Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Blocky head, bushy blow angled left. Regular in the deep basins, almost never within day-boat reach.
At a glance
Length/weight/lifespan/diet: NOAA Fisheries species page →
Regionally these are not rare — sperm whales are present in California waters year-round on a stock of roughly 2,600. They simply work the deep basins and the slope while day boats work the shelf, so one Dana Point operator logged them in 2023 through 2026 and, before that, not since 2014.
NOAA Sperm Whale CA/OR/WA SAR, rev. 5/14/2024 source →
HOW RARITY IS JUDGED →What to look for
Best months to see
Last 30 days
This chart includes numerical reports only. Uncounted sightings do not appear in its totals; see the daily archive for presence reports.
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.