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Whale Watching For
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| Whale Watching Field Trips |
For whale watching Long Beach area visitors, Newport Landing in Newport Beach has been providing whale watching for Long Beach visitors and residents for over 25 years. Located about 20 minutes south of downtown Long Beach, Newport Landing offers multiple whale watching cruises every day, year round and there is always an opportunity to view whales and dolphin. Winter and Spring offer the annual Grey Whale migration which brings thousands of Grey Whales along the coastline as they travel to breeding grounds in Mexico and then back again to their Summer feeding groups in the Pacific Northwest. Summer and Fall brings the largest mammal in the world the giant Blue Whale into our coastal waters. These giant mammals average lengths of 80 feet and eat 4-6 tons of krill in one day. Over a half dozen other species of whales can be encountered as well along with “super” pods of Common and Bottlenose Dolphin which number in the thousands. Sea Lions and their pups are fixtures on every whale watching cruise with year round colonies.
Newport Landing offers Long Beach visitors and whale watchers a natural harbor that takes only a few minutes to travel to it’s entrance and the waters immediately outside offer some of the best habitat in the world for whales & dolphin. Additionally Catalina Island is a natural barrier to the open Pacific Ocean and the result is some of the most protected and calm waters in the West Coast. |
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Recommended Things to Bring When Whale Watching |
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Whale Species in Long Beach and Surrounding Waters |
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Blue Whale - It is the largest animal on earth, ever. A big blue whale can be 100 feet long and weigh up to 150 tons. That's as large as a Boeing jet. Its heart is as large as a small car. Fifty people could stand on its tongue. Its spout shoots up at least 30 feet when it surfaces for air. During its high feeding season, a blue whale consumes more than 4-6 tons of krill in one day. In order to get that much to eat, a blue whale can expand its throat to take in as much as 50 tons of water in one gulp. Then it forces the water out through comb-like plates which keep the krill in and let the water filter out. These huge plates are called baleen. Baleen is made of the same material as our fingernails. |
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Grey Whale - California Gray Whales are baleen whales, meaning that they strain their food from the surrounding water and mud using plates or baleen. Many biologists believe that Gray Whales were among the first whale species to evolve. Gray whales are among the largest whales although still half the size of the giant blue whales. Adults are about 35-45 feet long and weigh 22-35 tons. Females are larger than males. Grey whales travel some 8,000-12,000 miles every year from their feeding grounds in the cold nutrient rich arctic waters where they feed on bottom crustaceans, called amphipods, which they furrow out of the silt at the mouths of the northern rivers. In fall and winter they migrate all the way south to the warm water, shallow lagoons of Baja California where they mate and bear their young. |
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Finback Whale - the second largest whale and the second largest living animal after the Blue Whale growing to nearly 88 ft long. Fin whales are also the world's fastest whale, traveling at speeds up to 35 mph! Fin whales have 800-900 baleen plates which they use to feed on schooling fish and krill. A fin whale can eat 2-3 tons of fish per day. Fin whales have a noticeable spout, or blow, that rises about 20 feet above the water and can be seen from a good distance away. They surface fairly horizontally, and you will see their head, dark back, and tall dorsal fin as they surface. Fin whales rarely raise their tail above the water when they dive - they just arch their back and dive gracefully into the water |
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Minke Whale - Minke whales grow to be about 25-30 feet (7.8-9 m) long, weighing about 6-7.5 tons (5.4-6.8 tonnes). Females are about 2 feet (0.6 m) longer than males, as with all baleen whales. Minke whales normally swim 3-16 mph (4.8-25 kph), but can go up to 18-21 mph (29-34 kph) in bursts when in danger. Minke whales are the most abundant baleen whale. It is estimated that there are about almost 800,000 minke whales world-wide. |
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Killer Whale (Orca) - The Killer Whale's large size and strength make it among the fastest marine mammals, often reaching speeds in excess of 56 km/h (35 mph). The Killer Whale is an apex predator. They are sometimes called the wolves of the sea, because they hunt in packs (or in their case, pods) like wolves. On average, a Killer Whale eats 227 kg (500 lb) of food each day.[ The migration patterns of Killer Whales are poorly understood. Each summer, the same resident Killer Whales appear off the coasts of British Columbia and Washington State. After decades of research, it is still unknown where these animals go for the rest of the year. Transient pods have been sighted from southern Alaska to central California. Scientists spotted a white killer whale off Alaska on February 23, 2008. On some occasions, Killer Whales will swim into freshwater rivers. They have been documented 100 miles up the Columbia River in the United States. |
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Humpback Whale - The Humpback whale is one of the larger species; adults range in length from 40–50 feet and weigh approximately 79,000 pounds. Humpbacks feed only in summer, in polar waters, and migrate to tropical or sub-tropical waters to breed and give birth in the winter. During the winter, Humpbacks fast and live off their fat reserves. During the feeding periods Humpbacks have come up with some creative feeding techniques including bubble net feeding. It goes like this; a group of whales blow bubbles while swimming in circles to create a ring. The ring encircles the fish, which are confined in an ever-tighter area as the whales swim in a smaller and smaller circle. The whales then suddenly swim upward through the bubble net, mouths agape, swallowing thousands of fish in one gulp. This technique can involve a ring of bubbles up to 100 feet in diameter and the cooperation of a dozen Humpbacks. Some of the whales take the task of blowing the bubbles through their blowholes, some dive deeper to drive fish toward the surface, and others herd fish into the net by vocalizing. |
