Balaenoptera acutorostrata
At 30 feet, minkes are small enough to mistake for a large dolphin, but the bright white band across each flipper is definitive. Solitary and fast, they surface unpredictably — your best chance is the kelp lines off Dana Point and the outer Channel Islands.
Newport & Long Beach operators share daily trip counts — you can see what was spotted before you book. Other operators don't publish daily reports.