REPORTS · Reports since Aug 16
ALL HARBORS
!
INCOMPLETE DATANo recent trip reports from Long Beach — that harbor is left out of the counts below. Missing data, not zero sightings.
RECOMMENDED — NEWPORT BEACH
Newport Coastal Adventure
Fast rigid boats — shorter crossing times
Visit site →
Fri, Aug 28 · Southern California

Today's sightings by harbour

3,152 animals · 2 species — busier than usual, fewer species than usual

Long Beachmoderateno report
No report since Aug 16
Newport Beachmoderate2,901animals · 2 sp.
Common dolphin · Minke whaleyesterday
Dana Pointmoderate1animals · 1 sp.
Common dolphinyesterday
San Diegomoderate250animals · 1 sp.
Common dolphinyesterday
Conditions go3.1 ft @ 11s SW · 5 kt WFull conditions →

Rates offshore whale-watching boat conditions only — not beach or surf safety.

SoCal Whales tracks whale and dolphin reports from Southern California operators, with daily sightings from Newport Beach, Dana Point, Long Beach, and San Diego alongside marine-weather context for booking decisions.

01 — Sightings

Most recently reported sightings

Totals exclude Long Beach — no recent trip reports from that harbor. Missing data, not a count of zero.
Common dolphin
—
3,151
Minke whale
—
1
02 — Forecast

Outlook — next 4 days, Newport Beach

Conditions are forecast separately for all four harbors. This strip shows Newport Beach; for the others see the sea state in the table above, or open a harbor's own page.

The Good Day to Go score is a 0-10 scale estimate of comfort for offshore whale-watching boat trips. It starts at 10, subtracts forecast penalties for wind, waves, visibility, thunderstorms, and rain, adds one point when a rare species is present in the currently aggregated sighting data, and then clamps the result to 0-10. Sighting counts do not affect it, and it does not predict whether whales will be seen. Full methodology.

TODAY · FRI AUG 28

Moderate, short-period swell — comfortable most of the day, a touch smoother early.

GO
WIND
5 kt W
SWELL
3.1 ft @ 11s SW
VISIBILITY
17.4 mi
SIGHTINGS
—
TEMP
83°F
RARE
—
BRING — FAST BOAT OK
SunscreenLight layerHat + chin strap
Humpback fluke-slap, off Dana Point.
03 — Book a trip

Operators near you

Newport & Long Beach operators share daily trip counts — you can see what was spotted before you book. Other operators don't publish daily reports.

NC
Newport Coastal Adventure
2,900 common dolphins · 1 minke whale
Book Now
NW
Newport Whales
2,900 common dolphins · 1 minke whale
Book Now
DL
Davey's Locker
2,900 common dolphins · 1 minke whale
Book Now
HB
Harbor Breeze
LONG BEACH · No sightings reported yet today
Book Now
DW
Dana Wharf
1 common dolphin
Book Now
SD
San Diego Whale Watch
250 common dolphins
Book Now
04 — Field guide

Who you might see

Gray whale
Eschrichtius robustus
Size
42–49 ft
Season
Dec–May (migration)
Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Size
Up to 60 ft
Season
Year-round, peak May–Nov
Blue whale
Balaenoptera musculus
Size
Up to 110 ft
Season
Jun–Oct
Fin whale
Balaenoptera physalus
Size
75–85 ft
Season
Year-round
RARE
Orca
Orcinus orca
Size
Up to 32 ft
Season
Sporadic
Common dolphin
Delphinus delphis
Size
About 6 ft
Season
Year-round
Bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Size
6–13 ft
Season
Year-round
Minke whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Size
Up to 35 ft
Season
Year-round
Risso's dolphin
Grampus griseus
Size
8.5–13 ft
Season
Year-round, more in cooler months
Pacific white-sided dolphin
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
Size
5.5–8 ft
Season
November–April
Northern right whale dolphin
Lissodelphis borealis
Size
6.5–10 ft
Season
Nov–Apr
Dall's porpoise
Phocoenoides dalli
Size
7–8 ft
Season
Dec–May
Striped dolphin
Stenella coeruleoalba
Size
8–9 ft
Season
Summer–autumn
RARE
Sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis
Size
40–60 ft
Season
Sporadic
RARE
Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
Size
12–24 ft
Season
Warm-water years
RARE
False killer whale
Pseudorca crassidens
Size
16–20 ft
Season
Warm-water years
RARE
Bryde's whale
Balaenoptera edeni
Size
40–55 ft
Season
Sporadic
RARE
Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Size
40–52 ft
Season
Year-round, deep water
RARE
Pygmy/dwarf sperm whale
Kogia spp.
Size
8–11 ft
Season
Sporadic
RARE
Cuvier's beaked whale
Ziphius cavirostris
Size
15–23 ft
Season
Year-round, deep water
RARE
Baird's beaked whale
Berardius bairdii
Size
Up to 36 ft
Season
Late spring to early autumn
RARE
Mesoplodon beaked whales
Mesoplodon spp.
Size
15–20 ft
Season
Year-round, deep water
RARE
North Pacific right whale
Eubalaena japonica
Size
45–64 ft
Season
Feb–May
05 — Nearby

Visiting Disneyland?

Whale watching 14 miles from Disneyland
Newport Beach · about 25 minutes from Anaheim
06 — Explore

Whale and dolphin watching guides by city

Whale Watching Guide
Seasons, species, regulations, booking tips
Whale Watching Newport Beach
Newport Harbor
Whale Watching Dana Point
Dana Point Harbor
Whale Watching Long Beach
Long Beach / San Pedro
Whale Watching San Diego
San Diego Harbor
Whale Watching Orange County
Newport Beach & Dana Point
Whale Watching Los Angeles
Closest LA departure points
Dolphin Watching Newport Beach
Newport Harbor
Dolphin Watching Southern California
Region-wide guide
Whale Watching Near Disneyland
Newport Beach · ~25 min from Anaheim