Balaenoptera edeni
Three head ridges, not one. Only a handful ever confirmed here — often logged as sei.
Length/weight/lifespan/diet: NOAA Fisheries species page →
Only two Bryde's whales have been confirmed off southern California in five decades, and the 1963 animal was first logged as a fin whale. Others could never be resolved beyond “sei or Bryde's”, because the two are frequently inseparable at sea.
Smultea et al. 2012, Aquatic Mammals 38(1):92–97 source →
HOW RARITY IS JUDGED →Newport & Long Beach operators share daily trip counts — you can see what was spotted before you book. Other operators don't publish daily reports.