Whale Watching with Birch Aquarium & San Diego Harbor Excursion
By Lisa D. Smith

We recently had the pleasure of going on a naturalist-guided whale watching tour with Birch Aquarium and San Diego Harbor Excursion. This is something Nancy and I have wanted to do for years – experience being out in the middle of the big blue ocean-- as the longest mammal migration in the world passes by! Approximately 20,000 Gray Whales pass San Diego on their annual 10,000 mile round-trip journey from the Bering Sea feeding grounds, to Baja’s lagoons where they breed and give birth. Wow - Spring Break in Baja, Mexico – the perfect resting stop before heading back north with their babies.

Besides being a scenic journey, the cruise also featured a number of historic and natural sites including The USS Midway Museum, Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument – and even a Green Sea Turtle Preserve. It was a great reminder to just how rich San Diego is with maritime, military and natural history. As we headed further out to sea, with sea gulls and pelicans flying overhead and sea lions swimming by, I was astounded by just how magnificent the ocean is. It’s big out there, and it’s beautiful.

The naturalist and docents really made the trip worthwhile, teaching us all about the whales, how to look for them, and what they were doing when we saw them. And yes, we saw them! And yes, they’re big – really big – apparently they grow up to 50 feet long, and can weigh up to 35 tons! It was the first time I didn’t feel bad about ignoring my treadmill!  When the whales made their appearance – it was amazing to see a group of people jump up and suddenly gain their sea legs. Every person on that boat was in complete awe. For me, it put everything in perspective when it comes to Mother Nature – she does rule the roost.

On Sunday, January 20, 2008, Nancy and I interviewed Dr. Nigella Hillgarth, the Executive Director of Birch Aquarium at Scripps, on our online radio show ‘Champagne Sundays’. We really enjoyed having her as a guest as we chatted about her travels around the world as a zoologist, about the aquariums role in education and conservation, and of course – all about the big, beautiful, Gray Whales.

To listen to Dr. Nigella Hillgarth’s interview on our online radio show ‘Champagne Sundays’– please double click on the Play button below.

 

 
 

For more about Gray Whales and a game to play, click here.
For a short video clip, click here.

Check out these Whale Adventures with Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Daily Naturalist-Guided Whale Watching Adventures: Join Birch Aquarium for their 8th season of naturalist-led whale watching with San Diego Harbor Excursion. These memorable trips take you west of San Diego Bay in search of the beautiful gray whale. Naturalists from Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography will be on each cruise to talk about gray whale behavior and point out whales as they migrate past our shores on their way to the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico, to breed and give birth. These naturalists will also share whale biofacts and hands-on activities. These tours run daily until March 31, 2008. Info & Reservations call San Diego Harbor Excursion at (619) 234-4111

Extended Whale Watching Expeditions to Baja California, Mexico: For a longer and more intimate whale adventure, travel down to Baja's beautiful Magdalena Bay with Andiamo Tours Mexico and Birch Aquarium to see the gray whale up-close and personal. These extended three-, five- and six-day trips take you to the heart of gray whale birthing grounds where whales play, rest, and investigate their curious visitors before heading north to return to their arctic winter waters. Hotel accommodations, guest naturalist lectures and new friends make these adventures one you will never forget.

Whales: Voices in the Sea: This new, traveling display will be at Birch Aquarium at Scripps until March 30, 2008. This interactive display demonstrates how whales use complex sounds to communicate in and navigate around their world. You will be able to listen to the calls of seven types of whales, try recording your own whale calls, and view videos about their lives in the ocean. The exhibit explores the sounds of humpback, sperm, gray, blue, beaked, and Northern right whales. Video segments feature each of the whales in their natural habitat, including rare footage of the elusive beaked whale. Many whale species are compromised as whales struggle to adapt to an increasingly louder ocean environment and the threats of environmental changes.

For over a century, generations of families have discovered the ocean world through exhibits and educational programs of the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, CA. For details about the aquarium and their exhibits, and their whale watching cruises and expeditions – Call (858) 534-FISH or Click here.