Migrations start in fall when whales fattened on the krill and rich biomass of the Bering Sea follow the coast south 12,000 miles to Scammons and other Mexican lagoons where, in protected, waters, they give birth to their young.
Nearly 18,000 of the 22,000 grays in the world stay inshore of the California current to avoid predators like killer whales as they closely approach tradtional points and outlooks from the California border all the way to Mexico. These social creatures travel in small pods of two to six that swim close to the surface so they can be spotted by the white lace of their breathing or "blows" as in "there she blows" a whaler's call happily no longer heard in U.S. waters. It's not unknown to see other whale species, so you need to know you can identify grays by their lack of dorsal fins.
Gray whales also breach, or leap out of the water, to depending on who you believe, either dislodge parasites from their thick hide, or let other whales know their position. Even more interesting is spyhopping where a while sticks its head out of the water in an almost vertical position. Some say this aids navigation; others claim whales use gravity to help swallow. Clearly there's a lot we don't know about whales!
We do know their migration dates. In the fall watching starts early in December from Castle Rock near Crescent city and around Clam Beach and the headlands south of Ferndale. In Mendocino County Mackerricher State Park near Fort Bragg offers good sightings from the beach. Perhaps the best point for landlubbers north of San Francisco is Point Reyes Light-house where you can enjoy solid seminars on whales in January and February. Point Reyes Seminars (415) 663-1200 offer just that.
Various San Francisco charter boats run whale trips to the Faralone Islands, but it's a shorter, quicker run out of Pilar Point Harbor or Monterey. If you like sailboats look into Chardonnay Sailing Charters on their big catamaran out of Santa Cruz (408) 423-1213.
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