Recent Sightings

The Gray Whales are here!!! We saw the first Gray Whale of the season on 12/28/09!

3/7 - 1 Fin Whale, Large Pods of Bottlenose Dolphin
3/6
- 7 Gray Whales, 6 Fin Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
3/5
- 5 Gray Whales, 4 Fin Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
3/4
- 7 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales
3/3
- 7 Gray Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
3/2
- 5 Gray Whales, Large Pods of Common, Bottlenose and White-Sided Dolphin
3/1
- 3 Gray Whales
2/28
- 8 Fin Whales! 1 Gray Whale, Large Pods of Risso's Dolphin.
2/27
- No trips due to weather.
2/26
- 1 Gray Whale, Large Pods of White-Sided Dolphin
2/25
- 1 Fin Whale, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/24
- 2 Gray Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/23
- 3 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/22
- 1 Gray Whale, 2 Fin Whales
2/21
- 1 Gray Whale, 2 Fin Whales and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/20
- 5 Gray Whales, Large Pods of White-Sided Dolphin
2/19
- 3 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/18
- 1 Gray Whale, 2 Fin Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/17
- 2 Fin Whales, White-Sided, Common and Risso's Dolphin
2/16
- 7 Gray Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/15
- 3 Gray Whales, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/14
- 3 Fin Whales and 2 Gray Whales
2/13
- 2 Fin Whales, 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/12
- 2 Gray Whales and Large Pods of Common and White-Sided Dolphin
2/11
- 5 Gray Whales
2/10 - Large Pods of Risso's Dolphin
2/9
- Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/8
- 4 Gray Whales and Large Pods of Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
2/7
- 1 Fin Whale
2/6
- No trips due to weather
2/5
- No trips due to weather
2/4
- 2 Fin Whales and Large Pods of White-Sided Dolphin
2/3
- 3 Fin Whales
2/2
- 3 Fin Whales and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
2/1
- No trips due to weather
1/31
- Large Pods of Risso's and White-Sided Dolphin
1/30
- 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/29
- Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/28
- 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/27 - 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/26
- 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/25
- Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/24
- 3 Gray Whales
1/23
- 5 Gray Whales and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/22
- No trips due to weather
1/21
- No trips due to weather
1/20
- No trips due to weather
1/19 - No trips due to weather
1/18
- No trips due to weather
1/17
- 4 Gray Whales and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/16
- 2 Gray Whales and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/15
- 1 Blue Whale and Large Pods of White-Sided Dolphin
1/14
- 4 Gray Whales and Large Pods of White-Sided Dolphin
1/13
- 2 Gray Whales
1/12
- 2 Gray Whales and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/11
- 3 Gray Whales and Large Pods of White-Sided Dolphin
1/10
- 3 Gray Whales, Large Pods of Common and Risso's Dolphin
1/9
- 1 Gray Whale, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/8
- 1 Gray Whale, Dall's Porpoise, White-Sided Dolphin
1/7
- 1 Gray Whale, Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/6
- Large Pods of Risso's, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
1/5
- Large Pods of Risso's, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
1/4
- 3 Minke Whales, Large Pods of Common and White-Sided Dolphin
1/3
- Large Pods of Common Dolphin
1/2
- Large Pods of Common, White-Sided, and Risso's Dolphin
1/1 - 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
12/31
- 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
12/30
- 1 Gray Whale and Large Pods of Common Dolphin
12/29
- Large Pods of White-Sided Dolphin and 2 Gray Whales
12/28 - First Gray Whale of the Season!

Whale Sightings for the Gray Whale Season (November 2009 - April 2010):
116 Gray Whales
, 48 Fin Whales, 3 Minke Whales

Whale Sightings for the Gray Whale Season (November 2008 - April 2009):
371 Gray Whales
, 17 Fin Whales, 8 Killer Whales, 18 Minke Whales, 4 Humpback Whales

Whale Sightings for the Blue Whale Season (May - October 2009): 6 Humpback Whales, 33 Fin Whales, 291 Blue Whales, 11 Minke Whales, 2 Gray Whales, 1 Hammerhead Shark






 

WHALE WATCHING CRUISES

The Gray Whales are here!!! The season will run through the end of April! We saw the first Gray Whale of the season on 12/29! In addition to the Gray Whale migration, we continue to see Blue Whales, Fin Whales and Minke Whales as well as hundreds, sometimes even thousands of dolphin! Each winter, the Pacific Gray Whales pass by Dana Point, many believe that Dana Point is a landmark on their journey. After spending the summer feeding in the food-rich waters of the arctic, the Grays swim south along the coast to the bays of Baja California, where they mate and nurse their young. Along the way they pass Dana Wharf, where you can witness the annual winter journey. We saw 371 Gray Whales last season!

Daily Gray Whale Watching Cruises
Depart Daily! 7 days a week!
10am, 12pm & 2pm

Sunset Whale Watching
Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays
4pm - 6pm

Adults - $29
Kids (3-12) - $19

Beginning in the Bering seas and ending in the warm-water lagoons of Mexico's Baja peninsula, the Gray Whale's round trip journey moves them through 12,500 miles of coastline! On their journey, they will pass right by us here in Dana Point! Don't miss out seeing these animals in their natural habitat on their journey! In addition to Grays, we get the chance to see Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Killer Whales, Minke Whales, sharks, large pods of dolphin, sea lions, birds and other exciting marine life. Every trip is a new experience, so be sure to come out often! Most trips will be aboard the 95' Dana Pride which features indoor and outdoor seating and a full cash bar.
Buy tickets online at Zerve

Take advantage of our 2-for-1 Tuesdays! Enjoy 1/2 off whale watching! Check the schedule and buy tickets here!

