Thursday, October 28, 2010

Whale Watching on the Oregon Coast




Scarback the gray whale the most famous resident whale has been sighted off Depoe Bay on Oct 6, 2010. Scarback was first sighted this morning on the Whales Tail first trip of the day. Scarback has been around since 1979 and can be identified by the large scar on her right dorsal hump. It is believed that Scarback got her famous scar from an exploding harpoon, which some believe she acquired between 1985 and 1988. The orange coloration of the scar is from whale lice, this is a crustacean that eats the dead skin of the whale and is beneficial for the whale. The pictures above are from our whale watching trip aboard the Whales Tail.

The gray whale is the most common large whale seen from shore along the west coast of North America. Gray whales are found off the Oregon coast all year. They feed in shallow water near shore during the summer and fall, migrate south for breeding and calving during the winter, and migrate north in the spring. The gray whale gets its name from its blotchy color pattern. Some of this pattern is present at birth, but most of it is caused by barnacles growing in the skin or by depigmented areas where barnacles have been.

Gray whales reach 45 feet in length and weigh 35 tons.  Adult females on average are larger than males. Whales are mammals. They are warm blooded, breathe air, have hair (single hairs around the front of the head that are visible on calves), and give birth to live young that suckle on milk from their mothers. Mid spring to mid fall is the gray whales feeding season. Most of the population spends this time in the Bering and Chukehi Seas off Alaska, although every summer some whales are observed feeding from British Columbia to Mexico. The summer population off the Oregon coast is about 200 to 400 animals, with many of the same individuals returning year after year. Summer feeding is better at higher latitudes because the long days produce lots of phytoplankton (small marine plants), which are eaten by zooplankton (small marine animals).

These are the basic food for all ocean life, stimulating the growth of the marine food web, including bottom-dwelling amphipods, the primary prey of gray whales. There are two basic types of whales: toothed and baleen. The gray whale is a baleen whale. Instead of true teeth, a row of 138-180 baleen plates grows along each side of the upper gum line. The baleen is made of material like a human fingernail. These are quite stiff and solid at its outer edge, each piece of baleen is “fringed” inside the mouth and tapers from 3 inches wide at the gum line to nearly a point at its bottom. These plates are separated by approximately ¼ inch inside the mouth, where their fringes overlap to form an effective screen.

Gray whales feed primarily on benthic (bottom-dwelling) amphipods (shrimp like animals). They go to the seafloor and suck up an area of the bottom about the size of a desktop and a foot deep. Sometimes this makes conspicuous pits on the bottom. The amphipods are trapped on the baleen filter inside the mouth, while mud, sand, and water pass between the baleen plates. This is the way the whale washes the amphipods clear of sand and mud. It then uses its tongue to suck the amphipods off the inside of the baleen fringe. Since gray whales filter animals from mud and water, their baleen is stiffer and has coarser fringes than that of other baleen whales.

Although we have taken the boat out of the water for winter maintence we will be ready to go this spring, if you would like to make an advanced reservation for next year. Please see top of this page for details.

Dockside Charters
270 Coast Guard Pl.
Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341

Phone:541-765-2545
Toll Free:1-800-733-8915

Friday, October 22, 2010

Oregon Coast Whale Watching




Northern Migration
In March whales are returning northward along the Oregon coast. The northbound migration begins with immature animals adult males, and females without calves. These animals pass the Oregon coast from early March through April. Breeding sometimes is observed at this time. Calves usually are rambunctious but stay close to their mothers as they become more coordinated and develop an insulating blubber layer. Calves are at least a month old before they migrate north with their mothers. Mothers and calves are the last to leave the lagoons and move somewhat more slowly, passing Oregon from late April through June.

During the spring migration, if the weather is good, you can see whales within a few hundred yards of coastal headlands. The full round-trip migration from the Baja calving lagoons to the Bering Sea and back is 10,000 miles, the longest known for any mammal. Other whales also are known to migrate between summer high-latitude feeding grounds and more temperate low-latitude breeding and calving areas. Researchers know more about the gray whale because it moves close to shore. This movement has led to speculation that gray whales navigate by staying in shallow water or keeping the surf noises to one side or the other, depending on their direction of travel.

Southern Migration
Pregnant females are the first to migrate, followed by mature adults of both sexes and then by juveniles. Whales travel at a rate of up to three to five miles per hour during the southbound migration. It takes them about three weeks to get to Mexico.

