Gray Whale

Spring and fall months are a great time to see gray whales along the Northern California coast.

Gray whales spend their summers feeding in the arctic. In early fall, by the thousands these giant marine mammals begin their long southward migration to their calving grounds in Baja California. As gray whales move south, most will reach Monterey bay waters by mid December.

In breeding lagoons in Baja, cows give birth to 2,000 pound calves during the months of January and February. The relationship between cows and calves is incredibly close, as the two remain in constant contact and the calf will even ride on its mother’s back for the first few days after birth.

During the seven months spent migrating to and staying in their Baja breeding areas, gray whales live almost entirely off their fat reserves.

They then must make their journey north, back to their arctic feeding grounds. It is during this northward journey that gray whales can be seen with their calves in the Monterey Bay during April and May.