Robins are the harbingers of spring for some, but here in Oregon, our seasonal messengers are bigger, grayer and wetter.
Spring is marked by the great gray whale migration, when approximately 19,000 of these magnificent mammals make their way past the Oregon Coast on a 12,000-mile journey from Baja, Mexico, to the their summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea.
The annual spring Whale Watch Week, sponsored by Oregon State Parks & Recreation Dept. and part of its Whale Watching Spoken Here program, takes place March 24-31, 2018. It’s the perfect time to learn about these large sea creatures, which can be 40 to 50 feet long (12.2-15.2 meters) and weigh as much as 40 tons (36,287 kilograms).
During Whale Watching Week, trained volunteers are on hand at 24 locations to answer questions and help you find the best whale watching spots during the bi-annual Whale Watching Week. Keep your eyes peeled for 15-foot whale babies, born over the winter, swimming north with their mothers.
Visit the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay or the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport to learn about gray whales and their habits. You can also book a whale watching tour with one of the coast’s charter companies.
Editor’s Tip: For a great coastal hike with majestic views of migrating gray whales, check out the Cape Lookout Whale Hike.