Gray whales eat very little while migrating and while in calving areas. Many whales may go without food for three to five months. The animals travel south to the three major breeding and calving lagoons on the west coast of Baja California, Mexico: Laguna Ojo de Libre, adjacent to Laguna San Ignacio; Guerrero Negro Lagoon and Magdalena Bay

Dockside Charters located in Depoe Bay, Oregon offers whale watching Zodiac Style aboard the Whales Tail. This is a very unique experience that gives you 360° viewing and puts you "up close and personal" for observing Oregon's resident gray whales. This is a great trip that is a little more personal and gives you and your family an adventure that is not to be missed. Here you can enjoy the incredible scenery of the Oregon Coast, transit the worlds smallest navigable channel, and enjoy watching gray whales, harbor seals, sea lions, and other marine life. We try to provide you with a once in a lifetime experience that is not to be missed along with some great memories.

Something NEW this year we are offering are sweatshirts that have our Whales Tail logo on the back, different colors and sizes are available price $25.00

Thank you for visiting our web site, we hope to see you aboard the Whales Tail.

For more information visit: Whale Watching Tours

Dockside Charters
270 Coast Guard Pl.
Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341

Phone: 541-765-2545
Toll Free: 1-800-733-8915

Monday, October 11, 2010

Oregon Coast Whale Watching Excursions





Dockside Charters is located on the east side of the Bay in the center of the harbor next to the Coast Guard Station. We at Dockside Charters have put our thoughts and ideas together, forming the premise, that ocean charters should be a more personal experience. Be honest and caring, making safety, comfort and satisfaction of our customer’s our first priority. We offer a full range of ocean charters, whale watching, scenic tours, to personal charters to fit your all your needs. You will find our office relaxing and comfortable, our office staff friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, with easy access to our boats. Whether you're heading out on one of our whale watching trips or just got back from a trip, you are always welcome to stop by to relax and say hi, the coffee is always on, and free. We have built our business on satisfied, repeat customers, give us a try and you’ll see why.

One of our better trips for whale watching is the Whales Tail, it is a 26' zodiac style boat that carries up to 6 people. It was the first and original zodiac style whale watching boat on the Oregon Coast, designed specifically for Dockside Charters to give passengers the utmost in sightseeing and whale watching experiences.

One of the features the Whales Tail offers is a unique vantage point that puts you "up close and personal" for observing Oregon's resident gray whales as they feed along the coast of Depoe Bay. Don't be surprised if you notice the whales watching you as intently as you watch them. We try to provide you with a once in a lifetime experience that is not to be missed along with some great memories.

For more information on whale watching visit: Depoe Bay Whale Watching Tours

Thank you for visiting our web site, we hope to see you aboard the Whales Tail.

Dockside Charters
270 Coast Guard Pl.
Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341

Phone: 541-765-2545
Toll Free: 1-800-733-8915

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Whale Watching Trips



For more information visit: Whale Watching Tours

Dockside Charters is located on the east side of the Bay in the center of the harbor next to the Coast Guard Station. We at Dockside Charters have put our thoughts and ideas together, forming the premise, that ocean charters should be a more personal experience. Be honest and caring, making safety, comfort and satisfaction of our customer’s our first priority. We offer a full range of ocean charters, whale watching, scenic tours, to personal charters to fit your all your needs. You will find our office relaxing and comfortable, our office staff friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, with easy access to our boats. Whether you're heading out on one of our whale watching trips or just got back from a trip, you are always welcome to stop by to relax and say hi, the coffee is always on, and free. We have built our business on satisfied, repeat customers, give us a try and you’ll see why.

One of the features the Whales Tail offers is a unique vantage point that puts you "up close and personal" for observing Oregon's resident gray whales as they feed along the coast of Depoe Bay. Don't be surprised if you notice the whales watching you as intently as you watch them. We try to provide you with a once in a lifetime experience that is not to be missed along with some great memories.

Something new this year we are offering are sweatshirts that have our Whales Tail logo on the back, different colors and sizes are available.

Thank you for visiting our web site, we hope to see you aboard the Whales Tail.

Dockside Charters
270 Coast Guard Pl.
Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341

Phone: 541-765-2545
Toll Free: 1-800-733-8915