As a native San Diegan, I grew up taking for granted the perks of living here.  From the miles of sandy beaches, the vast Pacific Ocean in our back yard or the great weather we have (it’s January 7^th & the forecast is to be 75F today), it’s hard to imagine living anywhere else.  It wasn’t until I got older and started to travel that I realized what a gift it is to call San Diego home.

One of the many treats living here is experiencing the migration of the gray whales every winter.  As a kid growing up in a house that had a view of the ocean, I can remember looking out our living room window and seeing the ‘blows’ of the whales off the coast as they swam by on their way to Mexico.

Beginning in the fall in the cold waters of Alaska, they start their annual migration to Mexico, before turning around and heading back north to complete their 12,000-mile round trip.  Their yearly visit to Mexico is pretty much like the typical college-student on spring break – Yes, they come down for sex.  If they find it, the next year they’ll head back down and give birth resulting from the previous year’s tryst, in the safe and shallow lagoons of Baja.

On December 28th, Mary & I were out kayaking and it was during the current migration this short video was shot.  Don’t worry, there are no whale sex scenes. 

If you have audio on your computer, turn it up now.

Note: This was my very 1^st attempt at putting together a movie using Apple’s iMovie, so don’t expect any Martin Scorsese production.

La Jolla whales FINAL