Dana Wharf Blog

This week we saw our first Gray whales of the season as they were on the long journey to the warm lagoons of Baja.  Both Gray whales we encountered appeared to be juveniles and observed as they were passing just outside the Dana Point Harbor entrance as we were leaving on our noon trips on…

Whale watching is one of the most sought-after marine activities in the world, and it is the reason that thousands of people flock to Dana Point Harbor every year. One question that people often ask when they come to Dana Point is, what is the best month to go whale watching? The answer to that…

A question that people who are unfamiliar with whale watching often ask is, what exactly does the phrase whale watching mean? Whale watching is just that; it is the act of observing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. It involves people, often standing on a pier or a marine vessel, trying to get a…

The best place in the world to go whale watching is California. With over 840 miles of coastline adjacent to the Pacific ocean, California has more first-class whale watching destinations than anywhere else. California’s waters are filled with all sorts of marine life, including about 20,000 gray whales that migrate between Mexico and Alaska every…

Dana Point, California— June 2022 —It’s going to be a “BLUE, BLUE, summer!! Blue whales have been spotted off the coast of Dana Point! It’s leading up to an exciting summer! The largest mammal known to ever exist on EARTH has been viewed by our crew and guests! Blue Whale season runs from May until November as they migrate in the summer and generally gather in small groups! Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching have spotted 6 so far in the month of June!! It’s also been a magical month of witnessing pods of Risso’s and Common Dolphins, Fin Whales, Minke Whales, and a few Humpbacks!! It’s time to go WHALE WATCHING this summer!! Since Father’s Day, our passengers have seen many mothers and their calves. Recently, they saw a calf that was rolling under the surface next to the 95ft….

Dana Point, California— June 2022 — Marine Life Artist; Wyland and Dana Wharf Whale Watching presents, Wyland’s Whale and Dolphin Adventure Art Lessons in the Wild Grand Prize Contest Winner announced. CONGRATULATIONS to 8-year-old William Lyerla of Irvine, California. He has won the 2022 Grand Prize framed and signed artwork by Wyland called “OCEANS”; which…

Dana Point, California— April 2022 —Dana Wharf Whale Watching to hold an Earth Day Celebration on April 22, 2022, and then invites you to join a special Beach Cleanup and Lunch & Learn with Stand Up To Trash on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Dana Wharf established Whale Watching in Orange County in 1971 and will…

Dana Point, California— January 2022 — Marine Life Artist; Wyland and Dana Wharf Whale Watching present, Wyland’s Whale and Dolphin Adventure; Art Lessons in the Wild starting Saturday, January 22nd through April 23rd, 2022. Dana Wharf established Whale Watching in Orange County in 1971 and is endorsed by Wyland (Artist of the Sea). The renowned marine…

Marines and their families from Camp Pendleton’s 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines – the unit from which 10 of 13 service members killed in the bombing attack at the Kabul airport came – had some “Reel Fun” this weekend as part of the 46th Annual Dana Point Boat Parade of Lights. They and members of the…

At first glance, Dana Wharf captain Tommy White thought the marine mammals in the distance were dolphins, a regular sight off Orange County’s coastline. But he soon realized it was a much rarer sight: A pod of black-and-white orcas were hanging out just a few miles from Laguna Beach’s coastline. “That’s something different,” he recalled…

Dana Point Duo Establishes City as a Whale Heritage Site By Astgik Khatchatryan | Orange Coast Magazine  Once bitter rivals, Donna Kalez of Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Gisele Anderson of Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari worked together to have Dana Point recognized as the first Whale Heritage Site in the…

The Great Gray Whale Migration By Captain Todd Mansur Imagine what life would be like traveling from the Bering and Chukchi Seas all the way to Baja Mexico, and sometimes adding a few miles if you decided to start a little bit further north because the food was better? That’s clocking in 5,000 to 7,000…