SAN JOSE, Calf.—As we speak, there’s a spouting, breaching, vocalizing superhighway of whales off the California coast. Epicureans might be disappointed that it has led to a delay in the crab season, as the roving creatures can get tangled up in trap lines. But on the bright side, it’s created fantastic opportunities for whale watching, with encounters visible from the shore if you know where to look.
“It’s crazy—there’s plenty of activity. I was just in Tiburon and a humpback whale came right into Raccoon Strait (inside the Bay), a couple hundred feet away,” said Bill Keener, a cetacean research biologist at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito.
Abnormally cold waters have led to an abundance of krill and anchovies (so much so that fish have rained from the sky). Following the food and their massive appetites are humpback whales, pushing off the coast and sometimes through the Golden Gate. In fact, the Golden Gate Bridge right now is a decent place for whale-watching; if it doesn’t pan out, you’re at least likely to see some pinnipeds.
For folks who want to head out to observe the whales, here are some of Keener’s favorite spots. To maximize your chances, “binoculars are a must,” Keener said. Also, try to head out at high tide or when the tides are strongly incoming; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association predicts those.
“I think they use the flooding tide or incoming tide to ride in toward the coast farther and often use outgoing tides on the way out,” Keener said.