Laguna Beach Sightseeing Catamaran Tour
Saturdays and Sundays
12:00pm - 3:00pm
$49 per person

We have partnered with the Laguna Beach Historical Society to bring you the most informative tour about Laguna Beach, from the ocean portals to the sea! Your trip will begin with lunch service and a tour around Dana Point Harbor. We will then travel up the coast looking for whales and dolphins, while discussing the marine life as we travel past Laguna's shore. Our scenic, historical tour of Laguna Beach will start at Crystal Cove State Beach, where we will begin cruising south along the coastline to give you an up-close view of the area!
Buy tickets online at Zerve



39th Annual Festival of Whales
March 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th
Trips run every hour on the hour from 8:00am - 4:00pm
www.dpfestivalofwhales.com
Join us for the 39th Annual Festival of Whales on March 6th, 7th, 13th and 14th! We will have 2-hour whale watching trips running every hour on the hour from 8:00am - 4:00pm! Take advantage of our $8 at 8:00am special! All trips are $8 at 8am! No strings attached! For more information on the Festival of Whales, visit
Buy tickets online at Zerve

1

Special Marine Mammal Lecture & Catamaran Cruise
Lecture - 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Cruise - 11:30AM - 1:30PM
$39 Adults
$29 Kids 3-12

During Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching's special marine mammal lecture series, scheduled during the Festival of Whales, you are invited to come learn some of the latest breaking news in the marine world. Enjoy a continental breakfast at Harpoon Henry's as marine biologist Morgan Richie and special guests present recent findings on local whales, dolphins and other marine mammals. Following the lecture, join us for a whale watching trip aboard the OCean Adventures Catamaran for those that want to get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures.
Buy tickets online at Zerve!

Schedule of Speakers
March 6
- Dennis Kelly, Orange Coast College, on coastal bottlenose dolphins
March 7 - Melania Guerra, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, on gray whales and acoustics
March 13 - Alisa Schulhman-Janiger, American Cetacean Society, on Orcas
March 14 - Mary Blasius, Cal State Long Beach, on threats and conservation

Dana Pride with dolphin bowriding

Common dolphin off the bow of the Dana Pride.

 

HOW TO BOOK


Check out all of the excursions we offer in the column to the left. Click on the link, select your date, and buy your ticket! It's that easy!

Check availability and buy tickets:

Whale Watching Adventures

Advance purchase recommended. Trips often sell out in advance.

To purchase by phone, please call our ticketing company, Zerve, at
(800) 979-3370

Recent Whale Watching Reviews

2/25/10 "We took two tours and in the first one we seen a mega pod of dolphins, thousand of them all around the boat. On the second tour we had whales on the left and dolphins on the right. It was a very enjoyable time at sea and we are looking forward to more of these trips."

2/24/10
"I loved the dolphins, stingrays, sea lions and 2 grey whales. The boat is beautiful and I totally recommend the entire experience. Did I mention that the price was so reasonable? Thanks for a great morning."

2/19/10
"We would highly recommend this trip. We saw 3 whales and the captain kept up with them so we could obtain lots of photographs and he provided a lot of factual information. We also saw lots of dolphins and sea lions. Very enjoyable trip and we would certainly go again."

2/19/10
"The half-price Tuesdays is an awesome marketing move! Great value!!! I would book a fishing trip on a Tuesday as well. Great trip and great price!"

2/19/10 "We saw three Fin Whales on our trip! They are about 70-80 feet long each. At one point all three were swimming together and poked their heads above the water all at the same time. It was absolutely an amazing thing to see! I really recommend the Catamaran tour."

five starsRead more unedited customer reviews at Zerve!

Dana Wharf's Fleet of Whale Watching Vessels


OCEAN ADVENTURES


Click here for 360 degree video of the Ocean Adventures!
Dana Wharf's newest vessel is the 63' catamaran, the Ocean Adventures, which comfortably holds up to 49 passengers. This luxury vessel was built exclusively for Dana Wharf and is the newest boat in the California whale watching business! This eco-friendly vessel is the future of whale watching and features high-tech viewing cameras mounted at the bow, a roomy viewing deck, and the smoothest ride on the water! You will LOVE this vessel! You'll feel like you can reach out and touch the dolphin that swim right beneath you! This vessel is used primarily for our Laguna Beach Sightseening Tour and private charters, however, it will sometimes run our public whale watching trips.

DANA PRIDE


Click here for a 360 degree video of the Dana Pride!
The 95' Dana Pride was built exclusively for Dana Wharf in 2002. The Pride is the largest and most comfortable vessel in our fleet and is said to be the queen of our fleet, complete with a full service bar/snack bar, flat screen TVs, large salon area, and 2 story seating arrangement. This vessel can accomodate up to 149 passengers. This vessel is our main Whale Watching boat and we guarantee it is the nicest whale watching boat in southern California!

 

Private Charters & Groups

For whale watching charters or groups, please call
(949) 496-5794 x. 11 or click here.
Our entire fleet is available for private charters for any occasion.