An Oregon Coast Whale Watching Adventure
It was cool and foggy the morning of our Oregon Coast whale watching trip. We were excited to be on this trip with Whale Research Eco Excursions in Depoe Bay, Oregon. Living on the Oregon Coast, we had only seen whales blowing in the distance but never had the opportunity to see one up close. We hoped to see gray whales, since that is what typically frequents the area that time of year. We had no idea what to expect if anything at all. We arrived early along with others that were going on the same excursion. We got to look around the Whale, Sea Life, and Shark Museum while we waited. It was small, yet very educational, and had a lot of fascinating things to see. We were told there were no guarantees, but they thought we had a good chance to see some whales.
After waiting a short while, we all gathered in a small theater to watch an informative video about whales and pre-boarding. At the end of the video, it was almost like it was rehearsed and we were on a reality show. Carrie came in enthusiastically and said we were in for a treat! The orcas were in and feeding on a seal. She said this was an exceedingly rare occasion and that we were incredibly lucky. We were all thrilled to even have a chance of seeing orcas.
Out onto the Open Ocean
You could feel the excitement in the air as we put on our life jackets and headed down to the boats in a hurry. The boats were Navy Seal Zodiacs (inflatable and raft-like sides) that seat six people. We picked our seats and pushed off. As we passed under the bridge into open water, it felt surreal to be going out onto the Pacific Ocean for the first time. We sped up once we were out of the inlet so we could find the orcas quickly. The water was choppy, but the boat handled it well.
As we looked for the whales we went further from shore. Being on the open ocean and low to the water was an incredible feeling. You get the vastness of the ocean being out there in one of these boats. We looked in all directions, going up and down with the large swells. Kida, the “whale tracking” golden retriever was on our boat. She was focused and on the job. She knew exactly what she had come here for, and I’m quite sure she didn’t want to go home until she found the whales. She was a great dog.
Carrie asked if we could hold her back. She said Kida can get excited when she smells the whales, and she may try to jump into the water. When she catches the scent, she raises one ear and barks. Carrie said that Kida is often the one to find the whales on the vast open water. They can be difficult to track. Some are shy and can move away quickly among the swells. The gray whales, however, have come to recognize Carrie’s boats, and will move towards them because she has been researching them for so long that they know her. She has named many of them that she sees year after year.
We Were Among a Super Pod of Orcas!
We were a few miles out when we spotted our first orca. There were about six of them all around us as we motored down and watched them arch their backs out of the water and blow eight-foot columns of steamy breath into the air. When they were close, it was a thunderous, deep bellowing sound. The mist cloud would hang in the air as they did this, and you could see them all around and on the horizon over the swells. We were so close I could actually see the blowhole of the largest male; he was massive. There were a multitude of sea birds all over circling around the whales and occasionally diving down for scraps of anything they could find.
We got to see mama orcas with their babies in tow. The babies were so new that the white part around their eyes and stomachs were still pink. Their pink color meant they were only about two weeks old. The blubber layer at that stage is thin in that area, which causes it to be pink, like jaundice in human babies. They were so frisky, breaching over and over as they put on a show for us. Breaching is where the whale comes almost completely out of the water and splashes on its side. The babies were so cute and playful, they would slap their tails on the water just like their mamas.
We Couldn’t Believe the Size of the Whales When They Came Closer
The males were huge. I couldn’t even believe how large they were when they came near the boat. Their back fin alone stood six feet high! It’s difficult to grasp the scope of these animals on TV or in photos on the internet. The mamas and babies came close to us, Carrie motored down when any whales came near us to ensure no injuries to them. It was so amazing to see them up close after only ever seeing them in the distance through the years.
As we watched, I heard my little boy and husband, exclaim “WOW!” as everyone except them missed a large adult male fully breach three times! It is a rare sight to see an adult do this and is the most sought-after moment in whale watching. I caught the last moments of his last breach, it was incredible to see! There was an explosion of water as he splashed on his side back into the water. Everyone was else was watching the baby calf that had come closer to our boat.
They Were Swimming Around Us in All Directions
We saw many flukes as they gracefully dove down to the depths of the ocean repeatedly. Whales will usually blow three times consecutively before a deep dive. They were swimming around us in all directions. Some even went underneath our boat. I had never been on the ocean before. When we sat still for long periods of time, it did kind of make me a few of us a little woozy. Carrie said sitting still makes that worse. She also said going on an empty stomach, can also cause sea sickness in some people.
The other boats had to go back to shore to pick up another group. Carrie asked us if we were okay with staying out longer, so she could keep track of the pod. Of course, we were all thrilled and said “YES!” We got to stay out for another hour. I’m so glad we did, because this was when the orcas moved in closer to us and I got the best photos of the trip. By the end, we counted thirteen whales! I heard the researchers call it a super pod as we were heading back to shore. Carrie said she had waited thirty years for a day like that. How amazing that we could be a part of it.
As we searched again through the ocean swells for good place to see them, we passed a whistle buoy that had a Steller Sea Lion on it, obviously trying to escape from the orcas. We heard later that a sea lion was trying to get onto the other Zodiac boat to escape. We felt sorry for the sea lions, but I guess that’s just how nature works.
This was a Trip of a Lifetime
When looking back towards Depoe Bay, the fog bank had settled over the hills, creating such a moody appearance. None of us wanted the trip to end because we didn’t know when we would ever have an experience like this again. It was absolutely one of the best days of my life that I will always cherish. If you want to take your own Oregon Coast whale watching adventure of a lifetime, I recommend taking one of Carrie’s excursions, but there are other tour companies in Depoe Bay to go with as well.
Have you ever been to the Oregon Coast? Leave a comment below! I’d love to hear about it. Please subscribe for more adventures and inspiration coming to your inbox!
