Species profile
About this species
The grey whale is a large baleen whale found in the North Pacific Ocean, known for its mottled grey colouring and the barnacles & whale lice that encrust its skin. Adults typically reach 13-15 metres in length & can weigh up to 36,000 kilograms. They are renowned for undertaking one of the longest migrations of any mammal, travelling between Arctic feeding grounds & warm-water breeding lagoons in Baja California.
Shallow coastal & shelf waters of the North Pacific, including Arctic feeding grounds, open-ocean migratory corridors along the Pacific coast of North America, & warm shallow lagoons in Baja California, Mexico, where they breed & calve.
Where to photograph
Where our trips feature this species
You can photograph Grey Whale with us in the United States.
These departures are part of our North America programme.
In the field, David Miles helps guests make the most of these encounters.
Field notes
Photography notes
December to April during the southward & northward migration along the California coast, with peak opportunities in lagoons such as Laguna San Ignacio in February & March. Early morning light offers the best conditions for photography.
Use a telephoto lens of at least 400mm to capture close detail while maintaining a safe distance from the vessel. Position yourself on the bow or sides of a whale-watching boat & anticipate surfacing behaviour to time your shots for the blow or breach. Shoot in burst mode with a fast shutter speed of at least 1/1000s to freeze the motion of breaching or fluking whales.
Available holidays
Trips featuring Grey Whale
The holidays below are pulled from the same species relationship, so the guide stays tied to live departures rather than becoming a static article.
