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It’s not everyday you get to see a pod of common dolphins, or a gray whale arching its tail into the air. But for the crew at the Ocean Institute of Dana Point, seeing these magnificent creatures is just part of the job, and a sight they want everyone to experience.

The window of opportunity to see many of these mammals specifically gray whales during their migration starts in December and ends in May. Every year some 3,000 people, from locals to international tourists, come for the Ocean Institute’s tours. Yet so many more have never experienced the magic of whale watching.

On a recent spring morning, a group of 60 decided it was their turn to catch a glimpse of these creatures. Guests boarded the Sea Explorer, a 65-foot research vessel where the tour departed from Dana Point Harbor. The vessel boated out to sea for about 15 minutes in hopes of seeing a whale or dolphin. Staff biologists from the Ocean Institute say that while the cruises are educational they also want to make sure the animals are being respectfully observed.

“Gray whales are private animals and it’s my goal to present the boat in the least offensive way to the whale and be as polite as I can so passengers can get a glimpse,” says Mike Bursk, operations manager.

After boating out a few miles, almost immediately a humpback whale was spotted. With no sense of fear, the whale exhaled from its blowholes, threw its fluke up and continued to dive for more food.

Bursk explains that where there are dolphins, humpback whales are usually not far. Within minutes, trailing behind the boat was a large pod of common dolphins.

“It is very special, there is nothing more special when we realize we are sharing this planet with these cetaceans,” says Bursk.

There was never a high volume of humpback and blue whales in southern California but the whale sightings have been drastically changing over the last 12 years.

“After the Indonesian tsunami in 2004, we never had krill and now we do,” says Bursk. “Which means we have blue whales and humpback whales that we never used to have here in southern California.”

Gray whales spend a majority of their time near the coast of Alaska where food is plentiful. During winter months, the animals take refuge in the warmer southern California waters. Typically on these cruises guests can see anywhere from 1-4 species of dolphin or whale.

Prices for the 2.5 hour whale watching tours are $45 for adults, $35 for seniors and $25 for children. The tours take place every weekend from now until Sunday, July 25.

Aside from the whale tours Ocean Institute is also a teaching facility that offers in-depth classes, Maritime History and outdoor education programs. The institute provides educational whale tours to nearly 20,000 kids in Orange County.


For more information visit: www. ocean-institute.org