Whale Watching News

Dana Point Named First Whale Heritage Site in North America By ERIKA I. RITCHIE | [email protected] | Orange County Register In Dana Point, homes surround the Pacific Ocean like an amphitheater. It’s no wonder, much of the town’s character and its economy focuses on the ocean and the marine life that migrates past its doorstep for months on end…

Whale watchers had a breathtaking encounter on March 19, 2016 off the coast of Dana Point, California, when they witnessed a rarely seen False Killer Whale giving birth. Passengers aboard Captain Dave’s Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari’s catamaran watched in awe as members of a pod containing around 40 false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens),came up to port side of the boat and pushed against it. There was a sudden burst of blood and the newborn calf popped out! The unexpected birth occurred in about 80 feet water. Captain Tom Southern, who witnessed the remarkable event, said “the whole group huddled around the calf, and they spent the next 10 to 12 minutes taking turns pushing the calf to the surface while the newborn learned how to swim”. False Killer Whales are rarely seen off of Southern California. They are normally found…

Our whale watchers experienced a once in a lifetime thrill when hundreds of common dolphins, without warning or provocation, began porpoising at high speed out of the water. Often referred to as a dolphin stampede, this breathtaking behavior can happen at any time and without any apparent cause. Porpoising is the fastest mode of travel for dolphins because there is less resistance in air than water. Southern California has the greatest density of dolphins per square mile than anywhere else on earth. This includes nearly 450,000 common dolphins, the species in this video. Dana Point is one of the best places in the world to see large mega-pods that can number in herds of up to 10,000. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel!   Watch a Dolphin Stampede From a Drone Captain Dave…