Whale-watching: Before you go, know your lingo

By Chuck Myers
McClatchy-Tribune

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

Some of the best whale-watching opportunities along the coasts of North America take place adjacent to the California coastline, particularly near Channel Islands National Park, south of Santa Barbara.

The waters around the Channel Islands play host to a variety of whale species. Gray whales show up in the area from mid-December to mid-March, while blue and humpback whales make their appearance during the summer months.

Visitors to the national park can catch whales in action different ways. One high point at the park's shore location offers a good vantage for spotting whales. A whale watcher can also check out the whale activity from telescopes in a tower at the park visitor center.

For the absolute prime experience, however, the best move is to take in the whale world from public whale-watching boats or private boats.

Whichever way individuals choose to view a whale, they should be familiar with whale-watching lexicon. The National Park Service offers this handy primer on the terms that describe different whale habits:

• Spout: A tell-tale sign a whale is in the area. The spout or "blow" may be visible for several miles on a calm day. The sound of a whale's spout may be also heard from up to a half-mile away. The spout is mainly condensation created as the whale's warm, humid breath expands and cools in the sea air.

• Breaching: Occurs when a whale leaps from the water, pivots onto its side or back, and falls back with an enormous splash. Three-quarters of a whale's body may be visible during this spectacular exhibition.

• Diving: Preceded by whales thrusting their tail flukes out of the water. Whales often make a series of shallow dives, followed by a deep dive.

• Footprints: Ripples in the water caused by the vertical thrusts of the tail as a whale dives.

• Spy Hopping: A whale will extend its head vertically from the ocean surface occasionally, to have a look around. A whale's head can rise 8 to 10 feet above the surface, sometimes turning slowly for 30 seconds or more before going back under the water.

— SOURCE: National Park Service