Farallon Islands Whale Watching

Oceanic Society Naturalist David Wimpfheimer aboard Salty Lady—highlights include sightings of 6-8 Blue whales, 20-25 Humpback whales including two calf/cow pairs, and one Gray whale. Also sighted were 22-25 Black-footed albatross and 6 Tufted puffins.

Participants enjoyed sightings of 6-8 Blue whales 6 miles south of SEFI. The encounter lasted for 10 minutes with a view of one of the animal's flukes and one swimming towards the boat showing its dorsal fin well. There were also sightings of 20-25 Humpback whales with two calf/cow pairs quite close to the boat. Two groups of about six whales were feeding and showing their flukes. One Gray whale was also sighted on the NE side of SEFI for about 15 minutes.

During the course of the trip, participants also saw 200 California sea lions, 2 Steller sea lions, 10 Harbor seals, and 6-8 Harbor porpoises.

Birds sighted on this trip included: 1 Common loon, 22-25 Black Footed Albatross, 8-10 Northern fulmars, 1 Pink-footed shearwater, 70-80 Sooty shearwaters, 2 Ashy Storm Petrels, 40 Brown pelicans, 20 Double crested cormorants, 90 Brandt's cormorants, 8 Pelagic cormorants, 2 Black Oystercatchers, 1 Pomarine jaeger, 3 Parasitic jaegers, 1 Long-tailed jaeger, 5 Heerman's gulls, 300 Western gulls, 6 Sabine's gulls, 20 Elegant terns, 300-350 Common murres, 100-120 Pigeon guillemots, 40-50 Cassin's auklets, and 6 Tufted puffins.

Naturalist-led trips to the Farallon Islands and, weather permitting, the Continental Shelf depart from San Francisco on weekends May through November. Trips are filling up. Make your reservations today! Call (415) 474-3385. Or simply download our registration form and fax it to our office, (415) 474-3395. Or register via Acteva as offered at the bottom of the Farallon Islands schedule.