Gray Whale: Where and when to dive with them

Encountering gray whales requires respect, patience, and adherence to regulations, as specific interactions vary greatly by location. In Baja California, Mexico, especially within the designated whale sanctuaries, opportunities for "friendly whale" encounters exist, where the whales, often mothers with calves, may approach small pangas for interaction. However, swimming with gray whales is strictly prohibited in Mexico. Divers should be aware that while whales may be observed from boats, in-water interaction is not permitted for scuba divers. Always maintain a safe and respectful distance from whales, typically a minimum of 100 yards (91 meters) in US waters, and never obstruct their path or pursue them. Pay close attention to your dive guide's instructions and local regulations, as rules can change. When spotting cues, look for their distinctive heart-shaped blow, which is low and bushy, and watch for breaching or spy-hopping behaviors, especially during migration. Their mottled gray coloration, often encrusted with barnacles and whale lice, makes them somewhat camouflaged but also provides unique identifying features. Remember to move slowly and predictably in the water, avoiding sudden movements or loud noises that could disturb these sensitive animals. Photography is permitted, but flash photography should be avoided. Ethical considerations require prioritizing the whale's well-being over a close encounter, ensuring minimal disturbance to their natural behaviors, particularly for mothers with calves.

The best season to encounter gray whales for diving and observation is during their winter migration and breeding season, which typically runs from late December through April. For viewing the magnificent calving and breeding behaviors, the lagoons of Baja California, Mexico, are unparalleled, with peak activity occurring from mid-January to late March. During these months, the warm, protected waters of Laguna San Ignacio, Laguna Ojo de Liebre, and Bahía Magdalena teem with mothers and their newborn calves. Along the Pacific coast of North America, particularly off California and Oregon, gray whales can be spotted during their southward migration in December and January, and again during their northbound journey from March to May, sometimes with calves. During their summer feeding season in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, gray whales are present from June to November, but these remote, cold-water locations are significantly more challenging and less common for recreational diving encounters.

Gray whales, *Eschrichtius robustus*, undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal, traveling annually between their feeding grounds in the cold, food-rich waters of the Arctic and Subarctic and their warm, shallow breeding lagoons. The vast majority belong to the Eastern North Pacific population, which feeds during the summer months in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, specifically around Alaska and the Arctic Circle. During their winter migration, from December to April, they travel south along the west coast of North America, often within a few kilometers of shore, to the sheltered, warm-water lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. Iconic breeding and calving grounds include Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Laguna San Ignacio, and Bahía Magdalena. A critically endangered Western North Pacific population exists, feeding off the coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia, and potentially migrating to warmer waters of the South China Sea, although their specific breeding grounds remain largely unknown. They are typically found in shallow coastal waters, often over sandy or muddy bottoms, making them more accessible to observation than many other large whale species.

Gray whales are baleen whales and are primarily bottom feeders, exhibiting a unique feeding strategy among their kind. While in their rich Arctic feeding grounds during the summer, they consume vast quantities of small invertebrates, particularly amphipods and other crustaceans living in the soft sediments of the seafloor. They achieve this by rolling onto their side, typically the right side, and sifting through the mud and sand. With their large mouths, they engulf mouthfuls of sediment and water, then use their short, coarse baleen plates to filter out the small organisms, expelling the mud and water through their baleen. This distinctive feeding behavior leaves characteristic "feeding pits" on the seafloor, indicators of their presence. While crustaceans form the bulk of their diet, they are also known to consume other benthic organisms, such as polychaetes and larvae, as well as small schooling fish or krill opportunistically when available. They accumulate significant blubber reserves during these feeding months to sustain them throughout their long migration and breeding season, during which they consume very little to no food.