Watch humpback whales feed off Avila Beach. Here’s how to see them safely from the water
Humpback whales have been making a splash in the waters off Avila Beach for the past week, and several close encounters between the marine mammals and boaters have prompted the Port San Luis Harbor Patrol to release safety guidelines on watching the whales.
On Thursday, two women were kayaking in the Port San Luis Harbor when a whale breached and rocked their kayak.
Kathleen MacMahon of Grover Beach and Joyce DeLine of Shell Beach were about halfway out in the bay where boats are moored near Avila Beach when a couple of whales began swimming beneath them and one suddenly came up for air.
A video circulating on social media, from Facebook to TikTok, shows two women on a paddle board get nearly swallowed by a humpback whale on Monday.
Julie McSorely and her friend were paddle boarding when a whale came out of the water, knocking them off their board, according to KSBY. McSorely said she was unavailable for comment Tuesday, but could share more at a later date.
Chief Harbor Patrol Officer Matthew Ashton said the agency did not respond to the incident because they learned of it about an hour after it happened, but, he heard both people were OK.
Some local residents reported a much more “peaceful” experience with the whales.
Jeanette Trompeter of Shell Beach said she went out paddle boarding with a friend Saturday and again on Sunday, which she does weekly with the Soggy Bottom Yacht Club.
“We just kind of hung out, and they put on a show,” Trompeter said. “They just came around us, and it was super mellow. It was way more peaceful than you’d think.”
She went out again Monday to watch the whales from afar because it’s “a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said.
Trompeter said she saw about six to eight whales each day she was out, including at least one was a calf with its mother, she said.
How to observe whales safely and legally
On Tuesday, the Port San Luis Harbor District released some tips to observe the humpback whales safely while in the water. The Harbor District said in a news release that “it is illegal to cause a marine mammal to alter their behaviors in any way.”
▪ Maintain at least 100 yards of distance from the whales.
▪ Do not attempt to feed, touch or interact with the whales, or any marine mammals.
▪ Do not chase, encircle or leapfrog the whales.
▪ Avoid getting near the whales if another water vehicle or person is close to the animal.
▪ Limit whale-watching time to 30 minutes or less so more people can whale watch without crowding the water.
▪ If you encounter a whale, slow down and alter your direction so you are parallel to the whale. Never approach head on.
▪ Don’t paddle through large schools of fish, which can usually be seen because of flocks of seabirds. Whales will be lunging out of the water to eat the schools of fish.
▪ Stay clear of light green bubble patches in the water, which indicate the whale is about to surface.
▪ Do not get between a mother whale and her calf.
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 3:18 PM.
