Watching for Whales
A quiet afternoon at MacKerricher State Park
We went out to Laguna Point primarily to watch for whales, but there were so many neat seashells and interesting details everywhere we looked…
Last week, we made a brief mention of the fact that grey whales form a large part of our culture here in Mendocino. So much so that we have a whopping THREE week-long Whale Festival every March. There is a lot of history that goes into this love we have for our watery friends, decades of dedicated activism and ongoing research. Perhaps the primary reason we are obsessed with these giant creatures of the sea though is that we can so easily see them as they migrate south and then back north right off our coast. Any time between November and April, we might very well get to be spectators to a spontaneous water show of flukes and breaches, or at the very least puffing spouts, whenever we are out for a stroll along the ocean bluffs. And even though we get to witness such moments pretty frequently, these greetings from our neighbors in the sea always fill us with awe and joy.
Even this grey whale skeleton at the Visitor Center at the entrance to MacKerricher fills us with wonder.
Knowing that right now is the prime season to watch the parade of whales heading back north from their calving grounds in Baja California, we decided to go out for a bit of whale watching just yesterday.
Our seal friend just at the end of the rocks was keeping a close eye on us. You can see the rest of his crew on the rocks beyond, totally oblivious to our presence.
We perched on the tumbling rocks off the end of Laguna Point at MacKerricher State Park, the occasional visitor going for a stroll along the boardwalk behind us forgotten as we waited to catch a glimpse of the whales. Until, that is, one particularly high-spirited individual decided she needed to get the attention of all the harbor seals sunning themselves on the rocky pile just beyond ours. We turned around to stare in bemusement as she let out what could only be described as a long, yodeling yowl. The lackadaisical glance of one or two seals not satisfying her, she released a couple more yowls through the bullhorn of her hands. She must have realized the foolishness of her screeching, as she quickly gave up and wandered away again, leaving us to enjoy our self-appointed vigil in peace.
There was a whole herd of hermit crabs down there!
We stared out across gently heaving waves, the sun soothingly warm on our backs. Time ceased to exist. The brilliant blue of the sky stretched high over our heads. The bright orange of an oystercatcher’s bill caught our eye as it winged awkwardly across the rocks, its fretful call trailing behind on the swirling ocean breeze. One of the seals slipped off the rocks in search of food. And the waves stretched to the horizon with no sign of whales. Ah well. An eye always out for a glimpse of whales, we got up from our perches and explored a few of the tide pools that make MacKerricher State Park a perennial favorite with locals and visitors alike. We went for a leisurely stroll down the bluff-top path a ways, basking in the restful tranquility of the afternoon. Coming to the end of our meandering walk, we cast one last glance out to sea before shrugging and heading back to our cars with a smile – no whales had come by to say hello during our visit, but we had still thoroughly enjoyed our time watching and waiting for them. We would just have to come back out again…
Follow the signs to MacKerricher State Park’s Whale Watch Walks every Saturday through the end of March.
The rangers at MacKerricher State Park are holding free guided Whale Watch Walks every Saturday at 11:00am through the end of March. These walks are a great way to tag along with the experts and learn more about the grey whales, and although it’s never guaranteed there will be whales passing by during the tour, you’re bound to have a neat experience regardless. Can’t make it to MacKerricher by 11:00am? The Ford House Visitor Center in Mendocino is also hosting free guided walks every Saturday through the end of March, with theirs starting at 1:00pm.
Check out all the other fun things to do during our three weeks of Whale Festival – then plan your visit. We can’t wait to share the whales with you!
Words and pictures by Laura Hockett