You will find many kinds of whales (and other ocean creatures) along the Pacific Coast. The most commonly-seen whales include:
Grey Whales
The entire population of grey whales (over 20,000) swim past the west coast twice a year, traveling between summer feeding in the Bering and Chukchi Seas and their nursery and breeding grounds in Baja California, Mexico. Grey whales are medium-sized, up to 45 feet long. Their dark, slate grey skin is covered with white patches caused by barnacles and parasites. They have no dorsal or back fin. Sighted along the entire West Coast.
Blue Whales
Blue whales are largest animal on earth, 70 to 90 feet long, with a heart the size of a small car. They're blue-grey in color, with light grey mottling. Long and streamlined, with a very small dorsal fin and long, thin pectoral flippers. Blue whales are sighted near California's Channel Islands
Humpback Whales
Humpbacks are 50- to 55-foot long, dark-colored with distinctive bumps on their noses. Their pectoral flippers are long, nearly a third of their body length. Humpbacks are sometimes seen near California's Channel Islands, on whale watching tours leaving from Monterey, and from the Big Sur shoreline.
Minke Whales
Small compared to other whales, 25 to 30 feet long, Minkes have a pointed snout. Their skin is dark gray above and lighter below. They sometimes have pale trapezoidal stripes behind the flippers on the top, and always have a characteristic white band on each flipper. Minkes are usually sighted around the Juan Islands near Seattle, and sometimes seen near California's Channel Islands.
Orcas (Killer Whales)
Black-and-white whales made famous by the movie "Free Willy" and SeaWorld's Shamu. Orcas are usually sighted around the Juan Islands near Seattle.
