Orange County Whale Watching, Dolphin Cruise, Southern California Whale Migration, Whale Cruise in Dana Point, CA

keep up with Dana Wharf

Recent Sightings

Gray Whale Sightings in the 2012/2013 season (Nov - April):
545 Gray Whales, 20 Blue Whales, 17 Humpback Whales, 237 Fin Whales, 12 Minke Whales, 11 Killer Whales

Our sightings log is updated every Monday! Please note that there is NO better time for seeing whales or dolphin as they both move 24 hours/day!

*We were the first to spot the Killer Whale Saturday 3/9/13*
Blue Whale Season is here!

5/19
Common & Bottlenose Dolphins
5/18
Common & Bottlenose Dolphins
5/17
2 Humpback Whales & Common Dolpin
5/16
4 Gray Whales Cow/Calf, 1 Fin Whale
5/15
2 Blue Whales, 4 Fin Whales, Rizzo Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins & Common Dolphins
5/14
4 Fin Whales Cow/Calf, Common Dolphins
5/13
2 Fin Whales Cow/Calf, Common Dolphins
5/12
1 Blue Whale & 1 Fin Whale
5/11
6 Orca Whales, 1 Fin Whale, & Bottlenose Dolphins
5/10
1 Gray Whale & 1 Blue Whale
5/9
No Sightings
5/8
1 Gray Whale
5/7
2 Gray Whales
5/6
4 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
5/5
No Whale Sightings, Common Dolphin
5/4
No Whale Sightings, Common Dolphin
5/3
3 Gray Whales & Common Dolphins
5/2
2 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
5/1
No Whale Sightings
4/30
6 Gray Whales, Common & Bottlenose Dolphin
4/29
4 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
4/28
1 Gray Whale, Common, Risso & Bottlenose Dolphin
4/27
9 Gray Whales & Common Dolphins
4/26
5 Gray Whales, 1 Minke Whale, Bottlenose & Common Dolphins
4/25
14 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
4/24
20 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
4/23
1 Gray Whale, Common & White Sided Dolphin
4/22
3 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
4/21
14 Gray Whales, Common & Bottlenose Dolphin
4/20
11 Gray Whales, Common & Bottlenose Dolphins
4/19
2 Gray Whales, 5 Fin Whales & Common Dolphins
4/18
3 Fin Whales, Sunfish, Common & Bottlenose Dolphin
4/17
4 Fin Whales
4/16
1 Blue Whale & 2 Fin Whales
4/15
2 Blue Whales & 1 Humpback Whale
4/14
3 Blue Whales, 3 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, 2 Sunfish & Common Dolphins
4/13
7 Gray Whales, 3 Blue Whales, 3 Humpback Whales, 8 Fin Whales, Common & Bottlenose Dolphins
4/12
10 Gray Whales & Common Dolphins
4/11
3 Gray Whales & Common Dolphins
4/10
4 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
4/9
5 Gray Whales, 1 Blue Whale, 1 Fin Whale, & Common Dolphins
4/8
No trips due to Weather
4/7
4 Gray Whales, Common & Bottlenose Dolphin
4/6
11 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
4/5
9 Gray Whales, 2 Sunfish, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
4/4
3 Gray Whales & Common dolphins
4/3
6 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
4/2
4 Gray Whales, 3 Humpback Whales, 1 Fin Whale, & Common Dolphins
4/1
20 Gray Whales & Common Dolphins
3/31
2 Gray Whales, 1 Humpback Whale, Common & Whitesided Dolphin
3/30
8 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
3/29
10 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale & Common Dolphin
3/28
5 Gray Whales, 3 Fin Whale, & Common dolphins
3/27
7 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Whitesided & Common Dolphin
3/26
16 Gray Whales, 4 Fin Whales, & Common Dolphins
3/25
12 Gray Whales, Bottlenose, Whitesided and Commom Dolphins
3/24
7 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
3/23
7 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
3/22
13 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
3/21
2 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 1 Sunfish
3/20
Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
3/19
12 Fin Whales, 3 Gray Whales, White Sided & Common Dolphins
3/18
2 Gray Whales, 6 Fin Whales and Commom Dolphin
3/17
9 Gray Whales, White Sided & Common Dolphin
3/16
4 Gray Whales, 8 Fin Whales, 1 Humpback and Common Dolphin
3/15
3 Gray Whales, 8 Fin Whales, Common & White Sided Dolphin
3/14
2 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
3/13
1 Gray Whale, 2 Fin Whales, & Common Dolphin
3/12
5 Gray Whales & Common Dolphin
3/11
1 Gray Whale, 1 Fin Whale & Common Dolphin
3/10
11 Gray Whales, 4 Fin Whales, Common, White Sided and Bottlenose Dolphin
3/9
1 Orca, 12 Gray Whales, 6 Fin Whales, Whitesided, and Common Dolphin
3/8
No Trips Due to Weather
3/7
7 Fin Whales & Common Dolphin
3/6
7 Gray Whales, White Sided & Common Dolphin
3/5
6 Fin Whales, White Sided & Common Dolphin
3/4
1 Fin Whale, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
3/3
3 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Common, White Sided and Bottlenose Dolphin
3/2
3 Fin Whales, Bottlenose, and Common Dolphin
3/1
1 Gray Whale, 3 Fin Whales & Common Dolphin
2/28
11 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
2/27
1 Gray Whale & Common Dolphin
2/26
2 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
2/25
1 Blue Whale & Common Dolphin
2/24
5 Blue Whales, 4 Fin Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
2/23
1 Fin Whale, Bottlenose, White Sided and Common Dolphin
2/22
2 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
2/21
Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
2/20
No trips due to weather
2/19
Bottlenose & Common Dolphin
2/18
2 Gray Whales, 8 Fin Whales, Common and White Sided Dolphin
2/17
6 Gray Whales, 4 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin
2/16
4 Gray Whales, 8 Fin Whales, Bottlenose and Common Dolphin
2/15
5 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin
2/14
2 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Bottlenose Dolphin
