Whalewatching - Point Reyes National Seashore
Posted by: 
DougK
N 37° 59.890 W 123° 00.738
10S E 498920 N 4205612
This sign is near the parking lot for the trail to the Point Reyes Light House Visitor Center. It describes how this high location can be an excellent viewpoint to watch gray whales below in the Pacific Ocean.
Waymark Code: WM9D4F
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 08/03/2010
Views: 7
This sign is near the parking lot for the trail to the
Point Reyes Light House. It describes how this high location can be an excellent viewpoint to watch gray whales below in the Pacific Ocean.
"California gray whales pass Point Reyes on their seasonal migrations, and often you can see them from this area. The best views are from high ground near water where you can look down as well as out to sea.
In the Spring whales stay close to shore. Look for them just beyond the breakers off the beaches, or next to the rocky walls of the Point Reyes Headlands. Whales pass in the Winter also, but they are usually further offshore.
Spot gray whales by their spouts - air exhaled through their blowholes that rises 10-15 feet and condenses into a while vapor.
Gray whales travel in pods of three or more. Their swimming pattern consists of a series of short dives with spouting, followed by a deeper dive lasting several minutes. By counting spouts you can plot their progress. Gray whales swim at a good walking pace - about 4-5 m.p.h."