Oceanside Adventures experienced a truly rare event when Captain Shane Hansen spotted what he believes were two Sperm Whales approximately 5.5 miles off the coast of Oceanside around 1PM. This marks a historic first for Oceanside Adventures, and potentially for Oceanside itself.
Drone operator Mark Newman, aboard the vessel Nala with Captain Hansen and his crew, captured this incredible sighting on film, calling it a “once in a lifetime experience.” Due to the extended duration of the 12 pm trip, Oceanside Adventures dispatched our smaller Catamaran, Ocean Adventures, at 2:30 pm to allow for more guests to witness this magical encounter. Adding to the significance, Deckhand and now new Captain Tikhon Hanlon was running his first inaugural whale-watching trip, which proved to be exceptionally lucky, offering him the rare opportunity to see a Sperm Whale. Our thanks go out to our Captains and the crew for a great day! It was a stroke of luck and good fortune for all.
What makes sperm whales so rare in Oceanside is that Sperm Whales prefer deeper water because these animals dive great depths to find their food, which is primarily squid. Sperm whales can stay down up to 90 minutes, and are capable of staying submerged for over two hours, making them hard to find. We normally would not encounter them on our two-hour trips, but we are glad we did. It’s worth mentioning again that it’s the first sighting for our whale-watching company in 10 years and possibly the first in Oceanside’s history.
It’s always a good time to go Whale Watching! All Oceanside Adventures Captains are US Coast Guard licensed and provide expert and experienced commentary along the journey. Reservations can be made online at www.oceansidewhalewatching.com
