Whale watching along the Oregon coast is a spectacular event, all through the year, and especially during the two annual Whale Watch Weeks. The peak sessions are in Spring, in the last week of March and in winter, in the week after Christmas. Enthusiasts all over the world throng along this stretch of the Pacific to spot migrating gray whales in their regular journeys along the Oregon coast.
Whale Watch Week announced
The Whale Watch week for Winter 2017 will be from 27 to 31 December and for Spring 2018, it will be from 24 to 31 March.
While the whales travel from the south toward the warm lagoons of Baja Mexico, about 20,000 gray whales that can stretch about 40–50 feet, weighing around 27 metric tons, and reaching up to 12 ft can be seen during mid-December and January.
Choose a Spot to Enjoy the Audible Jaw Clapping or See the Tail Extension
Of the many whale watching locations, Ecola State Park and Neahkahnie Mountain Historic Marker Turnout on Highway 101 are the best to see the head slapping whale!
Ecola State Park has emerged as one of the most famous views of the Oregon coast, providing several miles of picnic areas and hiking trails ideal for whale watchers. Neahkahnie Mountain viewpoint is remarkable for its views and to watch the spectacular spyhopping or breaching whale!
Spot That Spouting Whale
If you look too hard at one place, it is easy to miss the whale. Look for the spray from the blow holes of the whale, look closely near the shore, and scan the ocean slowly across left and right. Focus your mind on the medium distance and look intently on the ocean.
Watch the whale using a binocular when the wind is calm. When you see a puff of white, lift your binocular and focus your eyes at that point. You are lucky if you can spot a lobtailing whale or the misty spray from the blow hole of a gray whale.
Gray whales are slow swimmers. They swim about 3–5 miles per hour. Be patient to watch their array of behaviors. Book a boat and enjoy a whale watching experience.
Whale Watching Spoken Here®
The Whale Watching Spoken Here® program fields trained volunteers who are available to answer questions from visitors and guide them in spotting the whales for an enjoyable experience.
Summer Hours: Open every day 10:00 AM through 4:00 PM
For the latest updates, please email Whale.watching@oregon.gov or call 541-765-3304.
Sources:
Oregon State Parks
Visit the Oregon Coast.com
Ecola State Park
Wild Bird Shop.com