From the zoo to the surrounding terrain, San Diego is known for its gorgeous array of diverse opportunities to see wildlife. The extreme biomes present, from the ocean to the chaparral, creates the perfect environment for a variety of wildlife to thrive. One of these opportunities presented by the land of San Diego is whale watching.
San Diego is renowned for its year-round whale watching opportunities, with different species having various peak seasons for sightings.
For Gray whales, January and February are the peak months for sightings as Gray whales make their migration from the Arctic down to Baja California. San Diego is a great location for sightings due to the deep offshore waters of the Pacific.
In February of this year, on a tour with San Diego Whale Watch, I had the opportunity to view two Gray whales. This Valentine’s Day did not only bring the human couples together this year as we had the opportunity to witness the Gray whales courtship rituals.
The whales were accompanied by a pod of Bottlenose dolphins. Bottlenose Dolphins are a sight in San Diego year round but are generally more active in the late-spring until the early-fall.
Other sights on the whale watching boats offered by San Diego Whale Watch include Blue whales in June until September. They also see Humpback whales in March, April, October and November.
Whale watching is quite the adventure, but it comes at a high price. To ensure the best experience for their customers, San Diego Whale Watch offers viewers a second chance if they fail to see whales the first time.
For first-timers going whale watching, I recommend wearing lots of warm layers. It may be warm on the boat near the coast, but once you reach the open ocean it can get very cold and windy onboard.
If you are prone to motion sickness dramamine is a must. It can get very rocky when the boat is stationary. This can make even the strongest of stomachs turn so to ensure you don’t get sick take some an hour before just in case.
I also recommend bringing binoculars as sighting whale spouts can be very difficult with the naked eye.
Lastly, I recommend bringing your patience with you throughout the whole experience. It can take a while to see anything, but the team on board is working their hardest to find that wildlife and give you the opportunity to see whales.
