HINTS FOR SUCCESSFUL WHALEWATCHING
First Look for a "Blow"
Gray whales in a gray sea can be hard to see. Look for a double-plumed, misty jet of vapor. Up to 10 feet high, it can often be seen against the horizon. Contrary to popular belief, this blow is not a fountain of water, but a mist that condenses from the warm moist air as it is expelled under pressure from the lungs.
Rhythmic Breathing Patterns Help in Predicting When a Whale Will Surface
Normally gray whales will make three to five short, shallow dives, of less than a minute each, and then a long deep dive. This repeated breathing pattern enables the whale to store up oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide built up during the long dive. A general rule is one short dive and blow for every minute spent in a deep dive.
Showing of Tail Flukes Signals Deep Dive
After making a series of short surface dives, the whale makes a deep dive lasting from three to five minutes. Dipping its head and lifting the flukes entirely out of the water, it uses the thrust and weight of its tail to plunge downward.
"Footprints" Mark Whales' Movements
When a whale is swimming just below the surface, the powerful up and down movement of its tail boils the water and leaves a tell-tale "footprint" on the surface. This disturbance looks like an oil slick, and in calm water marks a clear path to follow.
OTHER BEHAVIORS TO WATCH FOR:
Spyhopping
Poking their heads up out of the water and hovering there with the eye exposed is a behavior frequently seen. It is believed that the whale is visually orienting itself or just looking around above the surface.
Breaching
A breach is a spectacular sight you won't soon forget. The whale rises completely out of the water, turns sideways and then falls slowly backward, landing in an explosion of flying water. They may do this to knock parasites loose (except the barnacles, which are deeply imbedded in the skin), or it may be a courtship display, a signaling device, or just an outpouring of exuberant energy.
Courting Trios
Occasionally three or more animals are seen together, rolling slowly about in the same spot - oblivious to all observers. Such groups quite often consist of a courting or mating couple and an assisting extra male.
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Last updated February 12, 1996.