2/13
1 Gray Whale, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
2/12
2 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
2/11
2 Gray Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
2/10
2 Gray Whales, Common, Bottlenose, & White Sided Dolphin
2/9
5 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
2/8
No Trips Weather
2/7
2 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, Common, Bottlenose, &
White Sided Dolphin
2/6
5 Gray Whales, Bottlenose & Common.
2/5
4 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, Common, White Sided and Bottlenose Dolphin
2/4
Trip cancelled due to weather.
2/3
7 Gray Whales, 1 Humpback Whale
2/2
6 Gray Whales, Bottlenose and Common Dolphin
2/1
7 Gray Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
1/31
6 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, Common Dolphin
1/30
5 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, Common Dolphin
1/29
3 Gray Whales, 4 Humpback Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
1/28
Trip cancelled due to weather.
1/27
2 Gray Whales
1/26
4 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
1/25
1 Gray Whale, Common Dolphin
1/24
12 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
1/23
9 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin, White-Sided Dolphin
1/22
1 Gray Whale, White-Sided Dolphin
1/21
6 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
1/20
9 Gray Whales
1/19
5 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
1/18
2 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin, White-Sided Dolphin
1/17
2 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
1/16
5 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin, White-Sided Dolphin
1/15
5 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
1/14
1 Gray Whale
1/13
1 Fin Whale, Common Dolphin
1/12
4 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, White-Sided, Risso's and Common Dolphin
1/11
2 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin
1/10
No trips due to weather.
1/9
2 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin, Risso's Dolphin
1/8
3 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
1/7
No trips due to weather.
1/6
5 Gray Whales, Risso's Dolphin
1/5
7 Gray Whales, Risso's and Bottlenose Dolphin
1/4
2 Gray Whales, Common and Risso's Dolphin
1/3
1 Gray Whale, Common Dolphin
1/2
1 Fin Whale
1/1
1 Gray Whale, 1 Fin Whale, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
12/31
3 Fin Whales, Common, Bottlenose and Risso's Dolphin
12/30
3 Fin Whales, 2 Gray Whales, Risso's Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
12/29
2 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
12/28
2 Fin Whales, 1 Gray Whale, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
12/27
1 Gray Whale, Common Dolphin
12/26
No trips due to weather.
12/25
Closed for Christmas.
12/24
2 Gray Whales, Common, Bottlenose and Risso's Dolphin
12/23
3 Gray Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
12/22
2 Gray Whales, Common Dolphin
12/21
Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
12/20
1 Gray Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin
12/19
1 Gray Whale, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
12/18
No trips due to weather.
12/17
2 Gray Whales, Common, Bottlenose and Risso's Dolphin
12/16
2 Gray Whales! 1st Gray Whale sighting of the 2012/13 season!
12/15
Common Dolphin
12/14
Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin
12/13
3 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin
12/12
3 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin
12/11
17 Fin Whales! 5 Minke Whales
12/10
3 Fin Whales, 2 Minke Whales, Common and Bottlenose Dolphin
12/9
8 Fin Whales, Bottlenose Dolphin
12/8
2 Fin Whales, 3 Minke Whales
12/7
6 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, Common Dolphin
12/6
2 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale
12/5
4 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, Common Dolphin
12/4
Common Dolphin
12/3
4 Killer Whales!
12/2
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
12/1
6 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale, Common Dolphin
11/30
No trips due to weather.
11/29
No trips due to weather.
11/28
1 Fin Whale, Common Dolphin
11/27
Common Dolphin, Risso's Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/26
Common Dolphin
11/25
Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin
11/24
Common Dolphin
11/23
Bottlenose Dolphin, Risso's Dolphin, Common Dolphin
11/22
Closed for Thanksgiving.
11/21
Common Dolphin.
11/20
White-Sided Dolphin, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/19
Risso's Dolphin
11/18
Common Dolphin
11/17
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/16
Common Dolphin
11/15
Risso's Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/14
No trips due to weather.
11/13
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/12
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/11
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Risso's Dolphin
11/10
2 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin
11/9
No trips due to weather.
11/8
Common Dolphin
11/7
1 Fin Whale, Common Dolphin
11/6
2 Fin Whales, Common Dolphin
11/5
1 Fin Whale, Risso's Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin
11/4
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/3
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/2
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
11/1
Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin

WHALE WATCHING CRUISES

Gray Whale in front of the Harbor!

