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It's No Fluke...Whale Watching Week Is Underway Along Oregon Coast

Michael H. Smith
/
Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept.

The last week of December finds many people and families on break, contending with cabin fever. 

Oregon Parks and Recreation officials say it’s high time to go to the coast and watch the annual gray whale migration. 

Luke Parsons is a park ranger with the whale watching center in Depoe Bay.  He says 20,000 gray whales will be headed south towards Mexico.

“It’s a very, very busy time…up to 30 whales per hour are passing any given location along the coast," says Parsons.

"And so just in term of sheer numbers of whales, it’s pretty amazing.” 

The best viewing is from high points, not the beaches, as the whales will be two to five miles off shore.  Binoculars are highly recommended.

Parsons adds for the first time this year, whale watching week will be streamed on Oregon State Park’s YouTube channelas well.

Copyright 2017, KLCC. 

 
 

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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