The State - News from Oct. 15, 1985

A huge humpback whale first sighted a few days ago in the Oakland Harbor has made its way to the Pittsburg Marina, Bay Area authorities said. “It’s definitely a confused animal,” said Jan Roletto, curator of Sausalito’s Marine Mammal Center. A spokesman for the Pittsburg police said the 40- to 50-foot whale was spotted traveling west toward Martinez. The whale first was sighted last Thursday. On Saturday, it moved to the Berkeley Marina and then was herded to Angel Island by the Coast Guard, Roletto said. From there it went to San Pablo Bay. The whale poses no threat to ships or people, Roletto said. The only danger to the whale is shallow water because it could beach itself at low tide. Roletto said the Coast Guard and members of the Marine Mammal Center will continue to try and steer the whale away from shallow water. “As long as it stays in deep water, there’s not a lot we can or will do,” she said.