Going Where Whales Watch You

The annual migration of the gray whales along the Southern California coast isn’t as famous as the Parade of Roses, but you have three months to watch the show.

Two dozen boat companies have begun their annual watching cruises that continue into April. Open-party vessels go in search of the 40-ton, 40-foot leviathans every weekend and some weekdays from most Southland ports.

During the two-to four-hour outings at sea, you’re almost invariably bound to see some of the marathon travelers that make the 10,000-mile round trip from the Bering Sea to Baja.

Now estimated to number as many as 13,000, the immense yet graceful cetaceans put on quite a show. Look for spouting, fluking and even breeching, when the whales propel their multi-ton bodies out of the water.

Take along binoculars and a telephoto lens for the best views and photos. Also dress warmly for the ocean outing and pack a few refreshments; some of the boats have galleys and serve drinks and snacks.

Here is a port-by-port summary of public whale-watching excursions from local harbors. Be sure to make reservations because boat capacities vary.

Confirm departure times when you phone, and get directions to the pier. (The area code is 213 unless indicated.)

San Pedro: In Los Angeles Harbor, four companies offer trips. At Berth 79 you can board Ports O’ Call Sportfishing vessels at 9, 10, 11:30 a.m. and 12:30, 2 and 3 p.m. on weekends. The 100-passenger boats also depart at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays. Adult fare is $8; children 12 and under, $5. Phone 547-9916.

From Berth W33 at Ports O’ Call Village an 85-foot sailing schooner, the Spirit, looks for whales every day at 9 a.m., noon and 2:45 p.m. A complimentary continental breakfast is served on the first daily trip. Passengers who don’t see any whales are invited to return on another trip without charge. Adults pay $12.50; children 12 and under, $7.50. Call 831-1073.

Also in Ports O’ Call Village, at the Village Boat House near the Skytower, Los Angeles Harbor Cruises vessels depart daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. A place on the 100- to 125-passenger boats costs $10; children 2 to 12, $5. Phone 831-0996.

Nearby at Skipper’s 22nd Street Landing, 141 West 22nd St., whale-watch trips operate at 9, 10, 11:30 a.m. and 12:30, 2:30, 3:30 p.m. on weekends. Weekday departure times are 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Adults can board the 125-passenger boats for $9, kids 15 and under for $6.50. Call 832-8304.

Long Beach: Catalina Cruises takes some of its triple-deck ferry boats off regular runs to Catalina Island to host up to 525 passengers on whale trips. They are the largest craft used for viewing whales, and their 25-foot-high top decks offer excellent vantage points for seeing the grand gray mammals. The outings last three hours and begin from the Catalina Landing near downtown Long Beach.

Trips depart at 11:30 a.m. today and next weekend. Every weekend from Jan. 18 through March 16, departures are at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Trips also are scheduled on various weekdays at 10 a.m. from Jan. 24 through March 14. Adults pay $8.75, senior citizens $7.75, and children 2 through 11, $6. Call Catalina Cruises at (213) 775-6111 or 514-3838, or (714) 527-7111.

Also from Long Beach Harbor, Queen’s Wharf Sportfishing sets out at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily. The 80- to 120-passenger vessels leave from Berth 55 off Pico Avenue. Fares are $8 for adults, $6.50 for children 4 to 15. Phone 432-8993.

At Belmont Shores off Ocean Boulevard at Termino Avenue, the 140-passenger boat of Belmont Pier Sportfishing makes a daily three-hour whale-watch outing. It departs at 11 a.m. Friday and weekends, and 10 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Saturday and Sunday trips cost $8; kids 12 and under, $5; weekday fares are $6 and $4.50. Call 434-6781.

Redondo Beach: North of Long Beach and Los Angeles harbors, the 145-passenger Voyager embarks daily on whale excursions from Redondo Sportfishing pier at King Harbor. You can sail at 9:30 a.m. weekends, 10 a.m. weekdays and 1:30 p.m. every day. All tickets cost $5.50 on weekdays. Weekend fares are $7.50 for adults, $5.50 for ages 11 and younger. Phone 372-2111.

Marina del Rey: Captain Frenchy’s Happy Man sails with up to 149 passengers in search of cetaceans on weekends at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., weekdays at 10 a.m. The three-hour weekend and four-hour weekday trips depart from Dock 52 on Fiji Way. Adults pay $10; children 12 and under, $7.50. Call 822-3625.

Oxnard: Cisco Sportfishing vessels head from Channel Islands Harbor across the Santa Barbara Channel to Anacapa Island for whale watching. Boats leave the pier at 4151 S. Victoria Ave. every weekend at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and weekdays at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $14; children 11 and under, $7. A pass for a free trip is issued if you fail to see a whale. Phone (805) 985-8511 or toll-free (800) 322-3474.

Ventura: Also venturing into Santa Barbara Channel to look for the leviathans are Island Packers’ boats that sail from Ventura Harbor Fridays and weekends at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Adult fares for the four-hour trips are $14; kids 12 and under, $7.

Or join an all-day excursion from Ventura Harbor to Anacapa Island with whale watching along the way. The motor vessel gets underway daily at 9 a.m. from Island Packers’ piers near the end of Spinnaker Drive. Adults pay $28, children $14.

A colorful alternative is to board Island Packers’ 80-foot schooner, Shearwater, for an all-day sailing trip to Anacapa. Departures are 8:30 a.m. Fridays and weekends. A naturalist accompanies the 18 passengers and lunch is included in the $60 per person fee. Also scheduled on weekends are all-day trips to Santa Cruz Island on other Island Packers boats. Call (805) 642-1393 or (805) 642-3370.

