RARE SIGHTING

Sei whale

Balaenoptera borealis

Like a slim fin whale but symmetrical jaw, blow and dorsal appear together. Often misidentified.

Stats

At a glance

LENGTH
40–60 ft
WEIGHT
Up to ~50 tons (100,000 lbs) — NOAA
LIFESPAN
50–70 yrs (NOAA)
DIET
Copepods, krill, small schooling fish, squid
RARITY
Very rare — celebrate
SEASON
Sporadic

Length/weight/lifespan/diet: NOAA Fisheries species page →

How to ID

What to look for

Like a slim fin whale but symmetrical jaw, blow and dorsal appear together. Often misidentified.
BEHAVIORS TO WATCH FOR
Blow and dorsal appear togetherShallow skim-feedingRarely shows flukes
When

Best months to see

JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Archive

Last 30 days

This chart includes numerical reports only. Uncounted sightings do not appear in its totals; see the daily archive for presence reports.

Numerically reported
0
Days with counts
0/30 reported days
Last numeric report
None recorded
DAILY SIGHTING COUNTHOVER A BAR
OCT 25
Book

Where to go (operators publish dated sighting reports)

We monitor public trip reports across Newport Beach, Long Beach, Dana Point and San Diego. Reporting schedules vary; summaries show the latest available report. Newport's shared feed is counted once.

NC
Newport Coastal Adventure
from $84 · priced as of 2026-08-03
1,100 common dolphins · report 2026-10-25
Booking handled by newportcoastaladventure.rezdy.com
Book with Newport Coastal Adventure
NW
Newport Whales
from $41 · priced as of 2026-08-03
1,100 common dolphins · report 2026-10-25
Book with Newport Whales
DL
Davey's Locker
from $41 · priced as of 2026-08-03
1,100 common dolphins · report 2026-10-25
Book with Davey's Locker
HB
Harbor Breeze
from $35 · priced as of 2026-08-03
12 orcas · report 2026-10-25
Book with Harbor Breeze
DW
Dana Wharf
from $55 · priced as of 2026-08-03
Common dolphin: Present, count unknown · report 2026-10-25
Book with Dana Wharf
SD
San Diego Whale Watch
from $58 · price not verified recently
500 common dolphins · 13 humpback whales · 3 bottlenose dolphins · report 2026-10-25
Booking handled by fareharbor.com
Book with San Diego Whale Watch
P
Paul Grogan
Covers SoCal whale watching, ocean conditions, and the best departure ports on the Southern California coast.