Whale-Watching on the Pacific Coast: Easily Identify Whales, Dolphins, and Other Marine Mammals

Identify marine mammals on your whale-watching trips and beach outings in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Seeing a whale is an experience unlike any other. You wait, you hope, and when a beautiful creature breaks the ocean surface, the moment is as thrilling as it is unforgettable. Whether you're a tourist on vacation or a local resident on a day trip, keep this booklet close at hand. Written by environmental educator and Emmy Award-winning documentary film producer Stan Minasian, it features more than 20 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises--as well as other marine wildlife. When you spot an animal in the Pacific Ocean, check this guide to identify it and learn more about it!

The handy booklet is applicable to the coastal waters of California, Oregon, Washington, Canada, and Alaska. It provides a brief introduction to cetaceans (marine mammals) and outlines what to expect when watching whales from land or while on a cruise. The guide also presents the best land-based locations for whale-watching, organized by state. The pocket-size format is much easier to use than laminated foldouts, and the tear-resistant pages help to make the spiral-bound book durable in the field.

As an added bonus, the guide introduces present-day threats to whales and discusses US laws that help to protect whales, including the Marine Mammals Protection Act. The booklet documents specific requirements that whale-watching vessels must adhere to, like how far away they must remain from various whale species, and it even outlines details about a phone hotline and a smartphone app that you can access if you spot a whale in trouble.

Book Features:

• Pocket-size format--easier than laminated foldouts


• Professional illustrations and photographs for quick identification


• Whale-watching locations organized by state


• Easy-to-use information for even casual observers


• Suggestions for choosing an eco-friendly whale-watching vessel


• Whale-watching "do" and "don't" tips from an expert

Stan Minasian is an author, lecturer, Emmy Award-winning documentary film producer, and environmental educator. He has written, edited, and produced 16 documentaries on marine mammals and natural history issues, which have been broadcast on the Discovery Channel, Outdoor Life Network, National Geographic TV, Turner Broadcasting Systems, Animal Planet, PBS, and internationally.

Stan is a marine mammal authority, former member of the US Coast Guard Special Forces, certified diver, and surface and underwater cinematographer. He was senior author of The World's Whales: A Complete Illustrated Guide and One Dolphin's Story: The Life and Times of an Eastern Tropical Pacific Spinner Dolphin.

From his home in the San Francisco Bay Area, Stan has led more than 200 whale-watching trips. His educational website has garnered more than 2.7 million visitors.