It's No Fluke

Some company is passing through Ventura County, but don't worry about them crashing any holiday parties.

Instead, let them entertain you.

Just last week, two gray whales were spotted near the Channel Islands, and recreational boaters say that's just the beginning.

The southern migration of the whales has begun, with more than 20,000 of the giant creatures expected to pass through the channel by February.

"The season for us officially starts this Sunday," said Jason Stanton, an employee of Island Packers Cruises, the county's oldest and largest operator of gray whale tours.

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For 30 years, Island Packers has taken people on full- and half-day trips to the waters off the coast of Anacapa and Santa Cruz islands to watch the whales make the pilgrimage from Alaska to Mexico.

At present, the family-run company has four large boats that are used for cruises out of both Ventura and Channel Islands harbors.

Tours for the southern migration begin Sunday and run through February.

By the end of February, the whales will begin their northern migration, with the peak viewing time in March.

Tours are also available for the northern migration.

Every year, the grays go to secluded lagoons in Baja to breed and bear their young, Stanton said.

For the trip south, pregnant females are the first to leave, followed by mature males and non-pregnant females, according to employee Alex Brodie, who provides such facts on the company's Web site at www.islandpackers.com.

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The juvenile whales are the last to head south, usually passing by the islands in February.

Some boaters have been lucky enough to view actual births or newborn calves during the early part of the southern migration, Brodie said.

"They are so beautiful, and you can see how powerful they are," Stanton said.

"It's amazing because you can hear them and see them spouting water."

The average length of a male gray whale is 36 feet, a female, 39 feet, and most people don't realize how large a gray whale is until seeing one up close, Stanton said.

The whales, which are born a dark charcoal color but turn a mottled gray, can be as heavy as 68,000 pounds, according to Brodie.

For those interested in taking a cruise to see the whales, the half-day cost is $22 for adults and $15 for children 12 and younger.

The full-day cost is $42 for adults and $37 for children.