Oregon’s Spring Whale Watch Week makes a splash

Every spring, tens of thousands of gray whales migrate from areas more southern in the Pacific to more northern places, like Alaska. In Oregon, the migration kicks off around mid to late March and beachgoers all along our coast can partake in Oregon’s Spring Whale Watch Week, which started on Saturday.

Oregonians can join Oregon State Parks staff at 15 whale watching spots from Fort Stevens to Harris Beach State Park until the end of the month to catch a glimpse of these massive marine mammals. You’ll need binoculars but the chances of seeing whales are high and it’s definitely worth the experience.

During their spring migration, gray whales travel at around five miles an hour north just a couple miles off our rocky coast. It will take them several months to make it all the way up to Alaska where they’ll feed in the nutrient-rich waters before heading back down to California and Mexico in the fall.

So far, volunteers have spotted about 50 whales. The tens of thousands of them that navigate our waters every year is a testament to the wonders off our beaches. Oregon’s ocean contains incredible wildlife and wild spaces, and this week gives us all the chance to celebrate that.

You can see an updated daily count of the whales and even sign up to assist in the count here.