Santa Barbara: From the second week in February into April, when the gray whales are on their return journey to Alaska, Sea Landing’s Condor, Ge-ne or Slingshot set sail from Santa Barbara’s boat harbor. Board the boat at 9 a.m., noon or 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekends (also other weekdays by demand). The adult fare is $15; kids 12 and under, $8. Phone (805) 963-3564.

Call the same number to find out about the two-day nature trips this month from Santa Barbara via Point Conception to San Miguel Island, with whale watching en route. The $100-$115 fares include meals and a bunk aboard the boat.

Newport Beach: South of Los Angeles, whale watchers can put to sea from the Balboa Pavilion in Newport Beach Harbor. The 100-passenger Western Pride operated by Davey’s Locker sails at 1 p.m. daily and at 10 a.m. weekends. Also on weekends, the 149-passenger Freelance goes whale watching at 9 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m. Adults pay $8; kids 12 and under, $5. Call (714) 673-1434.

You also can look for gray whales aboard the 300-passenger Catalina Holiday on Friday and weekend runs from Newport Beach Harbor to Catalina Island. The vessel departs at 9 a.m. and begins its return from Avalon at 4:30 p.m. The round trip is $19.50; children, $10. Monday through Thursday the same boat makes local whale-watch cruises at 10 a.m. Adults $7; children 12 and under, $5. Call (714) 673-5245.

Dana Point: Dana Wharf Sportfishing boats depart every day from Dana Point Harbor at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. with whale watchers. During Dana Point’s annual Festival of Whales--Feb. 14-16, 21-23, Feb. 28-March 2 and March 7-9--viewing vessels will extend weekend departures to hourly from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fares are $7.50 for adults, $5 for senior citizens (weekdays only) and $5 for kids. Phone (714) 496-5794.

On Saturdays beginning Jan. 25, early morning whale trips from Dana Point are sponsored by the Orange County Marine Institute. The group meets at 7:15 a.m for a talk about gray whales by a marine biologist before the boat casts off. Adults pay $8; children, $7. Call (714) 496-2274 or (714) 831-3850.

Oceanside: The 20- to 150-passenger boats of Helgren’s Sportfishing leave Oceanside Harbor daily for whale excursions. Departures are 9 and 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekends and 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on weekdays. Adults pay $7; senior citizens and youth 13-16, $6, and children 12 and under, $5. Call (619) 722-2133. Smaller whale-watch boats also can be chartered.

San Diego: You’ll find half a dozen departure points in San Diego Harbor and Mission Bay for whale outings.

From Municipal Pier at Emerson and Scott streets, between Harbor and Shelter islands, H&M; Landing’s sportfishing boats depart at 9 a.m., noon and 2:30 p.m. weekends and 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays. Fares are $8.50 for adults, $6.50 for juniors 13-17 and $5 for children. Call (619) 222-1144.

On the same H&M; schedule above, the Apollo of Fisherman’s Landing sets sail from a neighboring pier. Adult fares are the same; children pay 50 cents more. Phone (619) 222-0391.

H&M; Landing also runs all-day trips to the Coronado Islands to view whales and other sea life. Boats leave Municipal Pier weekends at 9 a.m. for the eight-hour outings. The offshore island trip costs $25 for adults, $22 for juniors 13-17 and $18 for kids 12 and under. Call (619) 222-1144.

Also from Municipal Pier, Point Loma Sportfishing’s Holiday embarks at 9 a.m. on three-fourths-day excursions to the Coronado Islands Wednesday through Sunday. Adults pay $25; senior citizens and ages 13-15, $18, and children, $10.

The Sundown cruises locally in search of whales on weekends at noon and 2:30 p.m. and weekdays at 1 p.m. Adults pay $8.50; juniors 13-17, $6.50, and children, $5.50. Call Point Loma Sportfishing, (619) 223-1627.

From the hotel’s landing at Sheraton Harbor Island East you can go under full sail aboard the Jada I or Jada II, 61- and 72-foot yawls that make 3 1/2-hour whale trips at 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily. Drinks and snacks are included in the fares: $30 for adults, $20 for children under 12. Phone Seaport Cruises, (619) 234-4383.

A two-masted schooner, the Invader, departs from its pier next to Pier B on the Embarcadero along Harbor Drive for 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. whale cruises Wednesday through Sunday. The 3 1/2-hour outings cost $15. Senior citizens and children 12 and under pay $12.50 on weekends, $10 on weekdays. You can board the 150-passenger boat without reservations; another trip is offered if you fail to see whales. Call Invader Cruises, (619) 298-8066.

From San Diego’s Mission Bay, whale watchers depart on Islandia Sportfishing vessels at 1551 W. Mission Bay Drive. Sailing times are 9, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. The excursions cost $8 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and anyone 16 or younger. Phone (619) 222-1164.

Also in Mission Bay, Seaforth Sportfishing at 1717 Quivira Road goes forth in search of whales from Quivira Basin. Sailings are 9, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekends, and 12:30 p.m. weekdays. Tickets to board the 118- to 150-passenger boats cost $8 for adults; $6 for senior citizens and $5 for kids 12 and under.

On weekends at 9:30 a.m. Seaforth Sportfishing also organizes an all-day outing to the Coronado Islands aboard its 90-passenger Polaris Deluxe. Fares are $22 for adults, $18 for children. Call (619) 224-3383.