Depoe Bay Whale Watching
Whale Watching Report:
06/03/2021
The marine conditions have been quite nice for several days now. Gently winds and small swells make for good whale watching conditions. We had intermittent fog yesterday that made spotting the whales challenging. The conditions so far today are promising, the ocean is flat and the breezes are calm.\r\n\r\nWhale sightings have been consistent, we are typically seeing multiple whales on each excursion. We have cruises out daily, weather permitting. For an opportunity to sail with the cleanest most comfortable best maintained fleet of 50 foot Delta charter boats call 541-765-2545 or make a reservation on line at any time or up to one hour before departure at www.docksidedepoebay.com \r\n\r\nBased on the new guidance regarding vaccine effectiveness, beginning May 17, 2021, we are modifying our policy regarding face coverings and social distancing. The CDC and State of Oregon are no longer requiring face mask and social distancing by those that are fully vaccinated for outdoor activities. We will not require proof of vaccination, but we ask for everyone’s responsible and respectful cooperation with this revised policy. Dockside Charters continues to recommend that all guests, especially those who are at higher risk, wear a mask or shield. The CDC DEFINES “People are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine.” Our goal is to continue to provide a safe environment for your enjoyment and to provide a safe work environment for our employees, while following public health advice and applicable laws.
05/23/2021
The forecast for the marine conditions look favorable for whale watching for most of the coming week. Whale sightings have been consistent, we are seeing multiple whales. We have cruises out daily, weather permitting. For an opportunity to sail with the cleanest most comfortable best maintained fleet of 50 foot Delta charter boats call 541-765-2545 or make a reservation on line at any time or up to one hour before departure at www.docksidedepoebay.com\r\n\r\nBased on the new guidance regarding vaccine effectiveness, beginning May 17, 2021, we are modifying our policy regarding face coverings and social distancing. \r\n\r\nThe CDC and State of Oregon are no longer requiring face mask and social distancing by those that are fully vaccinated for outdoor activities. We will not require proof of vaccination, but we ask for everyone’s responsible and respectful cooperation with this revised policy. Dockside Charters continues to recommend that all guests, especially those who are at higher risk, wear a mask or shield.\r\n \r\nCDC DEFINES\r\n“People are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, \r\n or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine.”\r\n\r\nOur goal is to continue to provide a safe environment for your enjoyment and to provide a safe work environment for our employees, while following public health advice and applicable laws.\r\n
05/20/2021
The forecast for the marine conditions look favorable for whale watching. Whale sightings have been consistent, we are seeing multiple whales. We have cruises out daily, weather permitting. The marine weather forecast for this weekend is a little windy Saturday but very little wind on Sunday. For an opportunity to sail with the cleanest most comfortable best maintained fleet of 50 foot Delta charter boats call 541-765-2545 or make a reservation on line at any time or up to one hour before departure at www.docksidedepoebay.com
05/14/2021
Our whale watching efforts have been hampered by windy conditions for several days. Whale sightings have been good in spite of the conditions but the wind does make it much more difficult to spot the whales/spouts. We have cruises out daily, weather permitting. The marine weather forecast for this weekend is windy. For an opportunity to get out with the cleanest most comfortable best maintained fleet of 50 foot Delta charter boats call 541-765-2545 or make a reservation on line at any time or up to one hour before departure at www.docksidedepoebay.com
05/08/2021
Day after day we have good whale watching and sight seeing excursions. Today was no exception, in fact it was nothing short of spectacular with multiple sightings of a group of at least five whales. Whale sightings have been good and plentiful. We have cruises out daily, weather permitting. We have been enjoying some very pleasant marine conditions recently. Small swells and very little wind. The marine weather forecast looks quite good at this time. For an opportunity to get out with the cleanest most comfortable best maintained fleet of 50 foot Delta charter boats call 541-765-2545 or make a reservation on line at any time or up to one hour before departure at www.docksidedepoebay.com
Depoe Bay Whale Watching Report Archive...
Depoe Bay is the Whale Watching Capital and Dockside Charters offers Premier Whale Watching Excursions.
Dockside Charters runs whale watching excursions on a daily basis during our whale watching season. The season typically goes from mid-December through October. Our whale watching season actually is two part: migration and residential. The migratory season begins in December and usually extends until mid May. Mid to late May is when our “resident” whales begin to arrive. Our resident whales are a group of roughly 20 whales that, though they do migrate don’t go all the way to the Bering Sea but rather feed during the summer season within just a few miles of Depoe Bay and stay in the area until late October. The same whales return year after year and we are able to identify returning whales by their individual markings and the skippers even have them named.
Pacific Gray Whales have the longest migration of any animal on earth going from the Bering Sea to the Baja Peninsula and even into the Sea of Cortez. Their migration allows calves to be born in the warm waters of the Baja lagoons, that is vital to the survival of the newborns because they have no insulating blubber layer at birth. As the new calves and their mothers slowly migrate North the calves gain about nine to ten pounds per day. What makes that even more remarkable is the fact that the cows (mother gray whales) feed very little if at all during the migration. This is often quite evident by the physical appearance of the cows when they reach Depoe Bay, they are literally racks of skin and bones, having used their fat reserves to support the calves during migration.
After they arrive here feeding is the priority. Pacific Gray Whales are baleen feeders, they filter food they need from the water by straining it through their baleen plates. Organisms they feed on are quite small, one of the whales most important food sources are Mysid Shrimp. Mysid Shrimp live in and around kelp forests and never get more than about a half inch in length. They resemble mosquito larva more than shrimp and the whales will consume up to 2000 pounds of them a day. At other times they will feed on copepods they filter by taking mouthfuls of muck from the bottom or even skim feed on schools of very small fish.
Humpback and Blues whales are also seen occasionally though not as frequently as Gray Whales. We are fortunate here in Depoe Bay to have whales nearby for us to see for most of the year.
At Dockside Charters we run our Whale Watching excursions from safe comfortable 50 foot Delta Charter boats. They are Coast Guard Certified and have everything required for your safety and piece of mind. They have all the amenities: comfortable heated cabins, rest rooms, indoor seating, seating out on deck. You are able to walk all the way around the boats and are elevated above the water for excellent whale sightings. Our captains have decades of experience and a wealth of knowledge they share during the excursions making them interpretive tours. Our boats have access doors to walk on and off with ease or provide wheel chair access. We can accommodate large groups.
Reservations are recommended for our whale watching tours, to make yours call 541-765-2545
Whale watching excursions seven days a week, subject to marine conditions.
Whale watching report archive...
(541) 765-2545
