Whale watching in Laguna Beach

Which whales you may see

NOAA Fisheries says eastern North Pacific gray whales migrate north along the U.S. West Coast from mid-February to May. They head south to winter off Baja California earlier in the season, and the agency says calves are born during migration or in Mexican lagoons, roughly January to mid-February. CDFW’s page for the Dana Point conservation area, which runs from South Laguna toward Dana Point, says gray whales can be seen migrating from December through April.

Other whales have their own windows, and the boat companies publish theirs.

• Captain Dave’s lists blue whales as typically seen from May through October, gray whales from November through May, and orcas and minke whales through the year.
• Dana Wharf lists gray whales from November through May and blue whales from May through November, with several dolphin species all year.
• Newport Landing lists humpback, minke and gray whales, dolphins and orcas from November to April, and blue, fin, gray and minke whales from May to October.
• Davey’s Locker points to gray whales in winter and spring, and to blue and finback whales in summer and fall.

The ranges differ by a month or two. Treat them as seasons, not dates, and ask the company what it has been seeing.

Looking from shore

Visit Laguna Beach calls whales a common sight from the shore in Orange County. CDFW lists sea lions, harbor seals and migrating whales among the animals in the Laguna Beach reserve. A few bluff-top places carry listings:

• Heisler Park is an oceanfront park along the bluffs on Cliff Drive, from Aster Street to Diver’s Cove, according to Visit Laguna Beach.
• Crescent Bay Point Park and Crescent Bay carry a wildlife viewing listing from the Coastal Commission. The city says Crescent Bay Point Park is open from 5 a.m. to midnight.
• Smithcliffs View Park also carries a wildlife viewing listing.

For parking, the city says some areas have three-hour meters and others have very limited neighborhood parking. The parking guide covers lots and the getting around guide covers the trolley.

Boat tours

The companies below list tours from Dana Point Harbor and Newport Beach. Visit Laguna Beach names all four as its whale watching partners in neighboring cities. Each is outside Laguna Beach, so plan the drive.

• Captain Dave’s leaves from 24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive and lists catamaran and zodiac trips and a small-yacht trip.
• Dana Wharf leaves from Dana Point Harbor at 34675 Golden Lantern. Its site lists whale watching year-round.
• Newport Landing lists its location as 309 Palm Street in Newport Beach and says trips run daily all year.
• Davey’s Locker departs from Newport Beach and lists daily departures year round, with times that change by season.

Trip lengths vary by company and boat. Dana Wharf lists a two-hour whale and dolphin trip as its standard tour, plus an eight-hour trip a few times a year and a six-hour birding trip. Captain Dave’s lists a 2.5-hour catamaran trip, a two-hour zodiac trip for ages 6 and up, and a 3.5-hour trip on a small yacht limited to six passengers. Davey’s Locker lists 9 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m. departures and says times may vary. Newport Landing says you can see whales and dolphins as soon as the boat leaves the bay.

Prices and times change, so read them on each site. Dana Wharf and Captain Dave’s both promote the Dana Point Festival of Whales in March; the events guide covers Laguna’s own calendar.

Distances and rules

NOAA Fisheries recommends watching large whales from at least 100 yards away by sea or land, and keeping an encounter to 30 minutes or less. For vessels, it says to stop at once if you are within 100 yards and to keep to 10 knots or less where marine mammals are known to be. Paddlers carry the same distance; see kayaking and paddleboarding. The city says swimmers and kayakers may not go onto Seal Rock off Crescent Bay.

The coast is also a state marine reserve. The marine reserves page lists the boundaries and the no-take rule.