Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast

It's that time of year again! It's time to bundle up and get on the Oregon Coast beaches to whale watch! The whales have started their migration south to Baja. The official start of the Oregon Coast Winter Whale Watch Week is Sunday, Dec 25, 2011 - Jan 1, 2012. During Whale Watching Week, volunteers will be at selected locations to give you information about the whales, their migration and help with spotting. This program is Whale Spoken Here.

Photo: Oregon State University Marine Mammal Program

An estimated 18,000 gray whales will start their long journey along the Oregon Coast to their breeding grounds in lagoons in Baja, Mexico. Located within just a few minutes of Sandlake Country Inn are 3 excellent Whale Spoken Here spots. On the map below, they are numbers 4, 5 & 6. Many more Oregon coast whale watching sites are within an easy 1 1/2 hour drive (locations 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,& 14).

Best Watching Sites and Times
Winter Whales - Southbound Winter Whale Watching Week - Sun, Dec 26, 2010- Sat., Jan 1, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trained volunteers will be present at the 26 sites listed on the map (right) to show visitors the gray whales. This is not the only time you can see the whales. About 18,000 gray whales will pass by in about 4 weeks, from mid-December to mid-January. The same locations are still great viewing spots. The main body of whales is about 5 mile off shore, but some can be seen as close as 1-2 miles off shore. During the southern migration whales seldom stop to eat, but travel steadily to the Baja lagoons of Mexico. Spring Whales - Northbound Spring Whale Watching Week - Sat., March 19 - Sat., March 26, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trained volunteers will be present at the 26 sites on the map (right) to show visitors the gray whales. This is not the only time you can see the whales. About 18,000 whales will pass by our coast during March, April, May and June on their way to Alaska's Bering Sea. Juveniles pass first followed by adults. Last are the mothers and babies. Many of them come close to shore feeding on Oregon's great food supply. In April and May you may be able to see mothers and calves resting in protected coves close to shore. We see this quite often from the Whale Center. The same locations on the map are still great viewing spots. Summer Whales There are about 200-400 gray whales that do not go as far north as Alaska to feed in the summer. We generally have feeding whales on the central coast from July through October. These whales are very close to shore while feeding and can often be seen from many of the same locations on the map.

Diane & Ron Emineth
Sandlake Country Inn
 8505 Galloway Rd
Cloverdale, OR 97112 (near Pacific City)

Sandlake Country Inn
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