If you had to pick a mascot for the Oregon Coast, you might choose the gray whale. Each winter some 20,000 great grays swim along the shore — south from Alaska’s Bering Sea to the warm-water lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California — then retracing their 12,000-mile migration north in spring. Spotting them spy-hop, breech and blow ranks high on Pacific Northwest bucket lists for a reason: Few wildlife encounters rival the moment you see the magnitude of these whales, which grow to 50 feet and weigh around 40 tons, rising from the Pacific.
Find more whale-watching tips and discover other “Cool Season Adventures” on TravelOregon.com.
