A juvenile gray whale that made its way into Marina del Rey’s harbor appeared to be back in the open ocean Wednesday.
The whale, estimated to be about 18 feet long, was first spotted just beyond the surf off Topanga State Beach Tuesday evening, before heading south and taking a turn into the harbor, where it nuzzled docks, thrilled curiosity
seekers and put boaters on alert.
At times, the whale could be seen playing with a buoy or scraping barnacles off its back.
Peter Wallerstein of Marine Animal Rescue said the whale looked healthy and appeared to be swimming normally, but he said it may be disoriented or have become separated from its mother.
In the fall, a population of about 20,000 gray whales migrate from the waters off Alaska to Mexican lagoons to give birth, then return north with their offspring in February and March. Some females linger in southern waters
with their nursing young until May.
Wallerstein said the whale “was pretty young to be on its own.”
Sheriff’s Sgt. Keith Harrison of the Marina del Rey station said the gray whale had not been seen since late last night and apparently found its way back to the ocean.
