I’m in weekly contact with boat captains in CenCal and NorCal as part of my work for a fishing and hunting publication. Naturally, the skippers and I talk about everything two skippers generally like to talk about.
We all love whales, so when the peak southward gray whale migration hits its peak in January, we get excited.
A skipper in Bodega Bay told me this week that he is seeing peak numbers right now. Considering the speed of the whales, that puts the vanguard rounding Point Conception now and bigger numbers coming in the weeks ahead. Time to begin whale watching!
On my charters with my boat, I’ve seen many of the southward-moving whales shoot the gaps between the Channel Islands (especially the gap between Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands.
The reason is simple — those whales are on their way to a whale of a party off the coast of Baja, and shooting the gaps between the islands is the most direct course. Whales are master navigators.
Many of the leviathans will cruise along the mainland coast and not worry about fancy navigation.
Whalewatch boats like Condor Express which range far and fast, can find those big critters that shoot the gaps. Coastal explorers like Double Dolphin and Sunset Kidd are options for meeting and greeting the whales that cruise the coastline.
When we humans are on our way to an epic party, we tend to be focused on getting there in a hurry, with as few detours as possible, right? The same holds true with the whales. They have an awesome time at their annual warmwater party.
Those waters off Baja must seem like a hot tub, compared to the frigid northern waters they just left, so they want to get there without delay.
After they party hardy and begin cruising back up the coast in late winter and early spring, the whales are a bit more lethargic and take their time. That equates to even better viewing opportunities
The best of all is when we see a momma gray whale and her new calf, because she keeps to the coast where they can duck into the kelp beds to hide, should major predators such as orcas appear.
I remember one April charter when we were moving along at trolling speed, filleting our customers’ catch of fish. A momma and calf gray whale came along and decided to move in close to travel with us.
We were moving at a comfortable speed and we provided some cover, so momma whale probably thought of us as a safety enhancement. It truly was a special encounter and I’ll always cherish the memory.
I recommend you get out on the water this season and create some wonderful memories.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
