Every week, Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching provides the Dana Point Times and San Clemente Times a report on the week’s whale and dolphin sightings from naturalist Laura Lopez, in addition to a weekly log.
Here is Lopez’s report for the past week:
Many of our gray whale encounters are finding the whales traveling near shore in groups with as many as five whales. These active whales were fluking, displaying head lifts, lunges, spy hopping and even breaching. There have been encounters where groups of whales were socializing and others with several rolling around engaging in possible courtship behavior. One morning at Thousand Steps in Laguna Beach, a commercial fisherman friend Rodger Healey reported gray whales feeding in the mud.
Pods of long-beaked common dolphin found not far from the Dana Point Harbor often appeared to be feeding. Moving in unison and packed very tight, sharply changing directions, these dolphins were likely herding bait fish as we could see various sea birds feeding on the water’s surface. There have been dense schools of anchovy seen in the water for weeks.
One of our young customers said it had been the best day of his life. Getting on a boat for the first time, then doing the Wyland Art Lesson, seeing real whales, dolphins and sea lions was more than he could dream of! Marine muralist Wyland’s Landmark Whale and Dolphin Adventure “Art Lessons in the Wild,” which facilitates the most creative experience on the water continues at Dana Wharf on Saturday mornings through the end of April.
Gray Whale Fluke. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Long Beaked Common Dolphin. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Gray Whales. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Long Beaked Common Dolphin. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Gray Whales. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Gray Whale Fluke. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Breaching Gray Whale. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching.
Here is the latest Whale Watching Log from Dana Wharf Whale Watching:
March 30 – 4 Gray Whales, Bottlenose Dolphin
March 29 – No Trips Due to Weather
March 28 – 14 Gray Whales, 1 Minke Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, 1 Sea Turtle
March 27 – 5 Gray Whales, 1 Minke Whale, Risso’s Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin
March 26 – 22 Gray Whales, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin
March 25 – 13 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
March 24 – 12 Gray Whales
March 23 – 3 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin
March 22 – 5 Gray Whales
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