southbound (including 9 calves), and 1 northbound, still ahead of last season\u2019s count of 407 southbound \u00a0(including 3 calves) and 4 northbound. **<\/em><\/p>\n

On this particular whale excursion, two individual grays were spotted. \u00a0One whale had a craggy notch near her fluke indicating she was a victim\/survivor of an entanglement which carved out a deep chunk of her flesh. Photos taken from the whale watching boat were sent to researchers \u2013 including Schulman-Janiger who later identified the whale as the same one she photographed in 2009. Those current photos will be sent to watchers in Baja Mexico in order to track that whale\u2019s path and behavior.<\/p>\n

\"WOUNDED<\/a>
WOUNDED WHALE \u2013 This photo of a gray whale snapped on a whale watching cruise will be used by researchers. \u00a0 \u00a0PHOTO BY MARTHA BENEDICT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mathes says the aquarium partners with various researchers, supplying them with \u201copportunistic data\u201d about specific whale species. Photos are vital components \u2013 researchers match flukes (as individual to whales as thumbprints to humans) to follow a specific whale, like this wounded one.<\/p>\n

The craggy notch wound, however, didn\u2019t seem to stop this particular whale; she was swimming at a good pace, blowing, diving and deep diving for krill and other goodies from the SoCal buffet line.<\/p>\n

While\u00a0Schulman-Janiger is keen on seeing huge numbers of gray whales, she also shares Mathes delight in witnessing the diversity of marine mammals in the area. In fact, her gray whale census volunteers routinely records marine mammals they observe and has counted more than 20 species of marine mammals in their census along with the migrating cetaceans. \u00a0\u201cThis is the most amazing season due to both the sheer diversity of rare species encounter AND the current record high gray whale counts,\u201d she sums up. \u201cAn outstanding whale watching season is not just the occasional rarely sighted species, but being able to see a good number of whales and a variety of species and behaviors on a regular basis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Booming numbers of whales, species none withstanding, means a happy public and business, says Captain Dan Salas of Harbor Breeze Cruises<\/a> who has been bringing folks out to the waters since the 1990s. \u201cHaving good whale numbers means you have a good chance of seeing something to make that trip worth your while,\u201d he says. \u201cSo far, it\u2019s been a fantastic season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Record whale numbers of any kind (\u201cthis year we have seen more humpbacks than we have ever seen in our 15 years of whale watching boats\u201d) means an exciting experience for Salas\u2019 guests, many who maybe making the trek for the first time.<\/p>\n

Salas credits fishing and shipping regulations as making SoCal coastlines more inviting for fish and marine mammals. \u201cI started out 30 years as fisherman and I\u2019ve never seen this kind of life here back then,\u201d he says. When shipping lanes were moved a year and a half ago to accommodate the whales\u2019 migratory paths, \u201cour whale watching numbers went through the roof.\u201d<\/p>\n

While newbie whale watchers should experience some kind of cetacean action this winter season, it\u2019s best to keep expectations appropriate. You may think you will see numerous sights like this:<\/p>\n

\"BIG<\/a>
BIG BREACHES \u2013 Not all whales breach like this humpback. PHOTO: NOAA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But you actually may see this (which is still cool, but not as dramatic).<\/p>\n

\"THAR<\/a>
THAR SHE BLOWS \u2013 Gray whales have a heart-shaped blow. PHOTO: MARTHA BENEDICT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Be advised, too that whale watching is often more whale WAITING. When the captain hollers \u201cThar she blows,\u201d be prepared for the paparazzi of camera clicks as the whale briefly slides up and out of the water.<\/p>\n

\"WHALE<\/a>
WHALE WATCHING? \u2013 Patience is vital. Leave instant gratification at home. PHOTO: MARTHA BENEDICT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Thank goodness for dolphins (which are small whales) that can be counted on for stealing the show on any whale watching excursion. Bounding up and out of the water with spectacular spiraling leaps and spins, these marine mammals certainly embody the joy and freedom of the ocean.<\/p>\n