Whale Watching Center at Depoe Bay, Ore., during Whale Watch Week Dec. 2022.
Courtesy of Stefanie Knowlton / Oregon State Parks
Gray Whales are making their annual southward migration this winter. And Oregon State Parks hosts Whale Watch Week from Friday through New Year’s Eve along the coast.
About 19,000 Pacific Gray whales are traveling south to their calving waters in Baja California, said Justin Duering, an Oregon State Parks ranger based at Beverly Beach State Park in Lincoln County.
The species saw a dip in population numbers in recent years, but has made a comeback, Duering said. For those looking for whales, he recommends dressing for cool, wet weather, and bringing binoculars.
“They will be visible from the shoreline,” he said. “Most of them will be kind of in that 1-to-5-mile range offshore, so having some binoculars can really help for spotting them during migration.”
Duering said he looks forward to Whale Watch week every year.
“It is a really unique opportunity to see these magnificent animals that are just right in our backyard here in Oregon,” he said. “Even if we’re not spotting whales, if the weather is bad, you can just come and hang out and watch those wild winter waves and come talk to people that have some knowledge about these animals.”
Related: A whale of a time is back at the Oregon Coast
Duering said whale watching is a lot of fun and can get addictive.
During Whale Watch Week, rangers and volunteers with Oregon State Parks will be stationed at 15 sites along the coast daily to help visitors look for whales.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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