Watch Our Typical Monthly Dolphin & Whale Sightings
Scroll down for daily sightings log.
Captain Dave’s Dana Point Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari is the first tour in Dana Point to offer year-round dolphin and whale sightings! We helped put Dana Point whale watching tours on the map by delivering breathtaking whale and dolphin watching in a warm and welcoming environment. On the very rare occasion that you don’t have any whales or dolphin sightings, we’ll be happy to provide a free whale watching tour to be used within one year.
February 2025 Daily Whale Watching Sightings Log
| Date | No. of Trips | Sightings |
| Feb 20 | 4 | 4 Gray Whales, 1,400 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola |
| Feb 19 | 5 | 555 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola, 1 White Shark |
| Feb 18 | 6 | 8 Fin Whales, 3 Gray Whales, 150 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 17 | 6 | 1,550 Common Dolphins, 2 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Feb 16 | 7 | 4 Gray Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 150 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola |
| Feb 15 | 10 | 3 Gray Whales, 1,060 Common Dolphins, 100 Risso’s Dolphins, 40 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola |
| Feb 14 | 0 | Inclement Weather |
| Feb 13 | 0 | Inclement Weather |
| Feb 12 | 1 | No Sightings |
| Feb 11 | 1 | 250 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola |
| Feb 10 | 5 | 850 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 9 | 3 | 1 Gray Whale, 105 Common Dolphins, 30 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Feb 8 | 6 | 4 Gray Whales, 1,025 Common Dolphins, 30 Bottlenose Dolphins |
| Feb 7 | 3 | 1 Gray Whale, 195 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 6 | 2 | 150 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 5 | 3 | 900 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 4 | 1 | 500 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 3 | 4 | 20 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 2 | 8 | 1 Gray Whale, 770 Common Dolphins |
| Feb 1 | 9 | 6 Gray Whales, 2,550 Common Dolphins |
2025 Archive Whale Watching Sightings Log
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Date No. of Trips Sightings Jan 31 3 5 Gray Whales Jan 30 4 6 Bigg’s Killer Whales (CA56 & CA133), 3 Gray Whales, 522 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola Jan 29 2 1 Gray Whale, 600 Common Dolphins Jan 28 3 400 Common Dolphins Jan 27 2 1 Gray Whale, 1,300 Common Dolphins, 80 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 26 0 Inclement Weather Jan 25 3 100 Common Dolphins Jan 24 5 4,450 Common Dolphins Jan 23 2 No Sightings Jan 22 1 500 Common Dolphins Jan 21 2 200 Common Dolphins, 5 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 20 5 105 Bottlenose Dolphins, 15 Common Dolphins Jan 19 7 7 Humpback Whales, 1 Gray Whale, 12,800 Common Dolphins Jan 18 6 3 Humpback Whales, 29,000 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola Jan 17 2 1 Humpback Whale, 1 Minke Whale, 1,000 Common Dolphins Jan 16 4 4,150 Common Dolphins Jan 15 3 1 Humpback Whale, 7,000 Common Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola Jan 14 3 2 Gray Whales, 2,550 Common Dolphins Jan 13 2 350 Common Dolphins, 5 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Jan 12 5 1,675 Common Dolphins, 1 Great White Shark, 1 Thresher Shark Jan 11 5 1 Gray Whale, 630 Common Dolphins Jan 10 2 2 Fin Whales, 2 Gray Whales, 3,000 Common Dolphins Jan 9 5 1,600 Common Dolphins, 150 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 8 1 No Sightings Jan 7 1 100 Common Dolphins Jan 6 4 6 Fin Whales, 2,900 Common Dolphins, 65 Bottlenose Dolphins, 1 Mola Mola Jan 5 4 10 Gray Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 2,025 Common Dolphins Jan 4 6 6 Gray Whales, 3,800 Common Dolphins Jan 3 7 5,100 Common Dolphins, 300 Bottlenose Dolphins Jan 2 6 60 Common Dolphins Jan 1, 2025 7 5,000 Common Dolphins
View All Sightings Archives By Year
See an Abundance of Wildlife Up Close and Personal
Dana Point is the Dolphin and Whale Watching Capital of the World® for good reason! The gorgeous Pacific ocean is teeming with aquatic animals that are truly stunning to behold. Depending on which month you join us, you may see multiple varieties of both whales and dolphins. Every trip is special!
While dolphin and whale sightings are our bread and butter, we often run into other marine creatures, including sea lions, pelagic birds, sharks, seals, Mola mola, and more! Check out the months below to get an idea of what to expect on your visit. You can also check our daily whale and dolphin sightings log for details on the animals we saw on our latest adventures!
Create Memories that Last a Lifetime
Words and pictures simply can’t prepare you for the thrill of an up-close encounter with these majestic animals. As one of the best whale watching cruises in California, our hope is that connecting with the animals will change how you view the world and help you to form a lasting connection with nature. Your first whale sightings can truly be an eye-opening, life-changing experience. Heck, we’ve been doing this for over twenty years, and we’re still just as amazed to this day! Join us on an unforgettable adventure.
Learn More About Dana Point's Monthly Dolphin & Whale Sightings
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Frequently Seen in January:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in January:
Whales: Humpback Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in February:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in February:
Whales: Humpback Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in March:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in March:
Whales: Blue Whales, Gray Whales with Calves, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in April:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales with Calves, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in April:
Whales: Blue Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in May:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Gray Whales with Calves, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in May:
Whales: False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in June:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in June:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Gray Whales, Orcas (Killer Whale), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in July:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions, Sharks
Occasionally Seen in July:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals
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Frequently Seen in August:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions, Sharks
Occasionally Seen in August:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals
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Frequently Seen in September:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Mola Mola, Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions, Sharks
Occasionally Seen in September:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Bryde’s Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals
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Frequently Seen in October:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in October:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: Blue Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales, Sei Whales, Sperm Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in November:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in November:
Dolphins: Pacific White-sided Dolphins
Whales: False Killer Whales, Gray Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
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Frequently Seen in December:
Dolphins: Bottlenose Dolphins, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins
Whales: Fin Whales, Gray Whales, Humpback Whales, Minke Whales
Other: Pelagic Birds, Sea Lions
Occasionally Seen in December:
Whales: Blue Whales, False Killer Whales, Orcas (Killer Whales), Pilot Whales
Other: Elephant Seals, Harbor Seals, Mola Mola, Sharks
2024 Whale Watching Stats
548
Gray Whales
400
Blue Whales
966
Fin Whales
574
Humpback Whales
When is the best time to see whales in California?
You can see whales and dolphins off the coast of Dana Point, California, all year long!
May through November you can see blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales, and more. Between December and May, Dana Point whale watchers can see migrating gray whales, as well as fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales, and more. All year round several species of dolphins can be viewed, sometimes in mega-pods as large as 10,000! And throughout the year, rare species of whales and dolphins such as orcas (killer whales), Bryde’s whales, pilot whales, and sperm whales could be seen. Southern California has more dolphins and more blue whales than anywhere else in the world.
