Breaching Whales off San Diego Coast
Passengers enjoy the skyline as they leave on a whale watching tour presented by Birch Aquarium and Flagship Cruises. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Views of the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Charles Meyer, captain of the Marietta, navigates the vessel past Point Loma. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Passengers aboard the Marietta enjoy views off Point Loma as they leave on a whale watching tour. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
An Eastern Pacific gray whale breaches. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
The fluke of an Eastern Pacific gray whale. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
A Pacific white-sided dolphin riding the surfaces. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
An Eastern Pacific gray whale surfaces. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Skyline views and an Eastern Pacific gray whale. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
.An Eastern Pacific gray whale rolls. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
A fin of an Eastern Pacific gray whale. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Two Eastern Pacific gray whales. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
A fluke of an Eastern Pacific gray whale. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
An Eastern Pacific gray whale breaches. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
An Eastern Pacific gray whale makes a big splash after breaching. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
A Pacific white-sided dolphin jumps. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
With Point Loma in the background, the yacht America leaves San Diego bay on a sailing tour. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Riding aboard the Marietta, Shannon Buley (left) and her daughter Brianna Buley, 4, wave to a passing vessel. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
The guided missile destroyer USS Sterett leaves San Diego Bay. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
A sea lions sleep on the bait barges in San Diego Bay. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
The USS Midway Museum and skyline. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Volunteer Sally Beach shows jars with whale barnacles and lice to passengers after returning from a whale watching tour presented by Birch Aquarium and Flagship Cruises. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Passengers aboard the Marietta enjoy skyline views. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)
Volunteer Sally Beach shows baleen and from a gray whale to passengers aboard the Marietta after returning from a whale watching tour presented by Birch Aquarium and Flagship Cruises. (Eduardo Contreras / San Diego Union-Tribune)