Time for Whale Watching!!!
It’s almost time for whale watching here in San Diego and if the this season is anything like last year it’s going to be awesome! Last season I personally went out on over 50 whale watching tours but one trip will always stick out in my mind and is a story told over and over again inside the shop at OEX. I had a small group of 6 kayakers that I was leading outside of the reserve, typically we paddle 2 miles out to sea directly from the La Jolla Shores boat launch. On this particular tour one of the couples was an elderly couple from La Mesa and when I say elderly I’m talking mid 70′s. However, they weren’t your typical grandparents (or nothing like my grandparents). Both were triathletes since the 70′s and had finished numerous Ironman Triathlons. For those of you who don’t know, the Ironman is one of the toughest races on the planet! It consists of a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike ride and is topped off with a full 26 mile marathon. To finish the race you have to come in with a time under 17 hours. Challenging to say the least…
We paddled out and were watching the horizon for 45 minutes with no luck.. Then out of nowhere something amazing happened! A grey whale surfaced just a few feet from our group! It was so close that the spout went 10ft up in the air and nearly rained down on us! Wow. We all sat there in shock not knowing if what just happened was real. It was like being in a Discovery Channel show!
Every year 15,000 grey whales migrate from the cold water of the Arctic Sea near Alaska down to the warmer waters of Mexico to bear their calves. La Jolla in particular is perfect for whale watching because of the deep water canyons found just off the shoreline that put you right in the migration route. Grey Whales can reach a length of 52 ft and weigh up to 36 tons! Nothing can compare to sitting on the ocean and having a 50 ft whale breach a few yards from your kayak. Last season we saw hundreds pass just outside of the La Jolla Ecological reserve.
While paddling out you might also encounter dolphins, sea lions, sea turtles, leopard sharks and numerous other animals that inhabit the cove. Needless to say I’ll be paddling out again soon to chase another epic moment. Whale watching in San Diego typically runs from December 15th through mid March depending on how many are counted off the coast line. It’s easier to do than you might expect. We offer tours for any age group from 6 to 86 years-old! Join us for one of our daily tours and make a memory that will last forever!
Wanna book a tour? Click here to book online and save!
Filed under Featured OEX News, La Jolla Kayaking News, Living The Dream, OEX Blog
Written By : chris.lynch
Born and raised in Northern California, Chris moved to SD for college. He played rugby at SDSU and graduated with a degree in International Economics. He loves to surf and golf, when he gets time. Chris is currently California's Most Eligible Bachelor according to... Read More
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