Whale watchers received a treat, as a mother gray whale and her calf were noticed frolicking along the coastline near Dana Point earlier this month.
On May 7, the mammal and what is assumed to be her offspring drew a crowd as they appeared to be having a wonderful time along the coastline stretching from the Dana Point Harbor to Laguna Beach. Whale watching is a popular tourist attraction for Dana Point and, with the assistance of brochure printers, visitors can become informed about whale watching opportunities and the various whales they may see.
The mother and child, accompanied by perhaps a third adult female whale, were first observed at noon on day by one of Dana Wharf Sports Fishing and Whale Watching’s whale watch captains, Todd Mansur. The whales left the harbor to continue playing “whale games” toward the Dana Point Headlands and were spotted by Mansur later at South Laguna’s Three Arch Bay, and finally at Moss Point in Laguna.
Calves, born in Baja lagoons, must accompany their mothers on a three-month journey to reach their feeding grounds in Alaska’s Bearing Sea. Mother gray whales keep their calves close to the shoreline to protect them from predators. Frolicking with them encourages the development of the strong muscles, which they will need for the more arduous parts of their trip.
