Typical 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: Blue 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
February 2020 Daily Whale Watching Sightings Log
| Date | No. of Trips | Sightings |
| Feb 26 | 2 | 2 Humpback Whales, 1,800 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 25 | 5 | 700 Common Dolphins, 50 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Elephant Seal |
| Feb 24 | 3 | 8 Humpback Whales, 8 Gray Whales, 1,300 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 23 | 6 | 3 Gray Whales, 2 Humpback Whales, 100 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 22 | 6 | 16 Gray Whales, 4 Humpback Whales, 1,000 Common Dolphins, 20 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Feb 21 | 4 | 11 Gray Whales, 115 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Feb 20 | 11 | 15 Humpback Whales, 11 Gray Whales, 3,100 Common Dolphins, 175 Bottlenose Dolphins, 25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 19 | 4 | 12 Humpback Whales, 3,200 Common Dolphins, 30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 18 | 4 | 8 Humpback Whales, 3,300 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 17 | 9 | 19 Gray Whales, 6 Humpback Whales, 1,387 Common Dolphins, 160 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 16 | 9 | 13 Gray Whales, 4 Humpback Whales, 2 Fin Whales, 4,340 Common Dolphins, 450 Bottlenose Dolphins, 230 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 1 Sea Turtle |
| Feb 15 | 10 | 37 Gray Whales, 6 Humpback Whales, 850 Common Dolphins, 350 Bottlenose Dolphins, 20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 14 | 5 | 12 Gray Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 62 Bottlenose Dolphins, 112 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 13 | 3 | 9 Humpback Whales, 9 Gray Whales, 1,800 Common Dolphins, 250 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 10 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Feb 12 | 4 | 4 Humpback Whales, 4 Gray Whales, 915 Common Dolphins, 200 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 11 | 3 | 9 Gray Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 900 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 10 | 2 | 2 Gray Whales (“Mugged” our boats, Watch Video), 100 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 9 | 2 | 5 Gray Whales, 5 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 8 | 8 | 22 Gray Whales, 80 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 18 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Feb 7 | 3 | 4 Gray Whales, 200 Common Dolphins, 24 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 6 | 3 | 14 Gray Whales, 550 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 5 | 2 | 4 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 600 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 4 | 1 | 3 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf) |
| Feb 3 | 0 | Inclement Weather |
| Feb 2 | 6 | 13 Gray Whales, 200 Common Dolphins, 65 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
| Feb 1 | 8 | 31 Gray Whales, 650 Common Dolphins, 162 Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
2020 Archive Whale Watching Sightings Log
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Date No. of Trips Sightings Jan 31 4 15 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 300 Common Dolphins, 24 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 4 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 30 4 21 Gray Whales, 700 Common Dolphins, 25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 29 3 7 Gray Whales Jan 28 2 5 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 100 Common Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 27 3 8 Gray Whales, 150 Common Dolphins, 50 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola Jan 26 5 6 Gray Whales, 425 Common Dolphins, 25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 5 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 25 6 22 Gray Whales, 70 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 40 Common Dolphins Jan 24 5 10 Gray Whales, 200 Common Dolphins, 100 Risso’s Dolphins, 15 Bottlenose Dolphins, 2 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 23 4 8 Gray Whales, 172 Risso’s Dolphins, 15 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 22 2 10 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 50 Common Dolphins, 50 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 21 4 14 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 149 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 30 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola Jan 20 3 5 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Calf), 120 Common Dolphins, 50 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 19 6 19 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Newborn Calf), 137 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 151 Common Dolphins Jan 18 6 4 Gray Whales, 450 Common Dolphins, 185 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 17 3 8 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Newborn Calf), 200 Common Dolphins, 85 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 16 2 2 Gray Whales, 100 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 15 2 1 Gray Whale Jan 14 4 2 Gray Whales, 300 Common Dolphins, 60 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 13 1 700 Common Dolphins Jan 12 4 2 Gray Whales, 760 Common Dolphins, 20 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 11 5 2,500 Common Dolphins Jan 10 3 2 Gray Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 400 Common Dolphins, 20 Risso’s Dolphins, 4 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 9 0 Inclement Weather Jan 8 2 200 Common Dolphins, 60 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 7 3 8 Gray Whales (Including Cow/Newborn Calf ), 106 Common Dolphins, 100 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 6 6 9 Gray Whales, 900 Common Dolphins, 565 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 5 4 7 Gray Whales, 130 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 18 Common Dolphins Jan 4 6 655 Common Dolphins, 50 Pacific White-sided Dolphins, 5 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 3 6 3 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales, 1,800 Common Dolphins, 15 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 2 7 3 Gray Whales, 1,350 Common Dolphins, 249 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 1 7 8 Gray Whales, 700 Common Dolphins, 180 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
2019 Whale Watching Stats
830
Gray Whales
174
Blue Whales
229
Humpback Whales
427,279
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.
