San Francisco Bay Area Boaters Urged to Watch Out for Whales

NOAA is advising San Francisco Bay Area boaters to steer clear of whales, which migrate through the area in large numbers during the spring. From March until May, thousands of migrating gray whales make their way north from breeding grounds off Mexico to feeding grounds off Alaska.

Boaters should watch for the gray whale's blow, which looks like a puff of smoke about 10 to 15 feet high. Boaters should not:

approach within 300 feet of any whale;

cut across a whale's path;

make sudden speed or directional changes;

get between a whale and calf;

if separated from its mother, the calf may starve.

For more information, read the NOAA news release.