Pod of Pilot Whales Spotted Off Newport Beach

Whale watchers counted about 70 short-finned pilot whales five miles offshore, the first sighting of the species in Southern California waters since 2015.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Wildlife

Bold vector editorial illustration of a pod of dark whale backs and fins breaking calm blue ocean water under warm morning light. — Roughly 70 short-finned pilot whales were spotted five miles off Newport Beach on Tuesday, the first sighting of the species in Southern California waters since 2015. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Davey's Locker and Newport Landing Whale Watching reported a pod of approximately 70 short-finned pilot whales five miles offshore Newport Beach on Tuesday. Captain Erica Page was the first to spot the pod.

Why it matters

Short-finned pilot whales had not been recorded in Southern California waters since 2015, making the sighting a rare event for Newport Beach-area residents and whale watchers. The pod's presence offers a chance to observe a species that typically travels in family groups and feeds on squid.

Short-finned pilot whales grow to 22 feet and 6,000 pounds for large males, and the pod was seen five miles offshore. The sighting ends a gap of roughly a decade without documented pilot whales in Southern California waters, and the pod's ongoing movements have not been reported.

The players

Davey's Locker

Davey's Locker is a Newport Beach-based whale-watching and sportfishing operator that runs tours from Newport Harbor.

Newport Landing Whale Watching

Newport Landing Whale Watching is a charter operator based at Newport Landing that conducts whale-watching trips off the Orange County coast.

The details

Whale watchers aboard a tour vessel observed the pod while it was five miles offshore Newport Beach on Tuesday. Short-finned pilot whales feed on squid and use echolocation to locate prey, and researchers have documented them approaching killer whales, sometimes causing the orcas to retreat.

Tuesday (week of November 4, 2026): Pod of about 70 pilot whales spotted off Newport Beach.
Wednesday (November 2026): Bureau chief interviewed Rodriguez about the species.
2015: Last documented pilot whale sighting in Southern California waters.

Seasonal Patterns

The Newport Beach sighting breaks a decade-long absence of short-finned pilot whales from Southern California waters that was last recorded in 2015. It marks a return of the species to a region where local whale-watching operators have not documented it in the intervening years.

Residents and visitors can watch for pilot whales on whale-watching trips departing from Newport Harbor, where local operators have reported the sighting. Because the species is rarely seen in these waters, tour schedules may see increased interest in the coming days.

The takeaway

Short-finned pilot whales are social animals that travel in family groups and use echolocation to hunt squid, so a sighting like this one offers a rare window into their behavior. Whale watchers in Southern California should keep an eye out for the species during trips offshore.