Whales Breaching off Westport Marina

More than 20,000 California gray whales swim along the Washington coast from March to the end of May every year on their 5,000 mile trek from Baja to the Bering Sea. Gray whales up to 52 feet long and weighing up 36 tons can be seen just off Westport marina.

Westport locals say to bring binoculars for the best onshore whale watching from the beach at Westport Light State Park. Or visitors can reserve ahead for one of the Westport whale watching excursions that often find gray whales just outside the marina entrance.

Whale watching excursion boats are based in the Westport marina, taking visitors on a 2-2 ½ hour cruise to view gray whales from the water at a safe distance. All of whale-watching boats are fully US Coast Guard certified and inspected, and have the latest safety equipment onboard.

Westport excursion skippers often see whales returning year after year like ‘Old Spot,’ the elder male, who generally shows up early in the season. Gray whales are mainly seen just outside Westport harbor in a place locals call ‘The Whale Hole’ where they rest on their journey north.

Westport is located on the Washington coast in Grays Harbor County where boat building, sport fishing, and commercial fishing traditions dating back to the turn of the century live side by side with surfers catching waves on Half Moon Bay, and fun along Westport’s 18-mile sandy beach. Visitors can tour the Westport Maritime Museum, enjoy ocean views from the South Beach jetty and the Westport Viewing Tower, or the historic Gray’s Harbor Lighthouse, Washington’s tallest and third tallest lighthouse on the Pacific Coast.

Whale Watching off the Westport Coast

This past weekend, as we were recovering from an amazing Cleanwater Classic, and enjoying the fabulous weather on the beach in front of Westport by the Sea, we noticed something that we've heard a lot about but never witnessed first hand - a pod of grey whales. It's a little hard to describe, and if I didn't see it with my own eyes, I probably would not have believed how close they were to shore - maybe 200 feet. Close enough to see the barnacles on their skin!

Since Sunday, we have heard from many neighbors that the Whales have been spotted offshore along the beach from the Jetty south all week long. It's an amazing sight, and one well worth the drive. I was not able to catch a picture, since you're never quite sure where they will surface, and I'm simply not that patient.

Here is a link the Washington Department of Ecology page on whale migrations off the Washington Coast, as well as the American Cetacean Society Gray Whale Page. Hope you can see these special creatures yourself!

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/coast/animals/gray_whale.html
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/graywhl.htm