I stopped up at the lightstation today to drop off the
interpretive table for Neil & Rebecca (USFS) to use on Friday.
As I exited the gift shop, there was a group of people sitting
on the picnic bench looking at their phones. Behind them, a huge
gray whale surfaced and blew. "Whale!" I exclaimed to the group.
They all stood up and were able to see several more blows before
we lost sight of the whale into the thick fog not far west of
the headland. I rushed up to the top where John & Candee (OSP)
were on duty. "Did you see the whale?" I asked, out of breath
after rushing up the steep headland trail in hopes of catching
sight of it. "Yes," they both replied in unison, with John
adding, "We've had whales here all day yesterday and today
feeding and one was a mother with calf."

We watched the whale for another 30 minutes or so, pointing it
out to visitors and sharing interesting facts about our Oregon
Coast gray whales until it moved west into the fog. I headed for
home, pulling out at Sea Lion Point to snap a photo of our
beautiful Heceta Head shrouded in fog with sun all around (see
photo). Another gray whale was just west off the point there
also feeding. I watched for another 30-45 minutes as it came up
often and took its time about diving. What a treat and so much
fun to point out to visitors and answer their "whale questions"
as they stopped at Sea Lion Point to take a lighthouse photo and
not at all expecting to be treated to the sight of a whale.

Hoping for more whales this weekend as visitors come to see us
on National Lighthouse Day, August 7.

KHHL (Keeper's of Heceta Head Lightstation) Ranger Dina
August 4, 2021