San Diego's whale watching season runs from January through the end of March--when California Gray Whales migrate along the San Diego coastline on their way to Baja California from the Bering Sea.
Whale watching tours depart daily and are offered by San Diego Harbor Excursions at 1050 N. Harbor Drive and Hornblower Cruises at 1066 N. Harbor Drive. The tours are fully narrated, approximately three and half hours in length and offer close-up views of the mammoth California Gray Whale.
Bring your sea-legs because San Diego whale watching is a real open-sea adventure! The tours head out through the calm waters of San Diego Harbor, but once on the open sea the boats pitch and roll to the rhythm of the ocean swells and you can feel the salty sea air against your skin.
Essential items for whale watching include a warm jacket, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, binoculars, camera, water and sea-sick pills. Food and drink go for a "pirates ransom" on the tour boats so bring snacks and drinks along or enjoy a meal before boarding.
Our whale watching tour was on a bright beautiful day in January, a little chilly so our jackets were welcome company. The tour started with a leisurly cruise through San Diego Harbor. The harbor has many interesting sights of its own, including panoramic views of the downtown skyline, close up views of the aircraft carriers stationed at North Island and commanding views of Pt. Loma, home to Cabrillo National Monument and San Diego's Naval Submarine Base.
Soon after leaving the harbor, our skilled captain spotted whales breaching off the starboard bow and he set a course to intercept. The tour boat captains are very skilled at spotting whales and know just where to find them. It is extremely rare for tours to return without sighting whales. After the initial sighting, our captain maneuvered the boat close to a pod of whales, keeping a safe distance so as not to frighten or injure them. As the boat closed in on the pod, we began seeing the tell-tale mist of whales blowing water out of their blow-holes. Then the prize everyone was waiting for--a female Gray Whale fully breached the surface, exposing her tail in a display the captain referred to as a "fluke". The whale's "fluke" was beautifully silhouetted against the sun which was setting to the west. Words can hardly describe the thrill you feel seeing such a magnificent creature in its natural environment.
Our boat followed the pod for 30 minutes--affording many closeup views of breaching whales and spectacular displays of water spraying out of blow holes--looking like geysers. Along the way we also spotted a group of White-Sided Dolphins, playfully following our boat and showing off by flying out of the water--like a show at SeaWorld.
After plenty of sightings and photo opportunities, we headed back to San Diego Harbor, through the narrow opening near the tip of Point Loma (look for the light house on the shore to the north). Being an afternoon tour, sunlight lit up the downtown skyscrapers with a golden light that reflected a dazzling array of bright, colorful lights. Keep your camera handy, there are many outstanding photo opportunities as the tours pass through the harbor on their way to the marinas near downtown.
Our boat gently docked. As we disembarked several passengers shared their amazement at sighting such beautiful creatures living in their natural environment. A good time was had by all and there were no cases of "sea sickness" on our tour.
Approximately 25,000 gray whales pass San Diego in their 7,000 mile annual migration. Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy one of San Diego's least known but favorite attractions.
San Diego Harbor Excursion
Map & Directions to whale watching tours
