Gray whale swims into Marina del Rey’s harbor

A young gray whale made its way into Marina del Rey’s harbor Tuesday evening, drawing onlookers and concern.

The whale, about 18 feet long, swam into the harbor about 6 p.m., said Peter Wallerstein, president of Marine Animal Rescue. It had been traveling south along the coast earlier in the day, swimming in waters that were as shallow as 5 feet deep.

“Gray whales rub their bodies in the sand to get barnacles off, so it being so close to the shoreline isn’t alarming,” Wallerstein said. “I am a little alarmed that it’s inside the marina.”

There is a risk that a boat could hit the whale as it swims between the docks, Wallerstein said. People should stay away from the whale and intervene only if necessary.

“We’ll intervene only if it beaches itself. It’s still swimming so it’s OK,” Wallerstein said. “We’ll see what happens and hopefully we’ll get a better result tomorrow.”

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