Out to See : Area harbors offer ocean excursions to watch the gray whales’ northward migration.

The northward journey for thousands of gray whales is happening now, and the harbors in Ventura and Oxnard have several activities lined up to celebrate the annual migration of these massive, mystical mammals.

Boat trips, hands-on touch tanks and marine photography are just some of the events planned between Friday and March 14--the peak time to see the whales pass between the shoreline and the Channel Islands.

Some activities are free and others range between $3 and $40 a person.

According to Cherryl Connally, a spokeswoman for Ventura Harbor Village, pods of gray whales have left their winter breeding grounds in the lagoons of Baja and are returning to summer feeding grounds in the Arctic.

Since the migration north started in late December, more than 300 gray whales already have been spotted off the Ventura County coastline.

“Whales usually travel closer to the mainland when migrating north, so that gives us the opportunity of viewing them just a few miles offshore,” Connally said.

Mothers and calves will bring up the tail end of the northern migration and are the last to swim by in March and April, she said.

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Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, in conjunction with the Ventura County Maritime Museum, is hosting the third annual Celebration of the Whales with a month’s worth of activities that kick off Saturday.

The celebration coincides with the whale migration and eighth anniversary of the museum, harbor spokeswoman Nancy Walker said.

Activities this weekend include free tours of the 82-foot Coast Guard vessel Point Carrew, a floating marine lab and touch tank where people can see and learn about various ocean creatures; and displays of whale artifacts and flora and fauna from the islands.

For kids there will be book readings, drawing and knot-tying. There will also be free concerts, arts-and-crafts displays and demonstrations of ship-model building.

Daily whale-watching tours through Island Packers and Cisco’s will be available during the monthlong celebration. Also planned are a fishing derby, farmers’ markets, whale slide shows and lectures.

The maritime museum will also be open this weekend.

For more information about any activity, call 985-4852.

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From 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 21, Ventura Harbor Village on Spinnaker Drive will come alive for the fourth annual Whalefest Celebration.

There will be adult educational programs with speakers, booths featuring whales and other marine life such as dolphins, orcas and sea lions, and drawings for whale-watching trips.

There will be storytelling for children and free magic shows. Children ages 6 to 16 will also be able to create sand paintings of whales with local artist Daniel Long.

A free concert is scheduled from 12:30 to 4 p.m., along with two-for-one carousel rides and harbor cruises, a marine trivia treasure hunt, face-painting, a moon bounce, and strolling dolphin characters and pirates.

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As part of its celebration through Feb. 21, Ventura Harbor Village is hosting the third annual Tall Ships Tour of the Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington--authentic replicas of 18th century square-rigged ships.

The towering ships arrived at the harbor Tuesday. Each is 100 feet long and has masts more than 75 feet tall that hold 4,200 square feet of sail.

“It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all ages,” said Lynn McFarlane, a tour spokeswoman. “It’s a unique opportunity to step back in time.”

Visitors can explore the decks of the ships dockside or go on a three-hour sail trip and experience a re-creation of a high seas gun battle between costumed crew members.

Dockside tours run from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. There will be extended tour hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 21.

The cost for a dockside tour is $7 per family or $3 per adult, $2 for a student or senior and $1 for a child. Reservations are not required.

Battle reenactments at sea will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 20, and again on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 5 p.m. On Feb. 21, reenactments will be held from 9 a.m. to noon and from 3 to 6 p.m.

The cost to sail is $40 per adult and $20 per child.

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Dockside education tours and sailing trips are available for fourth- and fifth-grade classes of at least 30 students. The cost is $5 per student to tour and $30 a student to sail. Private charters are also available.

For sailing reservations, call (800) 200-LADY.