Watch Our Typical Monthly Dolphin & Whale Sightings
Scroll down for daily sightings log.
Captain Dave’s Dana Point Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari is the first tour in Dana Point to offer year-round dolphin and whale sightings! We helped put Dana Point whale watching tours on the map by delivering breathtaking whale and dolphin watching in a warm and welcoming environment. On the very rare occasion that you don’t have any whales or dolphin sightings, we’ll be happy to provide a free whale watching tour to be used within one year.
May 2026 Daily Whale Watching Sightings Log
| Date | No. of Trips | Sightings |
| May 27 | 2 | 400 Common Dolphins, 155 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 26 | 4 | 4 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 1,200 Common Dolphins, 22 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola |
| May 25 | 6 | 6 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 2,250 Common Dolphins, 400 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola |
| May 24 | 8 | 3 Fin Whales, 9,500 Common Dolphins |
| May 23 | 9 | 6 Fin Whales, 4,900 Common Dolphins, 60 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 22 | 5 | 10 Fin Whales, 8 Minke Whales, 5 Humpback Whales, 4,600 Common Dolphins |
| May 21 | 3 | 3 Minke Whales, 550 Common Dolphins |
| May 20 | 5 | 8 Minke Whales, 3 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 2,540 Common Dolphins |
| May 19 | 2 | 2 Humpback Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 1,000 Common Dolphins |
| May 18 | 3 | 3,500 Common Dolphins, 1 Harbor Seal, 1 Flying Fish |
| May 17 | 6 | 8 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 5,400 Common Dolphins |
| May 16 | 4 | 4 Humpback Whales, 4 Minke Whales, 3 Fin Whales, 5,000 Common Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 15 | 7 | 14 Minke Whales, 8 Fin Whales, 2 Humpback Whales, 5,200 Common Dolphins, 130 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 14 | 6 | 8 Fin Whales, 2,000 Common Dolphins, 235 Bottlenose Dolphins, 2 Sea Turtles |
| May 13 | 6 | 2 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 1 Minke Whale, 2,900 Common Dolphins, 260 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 12 | 5 | 2,500 Common Dolphins, 180 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 11 | 3 | 475 Common Dolphins |
| May 10 | 9 | 10 Blue Whales, 940 Common Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 9 | 8 | 1 Minke Whale, 2336 Common Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 8 | 3 | 2 Humpback Whales, 650 Common Dolphins, 20 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 7 | 2 | 2 Fin Whales, 600 Common Dolphins |
| May 6 | 3 | 2 Fin Whales, 400 Common Dolphins, 1 Flying Fish, 1 Black-footed Albatross |
| May 5 | 4 | 4 Fin Whales, 1,200 Common Dolphins |
| May 4 | 2 | 4 Fin Whales, 320 Common Dolphins |
| May 3 | 7 | 7 Fin Whales, 100 Common Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| May 2 | 6 | 10 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 425 Common Dolphins, 200 Risso’s Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Great White Shark |
| May 1 | 1 | 2 Fin Whales, 600 Common Dolphins |
2026 Archive Whale Watching Sightings Log
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Date No. of Trips Sightings April 30 2 6 Fin Whales April 29 2 4 Fin Whales, 200 Common Dolphins April 28 3 13 Fin Whales April 27 3 4 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 700 Common Dolphins April 26 3 6 Fin Whales April 25 7 6 Fin Whales, 600 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola April 24 3 3 Fin Whales, 200 Common Dolphins April 23 1 1 Fin Whale, 150 Common Dolphins April 22 1 2 Fin Whales, 100 Common Dolphins April 21 3 2 Blue Whales, 280 Common Dolphins, 2 Mola Mola April 20 1 1 Fin Whale, 500 Common Dolphins April 19 4 3 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 425 Common Dolphins April 18 3 5 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 200 Common Dolphins April 17 3 3 Fin Whales, 60 Common Dolphins April 16 1 200 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola April 15 2 4 Gray Whales, 200 Common Dolphins April 14 4 2 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 70 Common Dolphins April 13 2 2 Fin Whales, 350 Common Dolphins April 12 1 1 Fin Whale, 100 Common Dolphins April 11 8 14 Fin Whales, 1 Gray Whale, 475 Common Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins April 10 5 3 Fin Whales, 2 Gray Whales (Cow/Calf), 2,120 Common Dolphins, 150 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola April 9 5 10 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 500 Common Dolphins, 30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins April 8 7 13 Fin Whales, 900 Common Dolphins April 7 7 15 Fin Whales, 6 Gray Whales, 605 Common Dolphins April 6 6 8 Fin Whales, 2 Gray Whales, 980 Common Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins April 5 0 Closed – Happy Easter! April 4 12 58 Fin Whales, 700 Common Dolphins, 120 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 3 Bottlenose Dolphins April 3 5 4 Fin Whales, 1,120 Common Dolphins, 1 Blue Shark April 2 6 14 Gray Whales, 3 Fin Whales, 195 Common Dolphins April 1 5 10 Fin Whales, 2 Gray Whales, 100 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola -
Date No. of Trips Sightings March 31 7 18 Fin Whales, 1 Gray Whale, 900 Common Dolphins, 1 Blue Shark March 30 6 5 Fin Whales, 1,200 Common Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins March 29 8 6 Fin Whales, 1 Gray Whale, 3,030 Common Dolphins, 100 Bottlenose Dolphins, 30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins March 28 8 4 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 270 Common Dolphins March 27 5 1 Gray Whale, 2,225 Common Dolphins March 26 3 1 Fin Whale, 750 Common Dolphins, 2 Common Murre March 25 5 9 Fin Whales, 1,350 Common Dolphins March 24 5 8 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 1 Minke Whale, 1,400 Common Dolphins March 23 4 1 Fin Whale, 6,300 Common Dolphins March 22 8 7 Fin Whales, 600 Common Dolphins, 8 Pacific White-sided Dolphins March 21 8 18 Fin Whales, 860 Common Dolphins March 20 7 14 Fin Whales, 1,050 Common Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola March 19 8 13 Fin Whales, 2 Humpback Whales, 770 Common Dolphins March 18 6 10 Fin Whales, 1 Gray Whale, 565 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola March 17 3 3 Gray Whales, 900 Common Dolphins March 16 4 1 Fin Whale March 15 9 13 Gray Whales, 5 Fin Whales, 1,141 Common Dolphins March 14 7 17 Gray Whales, 1,060 Common Dolphins, 43 Bottlenose Dolphins March 13 8 16 Gray Whales, 4 Humpback Whales, 1,370 Common Dolphins March 12 4 4 Gray Whales, 530 Common Dolphins March 11 2 2 Gray Whales, 1,000 Common Dolphins March 10 5 6 Fin Whales, 6 Gray Whales, 370 Common Dolphins March 9 7 26 Gray Whales, 5 Fin Whales, 370 Common Dolphins, 35 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 3 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Common Murre March 8 10 4 Fin Whales, 840 Common Dolphins, 240 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola March 7 11 13 Fin Whales, 282 Common Dolphins, 6 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 5 Bottlenose Dolphins March 6 5 8 Gray Whales, 4 Fin Whales, 215 Common Dolphins, 175 Bottlenose Dolphins March 5 1 3 Gray Whales, 50 Common Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins March 4 3 1 Gray Whale, 77 Common Dolphins March 3 3 8 Gray Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 950 Common Dolphins March 2 4 1 Minke Whale, 1,000 Common Dolphins, 128 Bottlenose Dolphins March 1 6 39 Gray Whales, 1,200 Common Dolphins, 3 Unidentified Sharks -
Date No. of Trips Sightings Feb 28 9 2 Gray Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 1,875 Common Dolphins, 195 Bottlenose Dolphins, 4 Blue Sharks Feb 27 5 4 Gray Whales, 6,700 Common Dolphins, 1 Blue Shark Feb 26 5 12 Gray Whales, 2,400 Common Dolphins Feb 25 6 23 Gray Whales, 5,700 Common Dolphins, 1 Mako Shark Feb 24 5 5 Gray Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 120 Bottlenose Dolphins, 70 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Feb 23 3 21 Gray Whales, 1,700 Common Dolphins, 25 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 22 7 19 Gray Whales, 3,100 Common Dolphins Feb 21 7 8 Gray Whales, 5 Fin Whales, 2,050 Common Dolphins, 1 Blue Shark Feb 20 0 Inclement Weather Feb 19 0 Inclement Weather Feb 18 0 Inclement Weather Feb 17 0 Inclement Weather Feb 16 0 Inclement Weather Feb 15 10 12 Gray Whales, 2,025 Common Dolphins Feb 14 12 22 Gray Whales, 2,270 Common Dolphins Feb 13 5 17 Gray Whales, 2 Humpback Whales, 750 Common Dolphins Feb 12 3 4 Gray Whales, 100 Common Dolphins Feb 11 0 Inclement Weather Feb 10 1 2 Gray Whales, 50 Common Dolphins Feb 9 2 1 Gray Whale, 1,500 Common Dolphins, 140 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 8 5 1,200 Common Dolphins, 80 Bottlenose Dolphins, 34 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Feb 7 7 12 Gray Whales, 1,200 Common Dolphins Feb 6 6 4,200 Common Dolphins Feb 5 2 4 Gray Whales, 820 Common Dolphins Feb 4 1 100 Common Dolphins, 30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Feb 3 5 3 Gray Whales, 2 Humpback Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 1,325 Common Dolphins, 2 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 2 2 140 Common Dolphins, 45 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Feb 1 6 7 Humpback Whales, 5,500 Common Dolphins, 55 Bottlenose Dolphins -
Date No. of Trips Sightings Jan 31 7 6 Gray Whales, 3,800 Common Dolphins Jan 30 4 2,012 Common Dolphins, 160 Risso’s Dolphins, 75 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 6 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 29 2 4 Gray Whales Jan 28 2 800 Common Dolphins, 7 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 27 5 4 Fin Whales, 2 Gray Whales, 550 Common Dolphins Jan 26 1 1 Fin Whale, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 25 8 9 Gray Whales, 185 Common Dolphins, 170 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 24 4 2 Gray Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 1,200 Common Dolphins Jan 23 4 9 Fin Whales, 20 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 22 2 2 Humpback Whales, 40 Common Dolphins, 20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 21 2 1,000 Common Dolphins Jan 20 2 360 Common Dolphins Jan 19 5 7 Gray Whales, 4,200 Common Dolphins Jan 18 8 5 Gray Whales, 2,115 Common Dolphins, 180 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 17 8 6 Humpback Whales, 6 Gray Whales, 5 Fin Whales, 6,000 Common Dolphins, 100 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 16 3 300 Common Dolphins, 170 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 15 3 6 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 175 Common Dolphins, 65 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 14 2 1,075 Common Dolphins Jan 13 1 1 