A Spectator’s Guide to Whale Watching at Cerritos Beach.

If you are joining us at The Olas Retreat, Cerritos Beach in Baja California Sur, Mexico, you are in for an incredible natural spectacle. Between December and April, the waters right in front of our beach turn into a bustling marine highway. You don’t even need to board a boat to experience it - spectators frequently spot these magnificent giants breaching, tail-slapping, and spouting directly from the shoreline, beach clubs, or while waiting for a wave in the surf lineup.February serves as the peak month for the highest amount of whale activity.

To help you get ready, here is a guide to the species you will see and exactly how to spot the differences right from the sand.The Two Giants of Cerritos Beach are Humpback whales and Gray whales. While they might look similar from a distance, they have very distinct shapes, behaviors, and features.1. Humpback Whales (The Acrobats)Humpbacks are famous for being the showstoppers of the ocean. If you see a whale completely launch itself out of the water, it is almost certainly a Humpback.

• The Blow: Look for a bushy, balloon-shaped spout of water.

• The Back & Fin: They have a dark grey or black body with a small, distinct dorsal fin sitting on a humped ridge.

• The Tail (Flukes): When they dive, they lift their massive tails high into the air. The underside of a Humpback’s tail has a unique black-and-white pattern—just like a human fingerprint.

• Behavior: Highly active. You will often see them breaching, waving their massive white pectoral fins, or slapping the surface of the water.

2. Gray Whales (The Coastal Navigators)Gray whales stay very close to the coastline during their migration to the warm lagoons further north in Baja. They are slightly more rugged and streamlined than Humpbacks.

• The Blow: Because of the structure of their blowholes, Gray whales often have a distinct V-shaped spout.

• The Skin: Their skin is mottled grey and heavily covered in white patches of barnacles and whale lice, giving them a crusty appearance.

• The Back: Gray whales have no dorsal fin. Instead, they have a low hump followed by a series of small bumps or "knuckles" along the lower ridge of their back.

• Behavior: Their movements are generally slower and more methodical. While they do breach, they are more famous for "spyhopping"—poking their heads straight up out of the water to look around.

Tips for Spotting Whales from the Beach

• Scan the Horizon: Don't just look near the surf line. Keep your eyes on the horizon for the white mist of a spout, which can shoot up to 10–15 feet high.

• Look for the Footprint: Right before a whale surfaces, it leaves a smooth, glassy circle on the water's surface known as a "fluke print" or whale footprint.

• Watch for Birds: Flocks of seabirds hovering over a specific spot often mean baitfish are near the surface, which can attract feeding whales and dolphins.

• Bring Optics: While the whales frequently pass close to the lineup, a good pair of binoculars or a zoom lens on your camera will help you catch the fine details like the barnacles on a Gray whale or the markings on a Humpback's tail.