The migration of the California gray whale is one of the most remarkable
natural history events in the world today. The majority of these whales
journey southward just off the shore of southern California and Lower
California during January and February. Although a few early migrants
may pass San Diego early in December, they are not abundant until
Christmas. An occasional straggler can be sighted in March.
Only 20 years ago this species was so rare, that little hope was held
that it could ever recover. Today the species appears out of danger,
thanks to international cooperation among the whaling nations which
stopped the slaughter of this truly unique whale. Now it is not at all
unusual to see between 50 and 75 whales a day during the peak of the
migration.
One of the finest locations for viewing this migration is the Cabrillo
National Monument which commands an almost aerial view of the coastline.
Here individual whales can be watched for at least 1 hour, as they hove
into view from the north and at last recede to the southeast along the
Silver Strand. The first and only public observatory for whales was
established at the monument in 1951. The naturalist on duty not only
keeps a plot of the whales passing by, but also helps visitors find
their first whale. The observatory is one of the most popular wintertime
attractions in southern California. With so many pairs of eyes on hand,
it is not surprising that the count of whales is remarkably complete.
There is no other marine animal which can be seen with such certainty in
its natural element.
[Illustration: Migrating gray whales off Point Loma, Calif.
_Photograph by Burky Reeves._]
[Illustration: Migrating gray whale passing San Diego, Calif.
_Courtesy Scripps Institute of Oceanography._]
Migrating animals have always fascinated man who considered them
harbingers of the seasons. Man continues to puzzle over the mysteries of
how these animals are able to navigate so precisely and how they are
able to maintain such timetables. Whereas other migrating animals pass
broadly through an area, the California gray whales, at least on the
final part of the route, are passing along just outside the surf zone,
virtually single file! It is hard to realize that 3 months earlier these
whales started off from their summer quarters in the Arctic Ocean and
the Bering Sea, as well as along the shore of Siberia and Kamchatka en
route to their winter quarters in the lagoons and harbors along the
outer coast of Lower California. Between these two areas lie 6,000 miles
of seemingly trackless ocean. With the advent of spring the whales must
be on their way back again to their summer grounds.
Although all the large whales make such extensive travels, except the
bowhead, only the gray whale spends so much time in sight of land. The
other species are truly oceanic at all times, and never seem abundant
because of the vastness of the oceans. Like the gray whale they
congregate in polar seas during the summer months, moving into temperate
and subtropical waters for the winter months. To this day, much of the
migration route is unknown. Perhaps some day a scientist will attempt to
trail a group of whales along the entire route. The tendency of the gray
whale to hug the coast is manifest only within 600 miles of the
destination. This may be a precautionary routing which prevents the
whales from making their landfall south of the lagoons. Such an error in
navigation would not only prolong the migration, but leave the whales on
the horns of a dilemma--to swim on south or turn back?