Blue Whales are
On Their Way!

Dana Wharf is endorsed by Wyland!

Blue Whales are on their way...the season is upon us! Join us as we transition from our Gray Whales. We have experienced a record breaking season! Over 520 Gray Whales have been seen so far compared to the record last year of 492.

Each winter, after spending the summer feeding in the food-rich waters of the arctic, and as the northern ice pushes southward, small groups of Gray Whales start their 16,000 - 20,000 mile journey (the longest migration of any mammal). The Grays swim south along the coast to the bays of Baja California, where they give birth to their calves. Along the way BOTH southbound and northbound, they pass right Dana Point, a landmark for the whales along their route, where you can witness the annual winter journey.

Blue Whales:
Whaling in the 1900’s caused a severe decline in the blue whale population along the Pacific coast of the United States. Once hunting was banned, the blue whale population has slowly started to recover. Before whaling was commercialized, blue whale numbers along the Pacific were estimated to be around 200,000. Today, the blue whale population around the world is estimated to be around 12,000. Approximately 2,000 blue whales call the Pacific coast their home. The blue whale is listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List. These majestic Blue Whales are the largest mammal on earth and can grow to over 100 feet long. All of our cruises are narrated by our expert captains who will educate you on the abundant ocean life on our coast.

CHECK SCHEDULE & BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Whale Watching Adventures
To purchase by phone, please call our ticketing company at
(888) 224-0603

Remember that Tuesdays are 1/2 price all year long! Check the schedule and buy tickets here!

2-Hour Whale Watching Adventure Cruise
Trips depart daily!
10:00am - 12:00pm (Weekends)
12:00pm - 2:00pm
2:00pm - 4:00pm

Adults - $45
Seniors (55+) - $35
Kids (3-12) - $25
2 and under are FREE!
AMAZING SPECIAL RATE for 5PM ONLY $25 per person
5:00pm - 7:00pm*(Tuesday, Fri, Sat, Sun)
**Times may vary. Please call or look online to verify times.
Join us as we search for whales, dolphin, sea lion and other exciting marine life! All of our cruises are narrated by our expert captains who will educate you on the abundant ocean life on our coast. Trips are all 2 hours long, plenty of time to discover the world that lies beneath! Remember that sightings are guaranteed! If you don't see A GOOD SHOWING of whales or dolphin, you will get your ticket back and are invited to come out again with us! These "whale checks" never expire.

** Art Lessons in the Wild with famed marine artist, Wyland were a huge success the winner will be announced by May 31st! Click here for more information on this activity.

Dana Wharf in the news!

As seen on CBS, NBC, KTLA, ABC and FOX news!

Check out the rare albino dolphin next to a normal Common Dolphin!
Click here for the story on ABC News!

A rare sighting and photograph of a sun fish (aka mola mola). These can grow up to 2,200 pounds!

Check out this video of the AMAZING Humpback Whale sighting we had by clicking here.

A great article in the OC Register on the history of Dana Wharf and how Don Hansen changed whale watching can be found by clicking here.

Another OC Register article on our 200th Gray Whale of the season.
Click here for the story.

We had some amazing Killer Whale sightings! Check out our Facebook album here!

Delta The Blue Whale

CHECK OUT OUR SCHOOL FIELD TRIP RATE! ONLY $20!

Our Whale Watching trips are lead by expert captains as well as trained and certified naturalists with the American Cetacean Society of Orange County. In cooperation with ACS of Orange County, Dana Wharf will be offering pre-field trip presentations where we actually come to your students' class rooms and give a talk about whales and dolphins(only for groups of 100 or more)! The pre-field trip program is based on availability and there is no extra charge.

Take advantage of our School Field Trip Rate of $20 per student!
This rate is for both students and chaperones! This discount is valid on any whale watching trip Monday - Friday for groups of 20 or more! Call our group charter hotline (949)496-5794x11 for reservations.

CHECK SCHEDULE & BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Whale Watching Adventures
To purchase by phone, please call our ticketing company at
(888) 224-0603

WHALE WATCHING VIDEOS

Whale Watching Videos
Check out our videos on our YouTube channel! We update our channel often so be sure to follow us for the most recent videos! Make sure to have your volume up so you can hear our awesome captain's narration!

Check out our most famous video which has 2,000,000 hits on YouTube!

OUR FLEET OF WHALE WATCHING VESSELS

OCEAN ADVENTURES

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!

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!

Blue Whales are On Their Way!

CHECK SCHEDULE & BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Dana Wharf in the news!

CHECK SCHEDULE & BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Blue Whales are
On Their Way!