Spotting a breaching Gray or Orca while whale watching is an absolute rush and is something you'll never forget.

I vividly remember one time being out on a boat with my wife. A small pod of Orcas breached on our left-hand side (I don't know nautical directions; sorry), swam UNDER the boat and came up and breached on the other side. What an experience!

This popular activity along the Oregon Coast began back in the early 1970s, originating around 1953-55 along the Southern California coastline. The Oregon Coast is well-known for the activity of attempting to eyeball these awesome creatures. The annual event takes place when the Gray Whale's 6000 mile migration from the Bering Sea to the Baja's warm waters begins. The southbound migration of the whales runs from November through December and their northern trek goes from February through April.

There are many areas along the coastline that are known for spotting the large groups of mammals. According to Whale Watching Spoken Here, these are the prime places in Oregon to catch a glimpse, from North to South:

• Ecola State Park
• Neahkahnie Mountain Historic Marker Turnout on Highway 101
• Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint
• Cape Lookout State Park - 2.5 mile hike to site at tip of Cape
• Inn at Spanish Head Lobby on 10th floor
• Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint
• Depoe Bay Sea Wall
• The Whale Watching Center, Depoe Bay
• Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint
• Cape Foulweather
• Devil's Punchbowl (Otter Rock) State Natural Area
• Yaquina Head Lighthouse
• Don A. Davis City Kiosk
• Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site
• ( note Seal Rock State Recreation Site is no longer a whale watch site)
• ( note Yachats State Park is no longer a whale watch site)
• Devil's Churn Viewpoint
• Cape Perpetua Overlook
• Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center
• Cook's Chasm Turnout
• Sea Lion Caves Turnout - large Highway 101 turnout south of tunnel
• Umpqua Lighthouse, near Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
• Shore Acres State Park
• Face Rock Wayside State Scenic Viewpoint
• Cape Blanco Lighthouse, near Cape Blanco State Park
• Battle Rock Wayfinding Point, Port Orford
• Cape Sebastian
• Cape Ferrelo
• Harris Beach State Park, Brookings, Oregon

Get helpful guides about Oregon Coast whale watching in PDF format in the Guide Books section

What To Be Looking For

The particular thing that you are watching for is called "spouting." As the whales surface to exhale, they will blow a plume of water from 6 to 10 feet in the air and this can be seen from quite a distance. Once they go back under, watch for the exposure of their backs and tails. Binoculars are a must if you plan to go whale watching.

There are also many places that you can charter a boat out to sea and look for whales. Most tours run from one to two hours. Check with the local chamber of commerce for boat charters or just ask a local!

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