It’s as much a part of spring in these parts as the greening of the hills
and the spread of wildflowers.
Every year in March the Pacific gray whales, newborns in tow, stage their
spring parade up the West Coast on their way from their calving grounds in
Baja to their feeding grounds in the Bering Sea.
It’s the longest migration of any mammal — a journey of some 10,000 to
12,000 miles. Between the trip south from November through February and the
journey north from February to early April, up to 23,000 grays will pass along
the Sonoma Coast.
Watching for them is part nature experience, part meditation and part
treasure hunt as you patiently scan the near horizon hoping to catch a glimpse
of a fin, a fluke or the biggest and rarest bonanza — a breach.
Spring is the best season to watch for whales. As the mothers head north
they are imprinting the coastline on their calves so they can eventually make
the trip themselves. That means they are closer to shore than the southern
migration in winter, when the whales are in a much bigger hurry to get to the
warm calving lagoons in Mexico. Look for them anywhere from 100 feet to a
half-mile out from shore.
”They take time at every little nook and cranny and every little cove,”
said Ranger Ashford Wood, who works out of Salt Point and Fort Ross state
parks, two of the better places to look for whales because of their elevation
and jutting geography.
Traveling closer to shore also is a protective measure to keep the young
from the clutches of killer whales, he said. Not only are they farther away
but the submerged rocks throw off the killers’ natural sonar.
The beauty of whale watching in a penny-pinching economy is the price.
While there are plenty of whale-watching excursions by boat, you don’t have to
get out on the water to see the grays. All you need is a tank of gas, a sack
lunch and if you want to watch from one of the state parks, a few dollars for
parking. Arrive armed with a warm jacket, a hat, solid flat shoes and a pair
of 7×35 binoculars and you’re set.
A pair of whale festivities — in Mendocino Village this weekend and in
Fort Bragg March 20-22, provide an opportunity learn more about about these
massive sea beasts that are up to 45 feet long and 35 tons. Both fests offer
guided whale walks, interpretive talks and exhibits. And to warm you up after
chilling out on the bluffs, there are chowder tastings and in Mendocino,
special wine tasting in village inns, galleries and shops.
Watching for whales is more a game of luck than skill, but you can increase
your odds. Most important is patience. Whale watching is a game of wait and
see; the longer you wait, the better your chances of seeing something.
”If you spend five to ten minutes you probably won’t see them,” said
Wood. So pick a comfortable spot, pull out a thermos of hot cocoa and prepare
to sit a spell, or stroll the shore while patiently perusing the horizon. If
you allow several hours, you’re measurably increasing your chances of a
spotting.
The whales follow no schedule, so you could theoretically see them any time
of day. But Jenny Heckeroth, manager of the Ford House Museum and Visitors
Center for the Mendocino Headlands, said morning tends to be best because as
the sun gets higher in the sky, the brightness and reflection on the waves
makes it harder to see. During the whale fest this weekend, the museum offers
an interpretive exhibit on the gray whale and leads whale spotting walks out
onto the headlands at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday and at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Weather also matters. Plan your excursion on a clear and calm day. Not only
will your visibility be greater, but you’ll be more comfortable hanging out
for a longer period of time, said Marybeth Shenton, a ranger at Point Reyes
National Seashore. There, the combination of the jutting headlands and the
elevation afforded by Point Reyes Lighthouse combine to make for perfect
viewing conditions.
Location also is key to successful spotting. Experts say the best spots are
those where the land extends out in a point, getting you closer out to sea,
like Point Reyes and Salt Point, Point Arena and Point Cabrillo.
Point Arena, which juts two miles out into the Pacific, recently re-opened
its century old lighthouse following a $1.6 million renovation. You can now
venture out onto the gallery and climb all the way to the top of the 115-foot
lighthouse tower. The original Fresnel lens, with its 666 prisms, has been
moved from the tower to a new home in the renovated museum in the Fog Signal
Building.
The Point Cabrillo Light Station near Mendocino offers a host of talks,
guided walks, exhibits and children’s activities for the Mendocino Whale
Festival this weekend and the Fort Bragg Whale Festival March 20-22. The
station is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. A trolley will
ferry festivalgoers from Mendocino village this weekend out to the station, a
nice convenience, particularly if you plan on wine tasting.
Ocean bluffs provide good spotting opportunities because of their
elevation. So Bodega Head in Bodega Bay and the Mendocino Headlands in the
village are also popular viewing spots, offering height and extension.
Wood said his favorite spot on the North Coast is the 600-acre Salt Point
State Park both because of its rocky promontories and panoramic views. It also
has the advantage of being fairly clear of trees, he said, so you can see up
and down the coast for a good four to six miles in either direction.
Have a wide panorama gives you an edge when watching for whales. So seek a
spot that gives clear views in both directions.
If you spot a fluke — or tail — that means the whale is taking a series
of shallow breaths and then diving for several minutes before coming up for a
blow. Once you spot a fluke, train your eyes about a quarter-mile north from
that spot so you can catch them three to five minutes later emerging for a
blow.
If you’re really lucky, Wood said, you might see a flipper. That means the
female is lying on her side and allowing her young to nurse. If Lady Luck is
truly on your side, you might score a breach, when the whale leaps out of the
waves.
”I’ve been here 20 years,” said Heckeroth, ”and I’ve seen it only
once.”
Meg McConahey, a staff writer, can be reached at 521-5204 or meg.mcconahey@
pressdemocrat.com.
