It is said that whale watching season in San Diego is a twelve-month ordeal. It’s also said that San Diego whale watching tours always discover something that makes the trip memorable. Perfect for couples or families whale watches are can’t-miss experiences that will inspire your inner marine biologist and some companies even let you bring your dog.
One reason that this is a perfect little spot amidst the vast California coastline for observing sea life is that the weather is so temperate. As far as being in the elements, you’re more likely to get wet from a whale breaching beside the boat than from raindrops. Another is that there are many types of whales and other sea creatures that visit and inhabit these waters at various times, all year long.
When Is Whale Watching Season?
There are actually different whale watching seasons. At certain times of year, certain whales are more prevalent, because of their needs or habits. From mid-December through April, for instance, 20,000 gray whales migrate back and forth from Baja, Mexico to Alaska. During these months, gray whales can be seen en masse in the waters off of San Diego because that’s where a natural feeding ground is located.
According to the Birch Aquarium in San Diego, gray whales tend to travel alone or in small pods, traveling during peak season at about six miles per hour. Given that some are as wide as a basketball court, they are generally hard to miss.
Whales Species Available During Whale Watching
During whale watching San Diego January, the gray whales are still very much in the midst of their migrations. During the summer months, the blue whale migration offers spectacular sighting opportunities for the gentle giants. They are among the largest creatures on earth and endangered among the great whales, and they can be seen from the middle of June through September off San Diego’s coast because warming ocean temperatures and vast amounts of krill draw them in.
Blue whales are truly enormous and another reason that they wind up in San Diego’s waters is because the depth drops from 400 feet to 4,000 feet just a few miles offshore. Thus, these creatures who like their deep water can access it quickly.
Humpback, minke and fin whales are also frequent visitors to San Diego’s coastline. Besides the whales, Pacific Common dolphins and Offshore Bottlenose are always hanging around. A standard excursion lasts for about four hours and generally includes a big yield of sightings. Passengers and crew alike tend to feel the same level of happiness and excitement when they get to witness marine life behaving as they would if the boat wasn’t even there.
Whether you’re interested in an excursion whale watching San Diego December to see the gray whales or one in the summer to see the mighty blue whales, you’ll likely see more sea life than you expected. The relatively short amount of time that you spend at sea, with those creatures in their natural habitat belies the breadth of memories that you’ll accrue. Visit a sail chartering company today to investigate whale watch excursion options so that you can enjoy some time on the water tomorrow.
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