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.
March 2023 Daily Whale Watching Sightings Log
| Date | No. of Trips | Sightings |
| March 31 | 6 | 17 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 11,000 Common Dolphins, 1 Harbor Seal |
| March 30 | 1 | 1 Gray Whale, 15 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 29 | 4 | 110 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 28 | 10 | 15 Gray Whales, 30,790 Common Dolphins, 125 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola mola |
| March 27 | 8 | 8 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 5,950 Common Dolphins, 125 Bottlenose Dolphins, 120 Risso’s Dolphins, 1 Mola mola , 1 Unidentified Shark |
| March 26 | 8 | 21 Gray Whales, 2,500 Common Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins, 2 Mola mola |
| March 25 | 8 | 31 Gray Whales, 825 Common Dolphins, 15 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola mola |
| March 24 | 6 | 10 Gray Whales, 60 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 23 | 3 | 5 Gray Whales, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins, 10 Common Dolphins |
| March 22 | 0 | Inclement Weather |
| March 21 | 0 | Inclement Weather |
| March 20 | 2 | 1 Minke Whale, 100 Common Dolphins |
| March 19 | 8 | 21 Gray Whales, 1,900 Common Dolphins, 100 Risso’s Dolphins, 11 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 18 | 10 | 32 Gray Whales, 3 Fin Whales, 2 Minke Whales, 200 Common Dolphins, 60 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 16 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 17 | 7 | 4 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 150 Common Dolphins, 90 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 16 | 8 | 20 Gray Whales, 3 Fin Whales, 160 Bottlenose Dolphins, 52 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| March 15 | 0 | Inclement Weather |
| March 14 | 5 | 6 Gray Whales, 500 Common Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 13 | 7 | 21 Gray Whales, 1,700 Common Dolphins, 30 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 12 | 9 | 11 Gray Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 700 Common Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola mola |
| March 11 | 7 | 155 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 10 | 3 | 1,200 Common Dolphins, 60 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 9 | 3 | 13 Fin Whales |
| March 8 | 4 | 3 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 185 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Risso’s Dolphin |
| March 7 | 3 | 6 Gray Whales, 2,000 Common Dolphins, 80 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 6 | 8 | 5 Gray Whales, 15,000 Common Dolphins |
| March 5 | 12 | 20 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 4,500 Common Dolphins, 105 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola mola, 1 Unidentified Shark |
| March 4 | 13 | 10 Gray Whales, 5,700 Common Dolphins, 105 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola mola |
| March 3 | 4 | 5 Gray Whales, 600 Common Dolphins, 30 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| March 2 | 3 | 2 Gray Whales |
| March 1 | 0 | Inclement Weather |
2023 Archive Whale Watching Sightings Log
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Date No. of Trips Sightings Feb 28 2 2 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 27 2 3 Humpback Whales, 402 Common Dolphins Feb 26 6 10 Gray Whales, 250 Common Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Green Sea Turtle, 1 Mola mola Feb 25 0 Inclement Weather Feb 24 0 Inclement Weather Feb 23 2 25 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 22 0 Inclement Weather Feb 21 6 8 Gray Whales, 1,800 Common Dolphins Feb 20 11 18 Gray Whales, 630 Bottlenose Dolphins, 600 Common Dolphins Feb 19 11 24 Gray Whales, 1,500 Common Dolphins Feb 18 11 8 Gray Whales, 15,710 Common Dolphins, 158 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 17 4 3 Gray Whales, 1,800 Common Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 16 3 4 Gray Whales, 100 Bottlenose Dolphins, 75 Common Dolphins Feb 15 5 8 Gray Whales, 19 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 14 2 No Sightings Feb 13 5 3 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whales, 1,500 Common Dolphins Feb 12 4 4 Gray Whales, 3 Fin Whales, 220 Bottlenose Dolphins, 100 Common Dolphins Feb 11 6 2 Gray Whales, 1,300 Common Dolphins, 92 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 10 4 6 Gray Whales, 750 Common Dolphins, 135 Bottlenose Dolphins, 2 Unidentified Sharks Feb 9 4 4 Gray Whales, 2 Minke Whales, 1,150 Common Dolphins, 105 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola mola Feb 8 4 7,500 Common Dolphins, 175 Risso’s Dolphins, 3 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 7 3 11 Gray Whales, 500 Common Dolphins, 40 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Feb 6 1 500 Common Dolphins Feb 5 6 16 Gray Whales, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 4 9 14 Gray Whales, 500 Common Dolphins, 155 Bottlenose Dolphins, 15 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Feb 3 4 10 Gray Whales, 150 Bottlenose Dolphins Feb 2 2 1 Fin Whale, 600 Common Dolphins Feb 1 2 150 Common Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins -
Date No. of Trips Sightings Jan 31 4 4 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 2 Fin Whales, 700 Common Dolphins, 30 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 30 2 600 Common Dolphins Jan 29 3 1 Gray Whale Jan 28 8 22 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 450 Common Dolphins Jan 27 4 6 Fin Whales, 6 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 160 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 26 4 6 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 7,500 Common Dolphins Jan 25 3 9 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 2,000 Common Dolphins, 180 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 24 3 4 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 800 Common Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 23 1 3 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf) Jan 22 7 6 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 300 Common Dolphins, 170 Bottlenose Dolphins, 100 Risso’s Dolphins Jan 21 8 22 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 1,500 Common Dolphins, 80 Bottlenose Dolphins, 2 Harbor Seals, 1 Mola mola, 1 Unidentified Shark Jan 20 4 4 Gray Whales, 195 Bottlenose Dolphins, 20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 10 Risso’s Dolphins, 8 Harbor Seals Jan 19 2 1,600 Common Dolphins Jan 18 3 1,800 Common Dolphins, 20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 4 Harbor Seals Jan 17 0 Inclement Weather Jan 16 0 Inclement Weather Jan 15 2 2 Gray Whales Jan 14 5 850 Common Dolphins, 10 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 13 4 8 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 900 Common Dolphins, 43 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 12 4 11 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 700 Common Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins (Including Patches) Jan 11 1 4 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 200 Common Dolphins Jan 10 0 Inclement Weather Jan 9 2 2 Gray Whales, 200 Common Dolphins Jan 8 7 14 Gray Whales, 5,700 Common Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 7 7 8 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 1,995 Common Dolphins, 210 Risso’s Dolphins Jan 6 5 1 Gray Whale, 1,500 Common Dolphins Jan 5 0 Inclement Weather Jan 4 0 Inclement Weather Jan 3 0 Inclement Weather Jan 2 6 21 Gray Whales (Including birth of a calf), 300 Common Dolphins, 32 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 1, 2023 0 Inclement Weather
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
2022 Whale Watching Stats
809
Gray Whales
419
Blue Whales
223
Humpback Whales
705,524
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.
