Whale Watching at the Oregon Coast with a Los Angelite

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Ilene Syle, GoLocalPDX Guest Contributor

Whale watching season in Oregon has just begun, and what better way to experience it than with an out-of-stater who's never been.

My friend Deb from Los Angeles came to visit last weekend, voluntarily leaving sunny and warm L.A. to brave the cool and rainy winter weather of Portland. Thanks for being so brave, Deb! One of the things on Deb's "PDX to-do list" was whale watching. How convenient that the weekend she chose to visit was the start of Spring Whale Watching Week in Oregon. We packed our rain gear (as well as sunglasses, just in case) and headed to the Oregon coast.

We decided not to take the freeway there, but instead, a scenic road that took us though wine country, lush agricultural areas, and beautiful forests. We were headed for Depoe Bay, the self-proclaimed capital of whale watching on the Oregon coast, and home to the Oregon State Parks Whale Watching Center. When we arrived, the Center was jumping.

During Whale Watching Week, hundreds of Whale Watch volunteers man 26 sites along the coast, recording whale activity in the area to which they are assigned. These dedicated volunteers also assist visitors, answering questions and dispensing helpful whale watching tips. After you spot your first whale, the volunteers give you a sticker to wear that declares you an official whale watcher. Very amusing and fun!

Gray Whales are the type of whale most prevalent here in Oregon. These whales migrate past the Oregon coast two times each year. In December and January, winter migration season, whales move from Alaska down to warmer waters in Mexico, where expectant mothers give birth. The spring migration is from March through May, when the whales, including the mothers and their babies, head back up to Alaska. During each migration, almost 18,000 whales pass the Oregon coastline.

Some of these mammals decide not to go back to Alaskan waters, but to hang here in Oregon for the summer. (The scientific name for this select group is "hipster whales.") There are about 200 Gray Whales who choose to live in Oregon for the summer, where they can be seen feeding amazingly close to the coastal shoreline. They have also been seen spouting craft beer, something clearly unique to Oregon whales.

The Whale Watching Center is staffed with Interpretive Whale Rangers, who are walking treasure-troves of information about these beloved mammals. In a casual conversation with Ranger Renee, Deb and I learned more than we ever thought possible about whales, including that whales are the largest animals that have ever lived on the earth, and weigh up to 220 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh over 4 tons, and their babies weigh around 1500 lbs. at birth. Whale songs can be heard underwater for thousands of miles.

We also learned, in excruciating detail, how whales have sex (this was Deb's question, not mine!) Suffice it to say that the mating habits of Gray Whales are very complex and involve a threesome of two males and one female, and lots of rolling around. It sounded a bit kinky to me. But who am I to judge? Rather, I stand in awe. If it takes three colossal whales to have one of those cute-as-a-button 1,500 lb. babies, then knock yourselves out, all three of you!

Although the Whale Watching Center was incredibly accommodating (even stocking binoculars for visitors to use), Deb and I did not see any whales there. Whale watching is a strange pastime - you can only look out at the horizon for so long before your eyes glaze over and you get bored silly. However, I'm happy to report hat we DID spot a whale blow (the geyser-like spout whales create when they come to the surface to replenish their oxygen) as we were walking along the coast of Depoe Bay. We ran into two Whale Watch volunteers, and they cheerfully showed us where to look. We were thrilled, not only because we finally spotted a whale (and got our stickers!), but because now we could go do the second most popular thing to do on the Oregon Coast - eat chowder!