0 North Bound 0 South Bound 4.75 hrs Overcast with rain on and off most of the day with periods of sunshine for minutes changing to high gusty winds and dark stormy rain. Visibility was adequate for the time spent to observe whales despite the changing weather. Earlier one whale was spotted heading north 50 … Continue reading Rain On and Off: Tornado Alert and Flood Warnings
2 North Bound 0 South Bound 8.5 hrs Cloudy overcast day with rain, wind and heavy marine layer all day. Limited view of ocean with white out conditions at times. Still two whales were observed and documented including one whale without its fluke and last seen the day before passing Newport Beach. The whale was … Continue reading Flukeless Gray Whale Seen at Point Dume
One Gray Whale spotted despite rough pounding 3-5 ft surf with white caps to the horizon in all directions. The wind was sustained at 28mph with gusts clocking in over 38 mph via wind app that tracks wind in real time. The whale was seen in between the rough waves poking its head above water … Continue reading 28 mph Winds with 38 mph Gusts: One Gray Whale
Calm flat ocean 62 degrees wind 1-3 mph, perfect viewing conditions. Two south bound whales were seen in one sighting and observed for nearly 30 minutes as they migrated across the transect. .Strong yellow smog haze at horizon. A large pod of dolphins seen off shore and 5-7 coastal bottlenose dolphins hunting in the surf … Continue reading Two South Bound Gray Whales
High winds yesterday and overnight left piles of sand accumulation in the parking lot. Massive erosion at the base of the rock climbing wall to the base of the bluff at a right angle. Sand from within the rocky edge of the cliff is eroded and exposing large boulders with mossy sea grass and intertidal … Continue reading Surfing Dolphins, Sun Halo: No Gray Whales
Four gray whales observed migrating past Point Dume Today. Sunny 62 degrees with steady 5 mph wind started the day. After noon the wind picked up to a steady 10 mph with gusts 20+mph, strong enough to blow beach chairs up and over. Despite the rough choppy surf and white caps, a trio of local … Continue reading Four North Bound Gray Whales at Point Dume
Dark stormy overhead clouds with bright sunshine over land started the day with calm seas. Mild 1-3 mph winds that changed mid day as the winds picked up after noon to 18 +mph and gusts over 25 mph blowing sand into the air and accumulations in the lower lying areas including the parking lot. A … Continue reading Valentine’s Day 2023 No Gray Whales
0 North Bound 1 South Bound 4 hrs Cloudy overcast, 59 degrees, calm glassy ocean with clear sharp horizon. Parking lot remains open. One gray whale observed south bound six miles out.
0 North Bound 0 South Bound 3.75 hrs The parking lot is open to Point Dume State Beach! The self pay stations are finicky only accepting correct cash- no change. No gray whales observed today with rough choppy seas and gusty 25 mph winds. The beach erosion from recent winter storms is drastic. Huge portions … Continue reading Parking Lot is OPEN! No Gray Whales
Gate remains closed for parking lot at Point Dume State Beach Road repairs along Westward Road. Sun set sun dog- rainbow to right of the sun No gray whales observed in calm clear viewing conditions. The road crew finished what is hopefully the last repair and the parking lot will open this weekend. A gorgeous … Continue reading No Gray Whales at Sunset: Parking lot still closed!
0 North Bound 0 South Bound 3 hrs Sunny, blue skies 67 degrees, calm flat ocean with 0-3 mph winds. Entire horizon covered in yellow smog, blocking Santa Barbara Island and diminished views of Catalina. No Gray Whales seen despite perfect conditions. Dozens of Pelicans in squadrons flying north and back south over and over … Continue reading Clear Calm Seas, Parking Lot Remains Closed
Sunny, 64 degrees, clear skies, calm flat ocean with optimal viewing conditions. Yellow smog haze across the entire horizon and past the Channel Islands. No Gray whales observed despite perfect conditions. 150 + common dolphins one mile out, stampeding north. No updates on parking lot opening. Road in still closed to vehicles.
