Watching for You Know Who

It’s whale-watching time again as Southern California’s coastal communities put the finishing touches on festivals celebrating the annual Pacific gray whale migration. In December and January, the whales make their way from the chilly seas off Alaska to the balmy waters of Baja, where they breed and give birth. Then in February through early April, the mammals head back to their feeding grounds in the Bering Sea.

Beginning Sunday in Oxnard with Channel Islands Harbor’s Celebration of the Whales, the next four weekends will feature numerous whale-related activities around the region.

Point Mugu will re-create a whaling village on March 10; on two weekends, March 9-10 and March 16-17, Dana Point will celebrate its 31st annual Festival of Whales; and whale-themed festivals are slated March 17 in Ventura and March 23-24 in Santa Barbara.

Feb. 1 is traditionally peak time, when whales start heading north with their newborns, says Mike Bursk, a marine biologist who leads whale-watch cruises for the Ocean Institute in Dana Point. The festivals and cruises, however, wait until March in hopes of avoiding bad weather.

Whale Numbers May

Be Down This Year

Although March may not be the busiest month for the migration, whales are spotted nearly every day, says Bursk.

But the number of migrating whales is reportedly down this year, possibly due to “a shortage of food or other natural causes,” says David Leach, operations manager of the Ventura County Maritime Museum. The whales--especially mothers and calves--that do make the trek follow the shore, which makes it fairly easy to catch a glimpse of them.

“This is the longest natural migration in the world,” Leach says of the 10,000- to 14,000-mile trips from the Bering Sea. “This is a great opportunity to see nature in action.” And a great economic opportunity for host communities.

Activities vary by community but a common goal is to inform the public about marine life.

“The gray whales are the only whales that get this close to the shore,” says Bursk, who will lead outings aboard the Ocean Institute’s research vessel, Spirit of Dana Point, a replica of a 1770s Revolutionary War ship.

Festivals About

More Than Whales

So what does a whale festival entail?

In Oxnard, it includes kayak racing, tide-pool touch tanks, aquarium presentations and a wide range of other events divided between Fisherman’s Wharf and Marine Emporium Landing.

Dana Point’s festival includes a street fair, antique boat exhibition and sand-castle workshop March 9-10, and Taste of Dana Point Harbor, a surfboard exhibit and free ocean-related activities on March 16-17.

In Malibu, a free shuttle will carry passengers between Point Mugu and Leo Carrillo state parks, where food, entertainment, arts and crafts, and marine conservation information will commemorate the annual migration.

Ventura Harbor Village will offer marine exhibits, touch tanks and entertainment throughout the day.

Santa Barbara will present arts and crafts, a kids’ carnival, live bands, food and marine education along State Street.

Whale-watching excursions will operate during all of the festivals, except at Point Mugu, where festival-goers can view the majestic mammals from the beach.

“We usually spot 15 to 20 whales during the festival,” says Cara O’Brien, a state park interpreter. “The calves have been born [in Baja California] and they get so close to the shore it’s incredible.”

If you’re opting for a whale-watch cruise, they typically last about three hours, ranging in price from $15 to $40, with discounts for kids. Although kids of all ages will probably enjoy the boat ride, a spokesperson for Dana Wharf Sportfishing suggests taking young children earlier in the day, when the water is usually calmer. There’s no guarantee that whales will materialize during a cruise, but dolphins and other marine life are usually plentiful.

“I get calls asking what time [the whales] will be out,” says Kim Tilly of the Dana Point Harbor Assn. “This isn’t Sea World, it’s nature.”

Channel Islands Harbor Celebration of the Whales Festival, Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free round-trip rides between Fisherman’s Wharf and Marine Emporium Landing, Oxnard. Free admission. (805) 985-4852.

Dana Point Festival of Whales, March 9-10 and March 16-17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day in and around Dana Point Harbor. Free admission; event prices vary. (949) 496-1094.

Malibu Whale Festival, March 10, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Sycamore Cove, Point Mugu State Park, Pacific Coast Highway, Ventura. $3, parking. (805) 488-1827.

Whale Fest Celebration at Ventura Harbor Village, March 17, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Harbor Drive, Ventura. Free. (805) 644-0169.

Santa Barbara Whale Festival, March 23-24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. State Street and Stearns Wharf, Santa Barbara. Free. (805) 897-3187.