With the transitioning of the seasons comes the blooming of wildflowers and the beginning of the northbound Grey Whale migration to Alaska. In April and May, they pass through the waters just off the coast of Point Reyes, setting the stage for spectacular whale watching from Chimney Rock and the Lighthouse. A short hike out to Chimney Rock makes for a lovely morning filled with spectacular wildflowers, breathtaking views of Drakes Bay, the Farallon islands, the Lighthouse, migrating Grey Whales and hauled out Northern Elephant Seals along the secluded beaches below.
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View of Chimney Rock from the Trail
Photo by Rosy Woodruff 2011. All Rights Reserved |
The weather has been calm and sunny out here in Point Reyes for several days, so I decided it would be a great morning to go check out the flowers and see if I could catch a view of a whale or two. I should have checked the weather, however, because the wind was whipping across Chimney Rock, threatening to knock me to the ground. The choppy wind waves in the ocean prevented me from sighting any grey whales, but the spectacular wildflower bloom was worth the trip. Pink checkerblooms and red Indian Paintbrush add some patches of color to the sea of deep green grasses and brilliant purple Douglas Iris. As the season continues to progress, more and more wildflowers will begin to blanket Chimney Rock in a sea of vibrant colors.
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Checkerblooms and Buttercups
Photo by Rosy Woodruff 2011. All Rights Reserved. |
Northern Elephant Seals occupy the beaches near Chimney Rock as they give birth, breed and molt in winter and early spring. They have not always prospered here, however. In the early 1800's Elephant Seals were hunted nearly to extinction for their prolific amounts of blubber that was used to make oil. Thought to have been extinct for years, a small population of Elephant Seals was discovered off the coast of Baja California in 1892. By the early 1930's, the Mexican government gave protection to the struggling seals and the United States government soon followed suit. For the next 50 years, Elephant Seals grew in numbers and began repopulating former breeding sites along the coast of California. By the 1976, the first pup was born in Point Reyes. Today the population numbers more than 1200 seals during the high season.
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Young Elephant Seal makes its way towards a group of females
Photo by Rosy Woodruff 2011. All Rights Reserved. |
Grey Whales can be seen from Point Reyes twice a year: during their southbound migration in December and January or their return migration in April and May. The annual migration of the Grey Whale exceeds that of any other mammal. Each year they leave their summer homes in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska and travel south to the warm lagoons of Baja California to breed and give birth. Then, in the spring they pack up the new babies and migrate back home to Alaska, traveling over 12,000 miles round trip in one year. During their northbound trip in April and May, they are easier to view because they are traveling slower due to the opposing current and the slower moving calves they have with them. They are also traveling closer to shore to keep the calves safe from potential predators at sea. Grey whales feed differently than other baleen whales. Rather than gulping up large amounts of water then filtering out krill and expelling the excess water, grey whales use their baleen to dredge the bottom of the sea then filter invertebrates out of the mud. They have much smaller sets of baleen than other whales because of this difference.
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Blooming Lupine
Photo by Rosy Woodruff 2011. All Rights Reserved/. |
April and May are great months to hike out to Chimney Rock. Get out there and enjoy the scenery before the elephant seals leave and the whales finish their migration.
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