Whale Watching in San Diego is a Whale of Time
Tip of the Week: December 15, 2007
There really isn't a more beautiful spot in San Diego than Pt. Loma and the view from the Cabrillo Monument. We don't need an excuse to go for a visit, but if you need an excuse, we'll give you one.
It is that time. The time when approximately 26,000 gray whales pass by as they migrate to to the warm Baja California lagoons from the icy cold Arctic Sea. No 5k for these guys! The gray whales travel 10,000 miles roundtrip.
Pick your poison. You have from late December through March to throw on some warm clothes, don some good binoculars (though they may not serve you well), and make your way to the Cabrillo Monument or Torrey Pines State Beach.
Naturally, the San Diego tourism industry has many whale watching cruises available. If you have the time, money, curiosity and you don't suffer sea sickness, it's a great experience. A sea-faring excursion will always offer the up close and personal experience of the ocean environment including other sea creatures that hang out in the path of the whales. Yet, there is no guarantee that the day you go, a whale pod or two will be there to entertain and enchant.
From high atop those two shoreline perches at Pt. Loma or Torrey Pines State Beach you can look for the whale pods and make several attempts through their migration period to try to catch them as they ease on down the coastline.
It has been said that the following clues help to spot them:
Whales travel at about 6mph, dive to a depth of about 100 feet for 3-5 minutes, surface and blow, followed by a series of three to five shallow dives and blows before they dive deeply again. It's good life.
So, if you have time, and can remember the clues, grab some hot coffee, and enjoy the beauty of Pt. Loma or Torrey Pines State beach and wait for your whale to come in (to view).
For more information on Cabrillo Monument, click here!
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