RARE SIGHTING

North Pacific right whale

Eubalaena japonica

V-shaped bushy blow, no dorsal fin, white callosities. Fewer than 50 left in the eastern Pacific (NOAA).

Stats

At a glance

LENGTH
45–64 ft
WEIGHT
Up to ~100 tons (NOAA)
LIFESPAN
At least 70 yrs (NOAA)
DIET
Copepods, euphausiids (krill), and cyprids, skim-fed at the surface
RARITY
Exceptional — once in a generation
SEASON
Feb–May

Length/weight/lifespan/diet: NOAA Fisheries species page →

How to ID

What to look for

V-shaped bushy blow, no dorsal fin, white callosities. Fewer than 50 left in the eastern Pacific (NOAA).
BEHAVIORS TO WATCH FOR
V-shaped bushy blowNo dorsal finSlow skim-feeding at the surface
When

Best months to see

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Archive

Last 30 days

This chart includes numerical reports only. Uncounted sightings do not appear in its totals; see the daily archive for presence reports.

Numerically reported
0
Days with counts
0/30 reported days
Last numeric report
None recorded
DAILY SIGHTING COUNTHOVER A BAR
SEP 17
Book

Where to go (operators publish dated sighting reports)

We monitor public trip reports across Newport Beach, Long Beach, Dana Point and San Diego. Reporting schedules vary; summaries show the latest available report. Newport's shared feed is counted once.

NC
Newport Coastal Adventure
1,100 common dolphins · report 2026-09-17
Book with Newport Coastal Adventure
NW
Newport Whales
1,100 common dolphins · report 2026-09-17
Book with Newport Whales
DL
Davey's Locker
1,100 common dolphins · report 2026-09-17
Book with Davey's Locker
HB
Harbor Breeze
LONG BEACH · No recent report available
Book with Harbor Breeze
DW
Dana Wharf
Common dolphin: Present, count unknown · Risso's dolphin: Present, count unknown · report 2026-09-17
Book with Dana Wharf
SD
San Diego Whale Watch
1 humpback whale · report 2026-09-17
Book with San Diego Whale Watch
P
Paul Grogan
Covers SoCal whale watching, ocean conditions, and the best departure ports on the Southern California coast.