Gray Whale Jan 12 3 1,500 Common Dolphins Jan 11 3 5 Gray Whales, 2 Humpback Whales, 3 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 10 7 8 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 1,100 Common Dolphins, 19 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Steller Sea Lion Jan 9 4 1 Gray Whale, 1,100 Common Dolphins, 4 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 8 0 Inclement Weather Jan 7 3 1,100 Common Dolphins, 20 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 6 2 100 Bottlenose Dolphins, 100 Common Dolphins Jan 5 3 510 Common Dolphins, 4 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 4 3 2 Gray Whales, 200 Common Dolphins, 105 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 3 5 1 Fin Whale, 770 Common Dolphins, 60 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 2 3 1 Humpback Whale Jan 1, 2026 0 Happy New Year!
View All Sightings Archives By Year
See an Abundance of Wildlife Up Close and Personal
Dana Point is the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World® for good reason! The gorgeous Pacific ocean is teeming with aquatic animals that are truly stunning to behold. Depending on which month you join us, you may see multiple varieties of both whales and dolphins. Every trip is special!
While dolphin and whale sightings are our bread and butter, we often run into other marine creatures, including sea lions, pelagic birds, sharks, seals, Mola mola, and more! Check out the months below to get an idea of what to expect on your visit. You can also check our daily whale and dolphin sightings log for details on the animals we saw on our latest adventures!
Create Memories that Last a Lifetime
Words and pictures simply can’t prepare you for the thrill of an up-close encounter with these majestic animals. As one of the best whale watching cruises in California, our hope is that connecting with the animals will change how you view the world and help you to form a lasting connection with nature. Your first whale sightings can truly be an eye-opening, life-changing experience. Heck, we’ve been doing this for over twenty years, and we’re still just as amazed to this day! Join us on an unforgettable adventure.
Learn More About Dana Point's Monthly Dolphin & Whale Sightings
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Frequently Seen in January:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in January:
Whales: Humpback Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in February:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in February:
Whales: Humpback Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in March:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in March:
Whales: Blue Whales, Gray Whales with Calves, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in April:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales with Calves, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in April:
Whales: Blue Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in May:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Gray Whales with Calves, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in May:
Whales: False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in June:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in June:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Gray Whales, Orcas (Killer Whale), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in July:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions, Sharks
Occasionally Seen in July:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals
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Frequently Seen in August:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions, Sharks
Occasionally Seen in August:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals
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Frequently Seen in September:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions, Sharks
Occasionally Seen in September:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals
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Frequently Seen in October:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in October:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales, Sperm Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in November:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in November:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: False Killer Whales, Gray Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in December:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in December:
Whales: Blue Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
2025 Whale Watching Stats
398
Gray Whales
429
Humpback Whales
203
Fin Whales
789,003
Common Dolphins
When is the best time to see whales in California?
You can see whales and dolphins off the coast of Dana Point, California, all year long!
May through November you can see blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales, and more. Between December and May, Dana Point whale watchers can see migrating gray whales, as well as fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales, and more. All year round several species of dolphins can be viewed, sometimes in mega-pods as large as 10,000! And throughout the year, rare species of whales and dolphins such as orcas (killer whales), Bryde’s whales, pilot whales, and sperm whales could be seen. Southern California has more dolphins and more blue whales than anywhere else in the world.
