Whale Watching in Depoe Bay, Oregon
Every spring and fall thousands of people flock to the Depoe Bay, Oregon to watch the Pacific gray whales that are on migrations of their own. Some might query who is watching whom. Those who have seen a pod in motion, the spume in the air, the backs, the fins raised out of the water as if to wave hello, keep coming back for more.
The gray whale was once an endangered species, but protection measures have brought the great sea creatures back to healthy numbers. The species was removed from the endangered species list in 1994. The whales migrate each year, about 12,000 miles (19,311 km) round-trip, from northern waters off Alaska to the Gulf of California in Mexico, and back.
Watchers can spot them on their way north in the spring, or returning south in the fall and early winter. The pods usually stay close to land, generally from one-half mile to three miles (.8 km - 4.8 km) offshore. In the fall and winter, the groups of two to 10 individuals are led by pregnant females on their route south. The whales winter over in shallow Mexican waters where the mother whales give birth to their young. In late winter and early spring the whales head back north, where the young will feed and grow in the Bering and Chukchi seas.
Some gray whales take up year 'round residence on the Oregon coast. Several remain in the shallow waters off of Depoe Bay, where the nearby feeding grounds are excellent. The whales live on krill, a small shrimp-like creature, that inhabits the mud flats and kelp in the area around Depoe Bay. Watchers can see them diving for food in the area off the Depoe Bay sea wall and in an area about one mile south called Rocky Creek State Park.
During the Christmas and spring school vacations and in the fall, the Oregon Parks Department and the Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife join private sponsors to conduct whale watching weeks. Volunteer interpreters are on hand from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at locations on the coast to help the novices spot the whales. Look for signs that say "Whale Watching Spoken Here." The best place to see the migration is from any elevated location. Early morning, before the wind begins to below, is the best time to glimpse the shooting vapor the whales expurgate after a dive. Keep watching the place where the spout rose from, and you may soon see the dark back of a whale as it comes up for a breath. Lucky viewers sometimes see them spy hopping (when they stick their heads out of the sea) or breaching (when the whale jumps out of the water and falls back in with a great splash.)
Many people prefer to see the great gray whale close up. Charter boat companies in Depoe Bay conduct regular whale-watching tours, when weather permits.
Charter Companies:
Tradewinds Charters, (541) 765-2345
Dockside Charters, (541) 765-2545
Depoe Bay Ocean Charters, (541) 765-3474
Sunset Scenic Flights, (541) 764-3304
Whale Research Excursions (541) 912-6734
www.whalewatchresearchexcursions.com
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