Long Beach, a major city at the southern end of Los Angeles County, is known for its large and busy port, one of the nation's most important maritime centers and the permanent home of the Queen Mary. Tourists and locals are also drawn to the port for boating excursions, including trips to spot seasonal populations of blue and gray whales, as well as dolphins and other remarkable marine life plying the coastal Pacific waters.
Seasons and Species
- Blue whales, the largest mammals on the planet, are seen in the Pacific Ocean off Long Beach mostly from June to October. The migration season for Pacific gray whales is from December to mid-May, when they make their annual journey from Alaska to Baja California in Mexico, often with calves in tow. Other whale species known to inhabit Southern California's ocean include orcas, minke whales, fin whales and the occasional humpback and sperm whale. Common and bottlenose dolphins, harbor seals, sea lions and sea birds are prolific. Whale watching tour boats also report occasional sightings of Pacific white sided dolphins, Risso's dolphins, elephant seals and mola mola, the heaviest bony fish in the world. Among infrequent shark sightings off Long Beach are great white, basking, blue, mako and thrasher sharks, and in 2008 an Ocean Breeze whale watching tour boat reported seeing a hammerhead shark. Leatherback sea turtles are also spotted on rare occasions.
Tour Providers
- Whale watching tours departing from Long Beach are available through Harbor Breeze, which has been in operation since 1990. The company has six tour boats and offers three-hour-plus tours to spot blue whales from early May to the end of September; and two-hour gray whale watching tours from November until the end of April. The tours are available directly through Ocean Breeze, based at a dock adjacent to the Aquarium of the Pacific, or through the aquarium. The boats used for whale watching tours are double-decker sightseeing vessels with indoor seating as well as plenty of deck space for prime visibility. The boats also feature snack bars and toilets on board.
Typical Excursions
- Although it's impossible to guarantee whale sightings, you do have a good chance of seeing whales, especially at the peak of the blue or gray whale season. In 2012, Harbor Breeze passengers saw 565 blue whales, 447 gray whales, 384 fin whales, 191 orcas and 13 humpbacks. Common dolphins are nearly always seen, sometimes in pods numbering in the thousands. Dolphins like to surf in the boat's wake and frolic close to the decks, to the delight of passengers. An Aquarium of the Pacific naturalist will be on board to provide narration about the characteristics of Pacific marine life and whale migration patterns.
Tips
- Ocean Breeze recommends that you book tickets for whale watching tours as early as possible, especially during migration seasons. The Aquarium of the Pacific offers money-saving combination tickets that include admission to the aquarium and a whale watching excursion. Expect temperatures to be considerably cooler out on the water than they are on land, and dress in layers accordingly. Even if it's a little chilly, the Southern California sun is powerful, so bring sunscreen and wear sunglasses and a hat that won't blow away. You'll be standing on deck for up to three hours, especially if you're vigilantly watching the ocean, so wear comfortable, nonskid shoes. Binoculars and a camera will be useful.
