OUTDOOR EXPLORING: Our Adventure Mermaid guide takes us Whale Watching

A Whale

of a Tail Story & Photos by Roberta Lenert

March is here, bringing one of the most exciting times of the year: whale watching season!

Have you ever wanted to see a whale up close? If so, you live in THE perfect place — San Diego ranks as one the top destinations in the entire world to view the magnifi cent California gray whales. San Diego’s beautiful 70 mile long coastline falls right along their migratory path as the gray whales travel south from the frigid Bering Sea to the warm, tropical waters of Baja California. Every year starting in September and October, over 20,000 gray whales make their annual journey south, traveling approximately fi ve miles per hour and averaging about 75 miles a day. The gray whales are heading to the protected lagoons of Baja California to give birth in the warm waters. The Baja lagoons are an ideal spot for the calves to be raised as it is shallow, safe from killer whales and protected from boats. The mother-and-calf pairs will stay in the Baja lagoons for approximately two to three months before making their journey north. The tropical water in the lagoons helps keep the babies warm while they develop their thick layer of blubber, which is essential for energy to swim during their long migration back up the coast.

Gray whales are organized and travel in a very particular order. First down the coast are the pregnant females, which are known as cows. Next is the largest group consisting of males, or bulls, juveniles and non-pregnant females. Like other baleen whales, gray whales tend to travel in small pods of two to fi ve whales. When the gray whales head back north, the mothers and their new calves are the last to leave Baja.

How to Spot a Gray Whale

A Big Breach and Splash: Whales use their powerful fl ukes to launch themselves out of the water and into their air, providing a gigantic splash on the way back down! Whales breach for several reasons, including just to be playful, to knock parasites from their skin such as lice and barnacles, to show themselves as attractive and strong or to escape from a predator below. Whale Tail or Fluke: As gray whales dive down you will see their beautiful tail fl uke, sometimes measuring as large as nine feet across. Gray whales can dive for up to 25 minutes to a depth of 500 feet to feed off the bottom and can start their dives with great force. As the tail submerges under the water it will leave a tail print, or perfectly smooth circle of water, in the sea. The Big Spout of Water: Gray whales can expel water from their blowhole in spouts that range from six to 10 feet in height. The spout is made as the whale exhales warm air that meets the cooler temperature of the air outside. As the air mixes, it condenses and appears to be a spout of water! All baleen whales, including gray whales, have two blowholes and their spouts are heart shaped. The other group of whales is the toothed whale, and they have just one blowhole.

Spy-hopping: At times, gray whales may stick their heads vertically out of the water to look around while kicking with their fl uke to keep their head above water.

Flagship Cruises: The Best Whale Watching Tour for Families and the Nature Enthusiast

Depart: 990 N. Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101 Times: Morning Cruise - 9:00am - 1:15pm Afternoon Cruise - 1:00pm - 5:00pm Prices: $45 - $50 Adult $40-$45 Senior/Military $22-$25 Child. Kids under 3 free w/ adult.

Tickets are available at fl agshipsd.com or at the kiosk located at 990 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101, or call (619) 234-4111.

One of the reasons I love Flagship Cruises so much is that their whale watching tour is not only thrilling, but educational as well! Flagship has naturalists from Birch Aquarium onboard that discuss and display gray wWhale baleen,wWhale lice and additional facts about the local marine life.

Whale sightings are guaranteed! If you do not see a whale on your 3-hour tour, your next tour is free!

San Diego Whale Watching Tours by Hornblower: The best whale watching for comfort with air-conditioned indoors or an open, sunny top deck

Depart: Pier Two, 970 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego CA. 92101 Times: Morning Cruise 9:15am - 1:00pm Afternoon Cruise 1:15pm - 5:00pm Prices: $50 Adult $48 Military $37.50 Child. Kids under 3 are free. Tickets are available at https://www.cityexperiences.com/san-diego/ or call (855) 253-7943.

Onboard the Hornblower you will encounter naturalists from the San Diego Natural History Museum who will narrate the cruise. If you are apt to get motion sickness, this cruise promises the smoothest ride on the sea due to special stabilizers and has the largest open-air sun deck of all San Diego tours.

Whale sightings are guaranteed, or you will receive a free pass that can be redeemed for a Whale Watching Cruise or Harbor Cruise from City Cruises San Diego.

Pro tip: Always check Groupon for amazing deals throughout the whale watching season!

