An early-season blue whale sighting has ocean watchers hopeful that there will be more of the world’s largest animal showing up off the local coast.
The sighting on Tuesday, April 21, was about three miles off the Dana Point Headlands, first reported by Dana Wharf Whale Watching Captain Branden Erdo during an excursion.
“It’s the longest, the loudest, the largest animal that has ever lived on this planet,” naturalist Nona Reimer said of the blue whales.
“We like to think of them as our summer whale,” she added, “but here it is a day before Earth Day.”
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The first blue whale of the year was spotted about 3 miles off Dana Point Headlands by Dana Wharf Whale Watching on April 21, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf)
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The first blue whale of the year was spotted about 3 miles off Dana Point Headlands by Dana Wharf Whale Watching on April 21, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Nona Reimer/Dana Wharf)
The whale is believed to be a blue known as “Bubbles,” nicknamed because it has a unique way of blowing bubbles before it dives down for a big descent.
“It’s a characteristic you don’t see in other whales,” Reimer said.
Fin whales, the second largest mammal, have been hanging around off the coast for the past month, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise when Erdo spied the spray of water toward the sky.
It was only when the charter boat got closer that Erdo realized it was a blue whale, its long, gray-blue body spanning about 80 feet long, he said.
“Once the tail fluke came out, we realized right away it was a blue whale,” Erdo said.
Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari charter guests also got to see the blue whale feeding, with the operator noting the sighting “signals a promising start to the summer whale watching season,” and also stands as a powerful symbol of the ocean’s scale and importance this Earth Day.
Blue whales typically arrive in May, peak in July and August, and begin to taper off by early fall as they follow krill populations in nutrient-rich Southern California waters. This early-season sighting suggests favorable ocean conditions and raises expectations for a strong summer presence, charter operators said.
“Nothing signals the beginning of summer like our first blue whale,” said Gisele Anderson, co-president of Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari. “The biggest animal ever to live on the planet, seen just a few miles from home, is simply amazing.”
Reimer said Dana Wharf passengers who get to experience the blue whales receive a “1% button” to mark their moment hanging out with the world’s largest whale.
“When I think about the fact that there’s over 8 billion people on the planet, how many are privileged enough to get on a boat on the water? And then how many get to go whale watching? That’s even fewer,” she said. “And how many get to see the largest, longest mammal to ever live? Less than 1% ever have that privilege.”
About 50 years ago, there were estimated to be about 500 blue whales left, she said. Today, due to regulations and restrictions, that number is estimated to be about 5,000 in the northern hemisphere alone.
Most likely, just like the fin whales, the blue whales are here to feast, with abundant krill off the coast. The blue whale can eat up to a couple of tons a day.
“There’s only two things that drive animals, one, they are looking for food, the other is to populate their species,” Reimer said. “As long as we have food, we will see these animals.”
While blue whales tend to show up during summer months, typically not spotted until May, their appearances can be sporadic and unpredictable. Some years, there are hundreds that come close to the coast, other years just a handful.
“We have our fingers and toes crossed anticipating a good blue whale season,” Erdo said.