California whale watchers experience ‘once-in-a-lifetime sighting’ of gray whale, newborn calf

A new video shows the moment a gray whale mother and its newborn calf swim by a group of whale watchers off the southern California coast.

In the Jan. 3 video captured by Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari, the gentle giants are seen in the waters off Dana Strands Beach in Dana Point.

Spectator Stacie Fox, who shot images of the birth from another Capt. Dave’s boat, said she was screaming with excitement.

“It’s once-in-a-lifetime type stuff,” she said.

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After surfacing, the calf began to learn how to swim and bond with its mother. 

Several small boats are shown in the area and passengers express their excitement. 

The safari noted that gray whales prefer to give birth in the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico, as they offer safety from predators and warm water for their calves.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service, gray whales are known for their curiosity toward boats. 

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They are now only regularly found in the North Pacific Ocean. 

Gray whales make one of the longest annual migrations of any mammal, traveling about 10,000 miles round trip and sometimes upward of 14,000 miles. 

They weigh about 90,000 pounds, span from 42 to 49 feet in length and can live for up to 75 or 80 years, although the lifespan of the gray whale is unknown.

 

Newborn calves are around 14 to 16 feet long and weigh about 2,000 pounds. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.