With traditional lookouts closed, listed here are the most effective Bay Space spots to catch migrating grey whales
Gray whales have begun their winter migration along the California coast and offer Bay Area residents numerous opportunities to observe the majestic marine mammals for the next several months.
There’s just one catch: perhaps the best onshore location to see the migrating whales is closed for construction.
The historic lighthouse and observation deck at the westernmost tip of Point Reyes National Seashore – known among whale enthusiasts and amateurs as the best vantage point for spotting whales rounding the Bay Area waters – are banned because Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is one Major is going through overhaul.
Despite the closure, there are plenty of other places to spot the whales on their southern streak from the arctic waters of Alaska to the shallow lagoons of Baja California, said Carlo Arreglo, a park ranger at Point Reyes.
“This is the time of year to see these charismatic superstar mammals,” he said.
From Bodega Head to Muir Beach Overlook and Point Bonita in the Marin Headlands, the north coast offers numerous elevated vantage points. Within the city limits, Fort Funston and the Lands End Lookout have good ocean views to spot spouts.
To the south, the parking lots on either side of the Devil’s Slide Trail provide accessible whale watching. The beaches at Point Reyes have less visibility, but visitors can peek at some spills – and see giant elephant seals in their winter mating season.
Hundreds of gray whales pass through the Bay Area every day at the height of the south migration in January. Pregnant whales, due to give birth in the warm waters of the Baja, are the first to migrate, followed by thousands more in pods of two to five individuals. In spring, the whales begin their journey back to Alaska with their newborn calves.
Elevated lookouts offer the best chance of spotting whales in the water. Bodega Head and Point Reyes are good bets as the whales use the protruding geography to navigate the coast, but the whales are visible from other coastal areas as well.
First, said Arreglo, scan the ocean for clouds of steam – these are the whales that exhale when they emerge for breath. The blowhole is the first part of the body to rise out of the water, followed by the back and tail as the whale dives beneath the surface in one graceful motion.
“Bring binoculars, it’ll help,” said Bill Keener, a whale researcher at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito.
While whale runs can be spotted at any time of the day, Keener prefers to set off in the morning hours when the sun is angled off the water. Direct sunlight can make the whales difficult to spot.
The fact that gray whales can still be seen on the California coast – let alone in their thousands – is a small miracle, according to experts. The 40-ton marine mammals were near endangered by the 1930s, but their numbers began to recover with the decline in commercial whaling. Gray whales are now protected by international protection measures.
“California is one of the few places in the world where you can see multiple species of whales,” said Keener. “It’s an amazing wildlife opportunity right off our coast.”
Some local families have turned to whale watching, said Nancy Black, a marine biologist who runs the Monterey Bay Whale Watch. The company has done tours at half capacity, wiped surfaces, and practiced social distancing.
“It’s great – people usually get bored at home,” said Black.
Black noted that whale migration began a few weeks later that year, a trend she believes was due to climate change. Scientists studying gray whales say the warming of the arctic waters could change the whales’ feeding and migration habits. Climate change has also been cited as a possible culprit for the mass extinction, which resulted in an unusually high number of whale victims last year when more than a dozen carcasses washed up on the shores of the Bay Area.
Boats pass each other near Bodega Head in Bodega Bay, California on Wednesday, December 23, 2020. Bodega Head is a popular place for whale watching.Paul Chinn / The Chronicle
Changed marine ecosystems worry Keener and his colleagues at the Marine Mammal Center. The harmful algae that thrive in warmer waters could pose problems for all marine life, he said, not just gray whales. Therefore, he feels compelled to raise awareness about the whales in order to protect them from future damage.
“These are some of the largest animals that have ever lived on the planet,” he said. “They live a different life than land mammals. They give birth underwater. They have big brains. They have these amazing migrations, ”said Keener.
Arreglo is also impressed by the mysterious mammals that live mostly invisible under the sea surface and pass giants that endure even though humans have hunted them almost to extinction.
“These massive creatures have a sense of mystery,” he said. “There is something to be said to have a secret in our life.”
Nora Mishanec is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: nora.mishanec@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NMishanec
If the Point Reyes lighthouse and observation deck are closed, here are 10 alternative locations in the Bay Area where you may be able to catch gray whales that are migrating this season:
Muir Beach overlooks the Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Point Bonita in the Marin Headlands
Mori Point in Pacifica
Fort Funston in San Francisco
Devil’s Slide Trail off Highway 1 between Pacifica and Montara
Bodega Depart from Bodega Bay on the Sonoma County coast
Limantour Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore
Drakes Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore
North Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore
Lands End Lookout in San Francisco
See more
