Oregon Coast Attractions

Experience the excitement of seeing gray whales “up close and personal” and other wildlife on one of our whale watching trips aboard the Whales Tail. We depart from picturesque Depoe Bay, Oregon which is only minutes from the beautiful Pacific Ocean. This is a thrilling and exciting ride for people who enjoy being out on the ocean or first timers who just want to experience being out on the ocean and have an enjoyable ride, additionally our whale watching trips are fun and informative.


The Whales Tail 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. We have all the latest safety features and have been inspected.


One of the features the Whales Tail offers is a unique vantage point that gives you 360° viewing 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.

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

Whale Watching off the Oregon Coast

The Whales Tail 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. We have all the latest safety features and have been inspected.

One of the features the Whales Tail offers is a unique vantage point that gives you 360° viewing and 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.

Gray Whales
Midspring to midfall is the gray whales feeding season. Most of the whales spend this time 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, with many of the same whales returning year after year.

There are two basic types of whales, toothed and baleen. The gray whale is a baleen whale. Instead of teeth, they have a row of 130–180 baleen plates that grows along each side of the upper gum line. The baleen is made of material like a human fingernail. Appearing 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.

Gray whales feed primarily on amphipods, shrimp like animals. They go to the seafloor and suck up an area of the bottom. Sometimes this makes conspicuous holes 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.

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

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

Whale Watching Tours

The Whales Tail 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 gives you 360° viewing and 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.

Pacific White-sided Dolphin
The Pacific white-sided dolphin is common in offshore waters along the Pacific Northwest. They have a distinctive pattern of white, gray and black. The two most distinguishing features are the rather blunt beak and the rear-pointing dorsal fin, which is dark on the leading edge and pale gray on the trailing edge. They do not make a distinct blow, but often splash about producing sprays that resemble a blow. They are commonly seen in groups of 10-50 leaping acrobatically, surfing ocean waves, bow riding and “porpoising” in unison. Pacific white-sided dolphins feed on a variety of small fishes and squid, consuming about 20 pounds of food per day. Calving and mating occur from late spring to fall with gestation estimated at nine to 12 months. Adults are about seven feet long and weigh about 200 pounds.

Harbor Porpoise
The Harbor porpoise is very common in coastal waters of less than 600 feet. They are very shy, seldom showing much of themselves above water and almost never performing acrobatics like the dolphins. The best way to identify them is by their small gray body, shy behavior and the rather distinctive sound they make when they breathe. When a harbor porpoise breaks the surface, it makes a quick sneezing sound. They usually live in small groups of two to five individuals. Harbor porpoises feed in mid-water or near the bottom on small fish such as anchovies and herring. Mating usually occurs in early summer with gestation taking 11 months. Adults are about five feet long and weigh about 130 pounds.


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

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

Whale Watching on the Whales Tail

The Whales Tail 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 gives you 360° viewing and 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.

Gray Whale Populations
Two Pacific Ocean populations of the Gray Whale are known to exist: one of not more than 300 individuals whose migratory route is unknown, but presumed to be between the Sea of Okhotsk and southern Korea, and a larger one with a population between 20,000 and 22,000 individuals in the Eastern Pacific travelling between the waters off Alaska and the Baja California.

The Gray Whale was thought to have become extinct in the North Atlantic in the 18th century. Radiocarbon dating of subfossil remains has confirmed this, with whaling the possible cause.

In the fall, the Eastern Pacific, or California, Gray Whale starts a 2–3 month trip south along the west coast of Canada, the United States and Mexico. The animals travel in small groups. The destinations of the whales are the coastal waters of Baja California and the southern Gulf of California, where they breed and the young are born. The breeding behavior is complex and often involves three or more animals. The gestation period is about one year, and females have calves every other year. The calf is born tail first and measures about 15 feet in length. It is believed that the shallow waters in the lagoons there protect the newborn from sharks.

After several weeks, the return trip starts. This round trip of back at an average speed of 1-3 mph, it is believed to be the longest yearly migration of any mammal.

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

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