Whale watching season begins

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- For some nature enthusiasts, the best gift comes the

day after Christmas.

Wednesday was the official open of whale-watching season -- an

opportunity for just about anyone to get a glimpse of one of nature’s

gargantuan wonders.

“For most people, this is the only chance you’ll get to see a mammal

this size in its own natural environment,” said Robert Woodbury of

Newport Landing Sportfishing, which hold whale-watching tours through the

first week of April.

Throughout the winter, gray whales migrate from their Alaska homes to

lagoons in Mexico to mate and give birth. The buoyancy of the warm,

high-salt-content waters create the ideal environment for the babies to

learn to swim, Woodbury said.

Newport Landing and Davey’s Locker are Newport Beach’s two

sportfishing companies that offer whale-watching excursions. Both tour

operators rely on eyesight rather than sonar to locate the whales, with

crew and passengers alike scanning the sea for the telltale sign -- a

wisp of what looks like steam but is actually a whale-sized exhalation

from a blowhole.

“It’s very entertaining when we sight them,” said Steve Levy of

Davey’s Locker. “They’re part of the earth’s heritage -- these mammals

have been around an awful long time. They’re endangered. They’re really

something to see.”

Gray whales are the only ones that migrate. But whale-watching season

on the Pacific Coast can bring some other surprises, too, like the

occasional humpback or killer whale and sometimes plenty of dolphin. Levy

said that there were already some sightings reported before this year’s

season began.

“We’re encouraged about how successful it’s going to be this year,” he

said.

FYI

Davey’s Locker and Newport Landing each offer two whale-watching trips

on weekdays and three per day on weekends. Cost is about $14 or $15 for

adults, with reduced rates for children, seniors and groups.

For more information, call Davey’s Locker at (949) 673-1434 or Newport

Landing at (949) 675-0550.