Using a drone, a Southern California photographer captured breathtaking video Wednesday of several whales off the coast of La Jolla.
Photographer Sandy Rich said the drone footage was shot near Windansea Beach. It shows at least three whales – likely gray whales – making their way across the ocean.
As the whales swim and the drone circles overhead, the whales encounter several dolphins.
Gray whales tend to stay within coastal waters. When they migrate during the winter, the mammals tend to stay within six miles of the coastline, moving further out as the summer begins.
Whale watching season in San Diego is typically at its prime in January, as gray whales begin their northward migration from the lagoons of Baja California toward the Bering and Chukchi Seas, according to the Hornblower San Diego Whale Watching blog.
San Diego is home to approximately 70 miles of coastline located directly on the sea creatures’ migration path, making whale watching a very popular activity in America’s Finest City, especially at prime locations such as Birch Aquarium at Scripps and Torrey Pines State Reserve.
