Boaters follow ‘spouts’ in distance to find huge sea creatures feeding near CA

A group of onlookers got the chance to see a plethora of sea creatures off the California coast, a whale watching agency said.

Onlookers saw an “active pod” of bottlenose dolphins playing on the boat’s bow as the vessel circled them, according to a May 13 Facebook post by the Dana Wharf Whale Watch.

Then, the group saw “spouts” in the distance and quickly realized it was five fin whales hunting, the agency said.

Later in the day, another group of passengers went to the same area and saw three fin whales in the middle of hundreds of common dolphins, the agency said.

It was “not a good day to be an anchovy” as the dolphins, whales, and even birds were feeding, Dana Wharf Whale Watch said.

Another group was “once again treated” to seeing a fin whale feed through “schools of anchovy,” the agency said.

Fin whales are the second-largest whale species on the planet and have a “distinctive coloration – black or dark brownish-gray on the back and sides and white on the underside,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

They are “fast swimmers” and usually travel in groups of two to seven while feeding on small schools of fish or krill, the NOAA said.

Groups throughout the day were able to see 10 fin whales, a pod of bottlenose dolphins and another pod of common dolphins, the post said.

Dana Point is about a 60-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published May 14, 2025 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Boaters follow ‘spouts’ in distance to find huge sea creatures feeding near CA."