Whale makes a stopover off Santa Barbara
A migrating gray whale has been in the harbor here for days, and officials don’t know why it hasn’t moved on.
The 15-foot whale showed up Monday at the harbor entrance and has been swimming 100 to 500 yards offshore.
“It’s unusual for one to just stay there. They go from Baja to Alaska at this time of year,” Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol Officer Monica Broumand said.
“We don’t know why he’s hanging out. He doesn’t seem to be trapped,” Broumand said. “There are no apparent injuries.”
Harbor police have been checking the animal regularly.
A larger whale that came into the harbor about two weeks ago stayed only a couple of hours, Broumand said.
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