While heading out on your whale watching adventure, make sure to get a good spot in the front if you want to have a chance to see dolphins racing under the bow of the ship. Keep your eyes open and your cameras ready as you might make some incredible sightings on your journey. Be sure to look for California sea lions, harbor seals, brown pelicans, humpback whales, minke whales, blue whales, common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. Sometimes if you are really lucky you might get to observe Mola Molas and Orcas!

What to bring on a whale watching tour

- Sunglasses - Hat - Sunscreen - Binoculars (though the ships often have some loaners aboard) - Cameras - Reusable water bottles - Flat, comfortable shoes - Wear layers to prepare for weather variations

Cabrillo National Monument:

You can also look for whales while staying on dry land. Explore Cabrillo National Monument, which is famous for its amazing panoramic view of San Diego and our coastline from Coronado to Mexico. The site also boasts beautiful, protected tide pools and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse.

The hidden treasure of Cabrillo is the Kelp Forest Outlook Loop, located just past the famous Point Loma Lighthouse. Go past the lighthouse and follow the paved pathway, which will lead you right to the covered outlook that provides panoramic views of the Pacifi c. You can use their built-in super binoculars to look for any whales passing by. You may also check out a pair of binoculars from the Visitor Center information desk with a picture ID. Make sure you check the schedule for ranger talks that might help you have a successful whale sighting.

Photo taken by Roberta Lenert at the entrance to the Cabrillo National Monument Visitor Center.

Address: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr, San Diego, CA 92106 Prices: Vehicle Permit (incl. all passengers): $20 Individual Permit: $10 Groups of up to four people walking in or on bicycles are capped at $20 total. Every Kid Outdoors Annual Pass: Free for all 4th Grade students for the year.

Annual Pass for US Military: Free.

Senior Annual Pass: $20

Access Pass: Free. Lifetime admission and discount pass for US citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities.

Photo taken by Roberta Lenert of the beautiful bronze statue that was sculpted by Carl Glowienke in 1992 and depicts a gray whale and her calf. Directly behind the sculpture is a replica of the backbone of a gray whale showing the massive size of this marine mammal. Look for this sign to lead you to the Kelp Forest Overlook Loop. In the center of the loop, you will fi nd the amazing lookout complete with built-in binoculars to help you spot the migrating gray whales.

One of the amazing built-in binoculars, perfectly positioned for optimal viewing of the Pacifi c and the giant kelp forest. Make sure you take time to read the fun facts about the Giant Kelp Forest on the display boards. A beautiful pathway located next to the Kelp Forest Overlook leads to another smaller lookout vantage point.

When you arrive at Cabrillo National Monument, stop in at the Visitor Center and participate in their Junior Ranger program that teaches kids to explore, learn and protect. Your kids will receive a Guide Workbook to fi ll out on their journey around Cabrillo. Once the guide is complete, turn it in to a Ranger at the Visitor’s Center to get your well-deserved sticker and Cabrillo National Monument Junior Ranger Badge.

Amazing Gray Whale Facts

Gray whales have the longest distance migration of any mammal. Gray whales travel 12,000 miles from arctic feeding grounds to warm, protected breeding and birthing grounds. Gray whales travel their route past San Diego heading south between January and February, and heading back north between March and April. They mostly travel in the shallow waters along the coastline.

Gray whales are bottom feeders. They dive down to the ocean fl oor and roll over on one side while swimming slowly to scoop up sediment and the small creatures within it. They use their baleen to fi lter out food, such as tube worms and amphipods, as they expel the sediment and water. The gray whale will then use its tongue to loosen food from its baleen and swallow. If you see a trail of brown behind a gray whale, it is all the sediment that they have fi ltered out through their baleen.

Gray whales are one side dominant, like a human is righthanded or left-handed. The trick to knowing which side each whale prefers is close observation of their skin. If most of the barnacles and whale lice are cleaned off of one side, that is the side they prefer to turn on as they glide along the bottom of the ocean fl oor while feeding.

Gray whale averages: -Length: 35-50 feet -Weight: 60,000-75,000 pounds -Lifespan: 50-70 years

• Adventure Mermaid: Roberta Lenert lives in the Coronado Cays with her husband Ron and their two children Kailani (15) and Cameron (13). Roberta teaches marine biology, zoology and robotics. She is an ocean and animal activist, curator of The Mermaid Organic Garden and a passionate water woman! You can visit her online at www.MermaidRoberta.com.