Dana Wharf Whale Watch

12/10/2025

On half price Tuesday our passengers had a full price experience with dolphins and whales seen from the Dana Pride. The waters were filled with large pods of Common Dolphin 2-3 miles off shore from Dana Point Harbor all the way up to the waters off of Crystal Cove State Beach. At 10, Captain Brandon located a Humpback whale inside 3 miles just off of South Laguna. This is the same Humpback we have seen several times over the last two weeks. We can recognize this whale by distinctive markings on the ventral (bottom) side of its flukes. It has a pattern of 3 blows and the surface and then sounding for about 2 minutes. At 12, we had to travel farther up the coast to relocate the whale. But thanks to the networking of whale watching companies, we had “handed” this whale off to other boats who were now able to give us coordinates. The whale had moved in closer to the coast in about 200 feet of water. The whale behaved the same way it had on the 10am trip surrounded by dolphin in all directions. We came home in these nearshore waters in hopes of seeing our first southbound Gray Whale of the season. It was not to be…yet! At 2:30 we once again headed back up the coast to the waters just above Laguna Beach. Once again we had numerous dolphin. We saw a whale blow 2 times, but this one’s name must have been Houdini, as we never saw it again. Today’s totals: Thousands of Common Dolphin, One Humpback seen on two trips, our harbor sentinel, the Osprey, feeding on a fish.

Report & 📸 Nona the Naturalist
📸 Ernie Leal

Dana Point Times

12/09/2025

We are still 👀

🎄✨ We’re on the Christmas Hunt! ✨🎄
2025 marks the 50th Anniversary of the Dana Point Parade of Lights, and we want to celebrate with YOU!

We’re seeking photos from the boat parade, specifically those taken between 2000 and before. We’re particularly interested in capturing the first 25 years, starting from 1975, featuring any of our Dana Wharf boats participating in the festivities. This includes photos of our boats enjoying the parade.

📸 Guests aboard Dana Wharf boats during the Parade of Lights
🎄 Photos of our decorated Dana Wharf vessels over the years
🌊 Any memorable parade moments captured from or featuring our boats

To make it even merrier…
🎁 One lucky photographer will win a 4-pack of Whale Watching tickets!

How to Enter:
1. Share your photo(s) in the comments.
2. Include the year if you know it!
3. Make sure you have permission to submit the photo.

Help us celebrate 50 years of holiday magic on the water! 🌟⛵

12/09/2025

🌊 It’s the most magical time of year… Humpback Season!
Where every trip feels like unwrapping the best gift—breaches, flukes, and unforgettable encounters. 🎁🐋

Video by

12/09/2025

Leaving Dana Point Harbor, Captain Steve took us north to a massive marine ecosystem with well over a thousand Long-beaked Common Dolphin and FOUR Humpback Whales just south of Crystal Cove in north Laguna Beach. The whales were feasting nonstop on anchovies below the surface, while the dolphin worked in coordinated groups, herding fish into tight compact bait balls. While following one of the Humpback Whales (Happywhale ID HW-MN0504004) as it turned toward the coast, we saw two powerful tail (peduncle) throws, one off our bow and another off the port side of the Ocean Adventures, each ending in a thunderous splash. Farther off, we saw more dramatic splashes that were likely whales lunge feeding. Dolphin in the distance would race towards us leaping along the way, each time we picked up speed and others patiently lingered off our bow waiting for us to move so they could resume bow riding.

Later in the afternoon, we encountered what was likely the same four Humpbacks now much farther south off Aliso Canyon. As the dolphin turned west, the whales followed and were closing in around us, one off the port side, one ahead off the bow, and two off the starboard side. The starboard pair were vocalizing loudly, bellowing and trumpeting as they trailed the dolphin.

Seabirds were everywhere: hundreds of Black-vented Shearwaters along with Pelicans, Gulls, and Cormorants diving and feeding alongside the whales, dolphin and sea lions. Three sea lions were hauled out on the green buoy with one circling in the water below, plus three more were on the inner jetty as we passed by at the end of the day. The Osprey was spotted polishing off a fresh fish lunch!

Report & 📸 Laura Lopez
📸 Ernie Leal

Dana Point Times

12/08/2025

High Flying Dolphin, A Dolphin Stampede & A Humpback Whale from another Action Packed Day!

