Amazing Gray Whale Encounter Captured By Dana Point Captain Dave

DANA POINT, CA — Say "cheese." Two friendly gray whales took the time to inspect a small boat manned by Captain Dave Anderson of Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari.

"There are two of them, right here next to us, these are friendly whales for sure," Captain Dave said in the video which was recorded off of the coast of Laguna Beach.

The two whales discovered Anderson and his friend Barry Curtis, both out looking for some video footage but what they got was more than ever expected.

"These whales exhibited playful and friendly courtship like behavior just inches under the boat," Anderson said. "It lasted for about an hour."

According to Anderson, they did not initiate contact with the whales, but it was the duo of grays that came over to meet them.

"This was the best gray whale encounter I have ever had off of Southern California," he said. According to Anderson, this behavior is rarely seen during during the migration and is typically reserved for the mating and calving lagoons in Baja, Mexico.

"We had an underwater camera, a drone, and we had a good surface camera. I put it together with a song that that I really like. These whales are often friendly like this down in the birthing and mating lagoons, but it is rare for them to be so trusting outside of the lagoons. They completely engulfed us, took us into their world, and interacted with us for almost an hour. We are in heaven, or as close as you can get to it on earth," said Captain Dave.

According to Anderson, Dana Point is one of the best places to view the gray migration.

"The whales are often seen within a mile or two of the shoreline, and are believed to use Dana Point's headlands as a landmark on their journey," he said.

In early March, Dana Point Harbor will celebrate migrating gray whales and other marine wildlife with the annual Festival of Whales. Ocean-themed events and activities that have an emphasis on education and environmental responsibility attract nearly 100,000 visitors each year.

For more information, visit: www.dolphinsafari.com

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