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Sperm Whale - The Sperm whale is a toothed whale that lives in pods. It has a huge brain that weighs about 20 pounds it is the largest brain of any animal. The Sperm whale has a single blowhole that is s-shaped and about 20 inches long. The blowhole is located on the left side of the front if its huge head. Adult males grow to be about 50-60 feet long, weighing about 40-50 tons. Sperm whales have the largest head of any animal. It can be about 20 feet long, 10 feet high, and 7 feet across, and is about one-third of the whale's body length. The head has a distinctive box-like shape. The heads are frequently covered with circular scars that are made by the suckers of the giant squid that they hunt and eat. |
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Dolphin Species Commonly Viewed While Whale Watching |
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Common Dolphin - The common dolphin are between 5-8 feet in length and weigh on average about 160 pounds. The common dolphin is the fastest of the small dolphins, attaining speeds over 27 miles per hour. These animals are very social and often travel in enormous pods of more than a thousand. They're known for their high leaps out of the water, sometimes simultaneously in groups, and they enjoy riding the bow waves of boats for long periods of time. They are a very energetic and highly vocal species that produce a variety of whistles, pulses, and clicks that are easily heard by divers. |
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Bottlenose Dolphin - Bottlenose dolphins typically weigh 440 to 600 pounds and reach an average size of 10 feet (some reach as much as 14 feet). Bottlenose dolphins often live 30 to 50 years. Dolphins consume 13 to 33 pounds of food per day. They feed on a variety of fish, cephalopods (such as squid and octopus), and other sea life. They use echolocation bouncing sound off of objects to determine their location to hunt and use a series of high-pitched clicks to stun prey. |
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Risso Dolphin - Risso dolphin, sometimes called "gray dolphins," have a robust body with a narrow tailstock. These medium sized cetaceans can reach lengths of approximately 8.5-13 feet and weigh 660-1,100 pounds Risso dolphin are found in groups of 5-50 animals, but groups typically average between 10-30 animals. Occasionally this species associates with other dolphins and whales. Risso dolphin are capable of diving to at least 1,000 feet and holding their breath for 30 minutes, but usually make shorter dives of 1-2 minutes. They feed on anchovies, krill, and squid mainly at night when their prey is closer to the surface. |
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Pacific White Sided Dolphin - The Pacific White-sided Dolphin has three tones of color. The chin, throat and belly are creamy white. The beak, flippers, back, and dorsal fin are a dark gray. There are light gray patches on the sides and a further light gray stripe running from above the eye to below the dorsal fin where it thickens along the tail stock. A dark gray ring surrounds the eyes. The species is of average size for an oceanic dolphin, weighing up to 330 pounds in females and 440 pounds in males and growing up to 8 feet for males and 6.5 feet in length for females. |
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Other marine creatures encountered on a whale watching cruise include: Giant Sun Fish, schools of fish, sharks including Mako sharks, Marlin, Swordfish, Jellyfish, pelicans, Sea Gulls, and many more Recommendations for lodging and hotels while whale watching in Long Beach The Westin Long Beach - Halfway between Los Angeles International Airport and Orange County Airport, The Westin Long Beach is renowned for both its convenience and beautiful location. Only a mile from the beach, and a few minutes from the new Aquarium of the Pacific, guests can experience the best of California. Long Beach Mariott - Beautifully landscaped hotel creates a resort-like atmosphere. The Mariott in Long Beach has some nice perks and is reasonable priced. Rooms include telephone with messaging features, voice mail, individual climate control, and high speed internet. Hyatt Regency Long Beach - Hyatt Regency has 528 stylish guestrooms with water or city views, generous work area, Wi-Fi, iHomes, and other amenities. Hyatt is known for great service and the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach is no exception. Sea Port Marina Hotel - Just a few steps from white sandy beaches, sailing, surfing with a selection of specialty shops, forty-two restaurants, four grocery stores and two movie theatres; all for your dining and leisure activity. Sea Port Marina Hotel offers several options in terms of amenities and prices. Residence Inn Long Beach - Economical option centrally located for Long Beach. Other Attractions besides Whale Watching in Long Beach The Aquarium of the Pacific - This is a great complement to go with a whale watching trip. Learn more on the marine environment and the different mammals that you will see in the wild. The Queen Mary - Historic Ocean liner and world war II troop carrier. Several tours to choose from. There is also a cold war submarine that is on display and has open tours as well. Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden - Beautiful garden located on the Cal State University Of Long Beach grounds. Belmont Shore - A great hub for all types of shopping, restaurants, and night life with for those of all ages. Nice way to spend the afternoon. |
Call (949)675-0551 for reservations |
Newport Landing Whale Watching 309 Palm St #A - Newport Beach CA. 92661 |
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