📸 John & Cindy

12/08/2025

12/08/2025

Breathtaking stampede off the coast of Dana Point — dolphins as far as the eye could sea. 🌊🐬
Video by

12/08/2025

With clear skies and glassy seas, after seeing thermoregulating California Sea Lions, we left Dana Point Harbor and almost immediately saw the splashes of our first pod of Long-beaked Common Dolphin less than three miles offshore. Farther out, even larger pods appeared, stretching for miles. About seven miles out, Captain Murphy spotted our first Humpback Whale (Happywhale ID CRC-22603) of the day heading north toward a massive megapod of feeding dolphin. This same whale was also seen on our last trip of the day.

By noon, as we traveled up the coast past several more dolphin pods, a different Humpback surfaced just three miles off Ritz Point. While waiting for this whale to surface, we saw a powerful tail throw as it moved up the coast toward a feeding group of Long-beaked Common Dolphin. Blowing two to three times with average five-minute soundings, this whale continued its way north along the coastline. After leaving the whale and reaching a megapod of dolphin, a sudden trigger set off a spectacular stampede. The herd surrounding us surged north, joined by earlier pods coming in from the south with dolphin flying several feet out of the water and racing right toward our bow, completely engulfing Ocean Adventures at high-speed churning the water along the way. A few Coastal Bottlenose were passing south in front of the harbor mouth on our return.

In the afternoon, just north of Monarch Bay, we encountered about 40 Offshore Bottlenose Dolphin, including calves, who put an incredible aerial display in our stern wake when Captain Steve picked up the pace. Now five miles off Laguna Beach’s Surf & Sand, two more Humpback Whales were feeding alongside another megapod of over a thousand Common Dolphin. These hungry cetaceans shifted direction several times with the whales tracking the dolphin, taking advantage of tightly packed anchovy bait balls the herd corralled beneath the surface.

On our way back toward the harbor, just two miles off the Dana Point Headlands, we passed a raft of more than 50 California Sea Lions charging and porpoising north with some popping their heads up alongside us as they cruised up the coast.

We also wrapped the annual Santa Boat Rides on the Dana Pride where you can a boat ride with Santa around Dana Point Harbor! All proceeds benefit the Soroptimist of Capistrano Bay!.

Report & 📸 Laura Lopez

Dana Point Times

12/07/2025

🌊🐋✨ It’s indeed the most wonderful time of the year! Watching breaching humpback whales in Dana Point is pure magic. The perfect weather makes every moment even more special! 🐳💙



Feeling grateful for these incredible creatures and the beauty of nature. Who else loves this season? 🌟


Dana Point Times

12/07/2025

⛄️🌲 🎉 Be sure to book your Holiday Charter with Dana Wharf!

As we passed the stand up paddling Santas and our Dana Pride giving Santa rides in the harbor, we headed out and soon found Common Dolphin. We continued down the coast near shore following dolphin and then turned outside and saw the spout of a whale. We were able to stay with this Humpback for numerous cycles as it circled around, most likely feeding on the same fin food as the Long beaked Common Dolphin. At noon we went directly out from Dana Point Harbor and in less than 3.5 miles from shore, we were once again on a Humpback Whale close to a megapod of Common Dolphin. This whale exhibited the same behaviors of 2-3 blows at the surface followed by sounding for 2-3 minutes. Another whale spout could be seen much farther out but we did not attempt to go to it. At 2:30 we pushed the limits of our range to relocate dolphins and whales. This time there were thousands and thousands of fast moving Common Dolphin all around us. Sure enough we were rewarded with 2-3 Humpbacks in the waters off of Crystal Cove State Beach. We were able to watch several breathing cycles of one whale in particular and then it was time to start the long ride home. Most of the way back we had Common Dolphin around the boat. Near the harbor we observed resting sea lions, the Osprey at the mouth of the harbor, and other species of birds from cormorants to pelicans. Today’s totals: Approximately five Humpback Whales, multiple pods of dolphins - some in the thousands, sea lions, birds and one Santa spotted on the Dana Pride.

Report & 📸 Nona the Naturalist
Drone 📸 Gavriel Berghouse

Dana Point Times

12/06/2025

Santa Boat Rides going on now in Dana Point Harbor !!