OCEANSIDE, Calif. — It's whale season off the Southern California coast and Blue Whales are putting on a show like never before.
In this Zevely Zone, I took a boat ride to remember with 'Oceanside Adventures'.
We boarded a new vessel named NALA which is a 63-foot double-deck custom Catamaran that can hold up to 118 passengers. The family-owned operation is led by Captain Shane Hansen.
When you go whale watching hopes are very high to see something surface from down deep.
"To see the largest mammal on Earth. I would love to see that," said Michael Evans who brought his family from Las Vegas to see blue whales.
"It's really exciting. It's a new adventure every day," said Captain Hansen who had two hours to deliver memories of a lifetime. "Everyone wants to see a whale," said Captain Hansen.
Fortunately for him, this is the best blue whale season he's ever seen.
"We've seen 8 or 9 blue whales at a time," he said while skippering the ship. Almost on demand, just three miles off the coast we had our first sighting. "Oh right there," gasped a passenger. "Oh my gosh, look, look, look," said a teenager. "Blue whale!" I yelled nearly jumping out of my shoes.
"Alright gang this is a very up-close look at a blue whale," said Captain Hansen. When you see a blue whale, there's no mistaking it for another. "They are the largest animal to ever live on the planet," said Captain Hansen.
"Even larger than dinosaurs?" I asked.
Captain Hansen said, "Bigger than dinosaurs."
At 90 feet long and weighing one hundred thousand pounds, a blue whale's heart is about the size of a VW Bug. The whales are feasting on krill which are tiny shrimp about the size of your fingernail. They eat two tons a day!
NALA proudly displays a custom-designed graphic wrap by Wyland. A long-standing collaborator with the Hansen family, Wyland's image of a blue whale mom and baby on the hull can only be described as a marine masterpiece.
It is the second image provided by Wyland, who in 2019 also provided a humpback whale mother and calf image currently displayed on the Oceanside Adventures vessel.
Oklahoma tourist, Angela Fleming was happy to see a blue whale surface but she wanted more. "I want to see the tail come up. A lot of times they roll over but I want to see the money shot," said Angela.
Seconds later, we saw the tail compliments of the coolest captain on the ocean. Captain Hansen told me he often gets confused for the lead singer of the Foo Fighters.
"Yeah, I get that a lot actually," he laughed. He was a rock star during our voyage because whales and dolphins surrounded the boat.
"That was amazing," said 10-year-old Carter from Arizona.
"That was amazing to see that blue whale," said Michael from Las Vegas.
For about an hour, the Blues Whales were really showing and spouting off. Almost like they were waving at us tail and all.
"It was a dream true to see the whale's tale come out of the water," said Angela.
The vessel will be running the company's popular two-hour trips that will explore the Southern California coastline on what will be a daily, year-round operation.
President of Visit Oceanside Leslee Gaul said, "We are elated that Oceanside Adventures continues to invest in bringing top-notch visitor experiences to our city. This new vessel is a welcome addition to the harbor and signals continued optimism for Oceanside's growing tourism industry."
The warm waters in the region flourish with sea life including whales, dolphins, Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions all year long. Each year, thousands of whales migrate through the area providing a high frequency of sightings and numerous opportunities to experience the grand adventure of whale watching which has become so popular.
All Oceanside Adventures Captains are American Cetacean Society Certified Naturalists and US Coast Guard licensed. Reservations can be made online at www.OceansideWhaleWatching.com.