Steer Clear of the Whale in the Bay

Kayaker films gray whale in Tomales Bay.

A gray whale apparently took a pit stop on its way to Baja California.

Over the last three weeks, there have been spottings of the 25-foot-long gray whale in Tomales Bay, about 40 miles northwest of San Francisco.

One kayaker got close enough to shoot this Video:

It's migration season, when the whales travel south from Alaska for warmth. They usually swim together during their journey and can swim up to 20 hours at a time.

John Dell'Osso, chief of interpretation for the Point Reyes National Seashore, said this one must have gone off course. "It is rare to see a gray whale in Tomales Bay," he told the Marin Independent Journal.

Gray whales feed at the bottom of the ocean floor, eating crustaceans, mollusks, squid, fish and plankton. Tomales Bay is just 30 feet deep.

"When they dive you see a plume of mud come to the surface," said John Granatir of Blue Waters Kayaking at the Bay.

To avoid another deadly collision with a ship, officials are asking people to stay at least 300 feet away from the whale. You can see it by its blow, which can reach up to 15 feet in the air.

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