Sometimes called the Whale Capital of the West, scientists believe that Dana Point may possibly serve as a reference “landmark” for whales and is a famous gathering area, attracting not only marine mammals but marine biologists and whale lovers from around the world. In celebration of the California Gray and Blue whale’s annual journey, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel offers a year-round whale watching package.

A Whale of a Package starts at $500 for garden/pool view accommodations. The package includes overnight accommodations, a 2-hour whale watching excursion with Dana Wharf Sportfishing, including an on-board snack and beverage, and American breakfast for two in the ocean front Restaurant 162’.

From January through April, California Gray Whales leave the cold Arctic Seas and follow the coastline to the warm, calm waters of Southern California and Baja. This migration brings much of the pod past Dana Point, where the whales can be easily seen and photographed. Blue whales, the largest mammal ever to roam the earth, migrate to tropical waters to mate and give birth to their calves from May through November. The Blue whale migration also takes these amazing creatures past Dana Point.

The Gray Whale are essentially black, but have a grayish appearance caused by the accumulation of marine parasites on their skin. They measure 30 to 45 feet as adults and weigh about a ton a foot. Gray Whales do not have a dorsal fin like other whales; instead they have a series of “knuckles” along the after portion of the back. The whales travel up to 12,000 miles every year from their feeding grounds in the cold arctic waters where to the warm, shallow lagoons of Baja California where they mate and bear their young. Twice hunted to near extinction, the Gray whale population has rebounded in the last 50 years to an estimated population of nearly 30,000 animals.

Blue whales are an overall blue-gray color and are long and streamlined. Their dorsal fins are extremely small, and their pectoral flippers are long and thin. Blue whales are rorqual whales, a family of baleen whales with pleated throat grooves that expand when the animal takes in water while feeding. Blue whales can be up to 100 feet long, weigh as much as 150 tons and have been found in every ocean of the world. They swim individually or in small groups, and they are commonly seen traveling in pairs. Approximately 2,000 blue whales live off the California Coast and migrate to Mexico, and Costa Rica. The historic population of Blue whales, prior to commercial hunting, has been estimated at 200,000. Today there are anywhere from 5,000 to 12,000 blue whales in the world. The Blue whale is listed as endangered.

Dana Wharf Sportfishing is dedicated to helping visitors enjoy the unique wonders of Dana Point Harbor and the Orange County coastline. The warm waters off of Dana Point flourish with sea life including whales, dolphin, harbor seals, and California sea lion. The thriving coastal waters provide bountiful fishing of sand bass, calico bass, halibut, bonito, yellowtail, yellowfin tuna, bluefin tuna, albacore, and dorado.

Consistently ranked among the best resorts in the world, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is located halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego and sits on a 150-foot bluff with panoramic white-water views of the Pacific Ocean and two-miles of sandy beach. For more information or reservations call 800-241-3333, the hotel directly at 949-240-2000, a travel professional or visit The Ritz-Carlton Web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.

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