Whale Watching - Oregon Coast

[Wyody]

I was about to ask y'all for this info - but found a link that filled me in some - I'd love to cut/paste the info but my new office puter doesn't seem ready for that so, allow me to post the link:

http://whalespoken.org/OPRD/PARKS/Wh...#Watching_Tips

[PDXnative]

Originally Posted by Wyody

I was about to ask y'all for this info - but found a link that filled me in some - I'd love to cut/paste the info but my new office puter doesn't seem ready for that so, allow me to post the link:

http://whalespoken.org/OPRD/PARKS/Wh...#Watching_Tips

If you want to go on a great whale watching excursion, go to Tradewinds in Depot Bay and sign up to go out in their boats. It is really cheap, and a great way to get up close. It is also just a great boat ride, especially if the swells are up!!!

http://www.tradewindscharters.com/

[Sekretgardengal]

I would love to go whale watching. I remember being on the cruise. We left out of Miami and we saw a hammerhead shark and a huge sea turtle. Boy I would love to see a whale in the ocean and not in an aquarium.

[Wyody]

Originally Posted by Sekretgardengal

I would love to go whale watching. I remember being on the cruise. We left out of Miami and we saw a hammerhead shark and a huge sea turtle. Boy I would love to see a whale in the ocean and not in an aquarium.

I'd seen whales off of the Washington beach years ago - thought I saw a fluke and then spotted blows - not close enough to pick out the whale but the tail was unmistakeable.
Off of the Florida coast south of Miami, we used to take the girls out in the small boats not far from shore during the sea-turtles' mating season. One swims and the other rides along on top - it was almost as much fun as tossing a few land-crabs in the trunk of the car which, in my '65 'stang, we guys would ride up front while the girls gabbed in the back seat ... which is where the crabs would come out from under a couple miles after leaving the beach! It was the type of fun that I'm surprised we lived through!

[Wyody]

Originally Posted by PDXnative

If you want to go on a great whale watching excursion, go to Tradewinds in Depot Bay and sign up to go out in their boats. It is really cheap, and a great way to get up close. It is also just a great boat ride, especially if the swells are up!!!

http://www.tradewindscharters.com/

Thanks for the link-up PDX. The rates don't look bad at all and the fishing charters look pretty good, too. I'm learning more about the area at an alarmingly fast pace! Tomorrow, 51st Street SW pier ... and harbor seals!

[Wyody]

Just a reminder that Whale Watching Week is Mar 24-31. There will be volunteers stationed at different points along the Oregon coast.
Whales will be feeding along their route north - so many will come close to shore.

http://www.whalespoken.org/OPRD/PARK...ch_weeks.shtml

[MyAzi]

That is something I didin't do even living on the coast of Oregon. Even during that time! What was I thinking??? We have done it off the Ca coast. Watching from my friends back deck. It sure is quite the sight!!!

[Wyody]

When I first observed whales off the Washington coast several years ago, I sensed, even then that I would someday live up this way.
Zippity-Doo-Dah I do! And it's whale-watching time!
They'll be heavy late this month and pretty common after that for the rest of the year.

[Wyody]

'Twas a worthwhile day today, for a Sunday. Spotted a whale or more off the Lincoln City coast. My wife's first.
We'd taken a drive down the coast past Depoe Bay (whale watching capital), past Newport, past Waldport - hoping to see people shouting or waving as they spotted a whale but didn't see any such activity and so, returned to Lincoln City to grab a bite and to take my wife to the beach to fly her new kite ... Lincoln City is known as the kite-flying capital of the world ... but I think every beach community along the Oregon coast claims the same thing. Well, there wasn't enough wind for the kite despite many pathetic attempts at a launch but I thought I spotted a spout. I've thought that many times over the last few weeks only to realize it was spray off of a wave ... but this time I saw it again ... and again and then my wife spotted it as well so, we watched for some time. At this particular migration-time of the year, males are mimicking the females' movements with dives and fluking and I'm reasonably certain we saw at least two as there were two spouts near each other one right after the other. It was about ten minutes later when she spotted a fluke - then I did too and we watched a few flukes. Time sorta stands still in such situations and so did we for a lengthy span of time - then we took her kite and went home - feeling much the better for having observed such an event and hoping that, next time, we'll get better glimpses of the whale(s) itself. I imagine these were about a mile out. I don't have my sea-eyes in place yet so it was a little hard to tell - but I suppose a mile will suffice for the telling of the story.
That's one more of the many benefits of moving to the Oregon coast ... you don't have to bring your own whale!

[kimbercuddles]

Whale, whale...isn't that a great story! Sounds like you two hit the jackpot. For those of us who aren't accustomed to these things, would you be so kind as to let us know what type of whales you saw? Are you speaking of the big Blue Whales? Beluga Whales? I'm a little naive about such things. Thanks, Odie.

[MyAzi]

Just sounds spectacular!!!! Isn't the ocean amazing!!!!!!

[Wyody]

would you be so kind as to let us know what type of whales you saw?

Can't be absolutely certain but I believe it/they would have been gray whales - the large variety that run about 35 tons. I think the only others to be found around here are the "Killer Whales", i.e., Orcas - which aren't whales at all but cousins of the Dolphin. They are smaller and tend to leap and play like Dolphin

Just sounds spectacular!!!! Isn't the ocean amazing!!!!!!
__________________
Well, the top part is, anyway. <smile>. I need to get back into diving to tell you more about the bottom. Been too many years since I've been under out here ... or in the Atlantic. Not sure I can still get down - might have to hang from the top by my feet!

[kimbercuddles]

Originally Posted by Wyody

would you be so kind as to let us know what type of whales you saw?

Can't be absolutely certain but I believe it/they would have been gray whales - the large variety that run about 35 tons. I think the only others to be found around here are the "Killer Whales", i.e., Orcas - which aren't whales at all but cousins of the Dolphin. They are smaller and tend to leap and play like Dolphin

Just sounds spectacular!!!! Isn't the ocean amazing!!!!!!
__________________
Well, the top part is, anyway. <smile>. I need to get back into diving to tell you more about the bottom. Been too many years since I've been under out here ... or in the Atlantic. Not sure I can still get down - might have to hang from the top by my feet!

I bet they were beautiful. Speaking of killer whales, I remember the movie "Orca" made quite a few years ago. Jaws never really scared me that much, but Orca did!

[Wyody]

Originally Posted by kimbercuddles

I bet they were beautiful. Speaking of killer whales, I remember the movie "Orca" made quite a few years ago. Jaws never really scared me that much, but Orca did!

I have good news and I have bad news.
The good news is, Orcas aren't called Killer-Whales because they kill people.
The bad news is, they're called that because they kill whales.