0 North Bound 2 South Bound 3.25 hrs 2 (?) whales Clear skies, sunny 60 degrees, no wind, calm flat ocean with views across the Santa Monica Bay. So clear words can be read on the cargo ships and the topography can be seen at the Channel Islands. The road remains closed to drive into … Continue reading Clear Views and Giant Coreopsis Bloom
Gusty wind and rough choppy surf with white caps to the horizon in all directions made spotting and tracking whales difficult today. Sand was blowing and accumulating in low lying areas making it difficult to look into the wind. No gray whales were sighted. The entrance to Point Dume Beach is still closed to vehicles … Continue reading Gusty Winds and Rough Surf
0 North Bound 2 South Bound 3.5 hrs Whispy Cirrus clouds at horizon, blue sky and sunshine overhead. Flat glassy ocean and 1-3 mph winds provided great viewing conditions. Two gray whales observed for an hour migrating south about two miles off shore. One of the pair fluked with every dive. A large stampede of … Continue reading Two Gray Whales South Bound
0 North Bound 0 South Bound 2 hrs The road into Point Dume Beach remains closed one more day. Pedestrians ok to walk in and many groups of beach goers made the trek despite the cooler temperature. Tractors remain and work was done to clean sand and remove debris on beach. Partly cloudy 62 degrees, … Continue reading Point Dume Beach Gate Closed to Vehicles – Pedestrians OK
0 North Bound 0 South Bound 1 Unknown 4 hours 3 REW North bound Point Dume Beach remains closed to cars at the end of Westward Rd, but walking in was allowed today. The restoration and repair of the beach, includes a new rip rap rock wall to fill in areas completed eroded by recent … Continue reading Point Dume Beach Road Remains Closed to Cars:Walks In OK
0 North Bound 0 South Bound 2.5 hrs Bright sunny clear sky, calm flat ocean, 64 degrees, slight breeze after a morning of strong gusty Santa Anna winds. No gray whales sightings despite perfect viewing conditions. No sea lions in sea lion cove. Two to three juvenile sea lions barking and taking turns as king … Continue reading Day 1 2023: No Gray Whales
10 North Bound 0 South Bound 6 hrs Wind 9-12 mph with gusts 15+mph. White caps and rough choppy surf. Sunny with stratus layer at the horizon. Ten northbound Gray Whales quickly migrated past the transect in four sightings including a quad, a trio, a pair and a solo. A juvenille California Towhee or Canyon … Continue reading Film Crew, Birds, Squirrels and Gray Whales
7 North Bound 0 South Bound 6 hrs Busy action packed day as migrating gray whales navigated through the hectic weekend water activities. A yellow smog haze of air pollution hugged the horizon from all vantage points. The ocean was calm with great visibility and low to no wind. A warm sunny 70 degrees felt … Continue reading World Wildlife Day and 7 Gray Whales Point Dume
4 North Bound 0 South Bound 3.25 hrs Clear sunny day with views of Catalina Island to the south and The Channel Islands to the north. Two sightings, one single in close but traveled through quickly. Next, a trio moved through coming in closer as it passed the transect them bearing out into the sun … Continue reading Four Gray Whales Point Dume
8 North Bound 0 South Bound 6.75 hrs A windy late winter day with rough choppy seas making it hard to spot and find whales, Gusts up to 20mph. Can you spot the gray whale blows in the photos below? Half of the whales seen today were underweight. The one below has sunken areas on … Continue reading 8 Gray Whales Point Dume
9 North Bound 0 South Bound 8.25 hrs Busy day with three different species of Cetacea Mysticeti also known as baleen whales, including, one fin whale, nine gray whales and a pair of humpback whales. The fin whale was seen early in the morning half a mile or more off shore followed by a pair … Continue reading Three Species of Cetacea Mysticeti Seen off Point Dume Including: Gray, Fin and Humpback Whales!
10 North bound 2 South bound 4.75 hours Sunny day with mild 3-5mph wind, later wind picked up 15-18 mph with 25+mph gusts. Two of the six sightings today came in close to shore delighting beachgoers with lots of rolling, back floating and head lifts as they slowly traveled along the transect. One whale had … Continue reading 12 Gray Whales and Injured Sea Lion
15 North Bound 0 South Bound 7.5 hrs Flat calm ocean with sparkles in sun line, wind 5-7mph, the horizon so sharp and clear the letters can be read on the cargo ships miles away. One Harbor Seal in surf today with a white identification patch, a site not seen everyday. The typical 12-15 coastal … Continue reading 15 Gray Whales, One Harbor Seal and “Belt of Venus” after Sunset
3 North Bound 0 South Bound 5.5hrs Dangerous rough choppy sea with white caps in all directions. Winds starting at 17-19 mph mid morning and ending with 30+mph winds by mid day, sand pelting, sticks and trash cans blowing, accumulating sand in parking lot. Later the news reported 40+mph winds and boats capsized up and … Continue reading Dangerous Gusty Wind and Rough Choppy Sea
26 North Bound 0 South Bound 6.5 hrs Sunny skies overhead with banks of clouds at horizon in all direction. Fast moving storm clouds brought drizzly rain drops. Fast moving whales in 17 sightings today! Most traveled right through not stopping but a couple did pass close enough to assess body composition revealing some healthy … Continue reading Drizzle, Wind and 26 Gray Whales March Fourth
0 Northbound 0 Southbound 1 unidentified whale 5 hours Mostly cloudy, over cast gray day, SE offshore wind 7-8 mph blowing a balloon bouquet past the transect heading north (west). One unidentified whale was spotted along the horizon. Another single whale was spotted earlier in the day, traveled through quickly without stopping by a reliable … Continue reading Gray Day with No Gray Whales
9 North Bound 0 South Bound 6.75 hrs Hazy shades of pink and yellow from smog and marine layer today, seen across the Santa Monica Bay to Port Hueneme. The ocean was flat and calm with 1-3 mph wind. A visiting group of whale census counters from the American Cetacean Society- Los Angeles (ACS-LA) were … Continue reading Breaching Gray Whale at Point Dume on a Pink and Yellow Hazy Day
Spyhop Lane 