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 Monday, October 29, 2007 Whale Watching Season Surfaces at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Excursions Range From Daily Cruises to Six-Day Expeditions Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San Diego December 26, 2007 - March 31, 2008Ahoy! Gray whales are on the move this winter-and you can be a part of the adventure! Celebrate the annual epic journey of gray whales with Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego. Enjoy daily local whale watching cruises featuring Scripps naturalists as well as whale watching expeditions to Baja California, Mexico. Witness the longest mammal migration in the world, when approximately 20,000 gray whales pass San Diego on their annual, 10,000-mile round-trip journey from Bering Sea feeding grounds to Baja's lagoons, where they play, rest, breed andgive birth. Come join the fun! Daily Whale Watching Cruises December 26 through March 31 Daily Tours: 9:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. or 1:30-5 p.m. Experience the gray whale migration with Birch Aquarium at Scripps and San Diego Harbor Excursion. We team up to offer three-and-a-half hour, naturalist-guided whale watching cruises every day from Dec. 26 to March 31. Enjoy stellar ocean and harbor views while Scripps naturalists search the seas east of San Diego Bay for gray whales. Naturalists share gray whale artifacts, specimens and a take-home information packet. Each guest will receive a "whale-of-a-savings" coupon with tempting discounts to San Diego harbor restaurants and attractions.  Adults (13 and up) Monday-Friday, $30 Weekends, $35 Children (4-12 with paid adult) Daily, $15 Reservations recommended! Call San Diego Harbor Excursion at 619/234-4111. Whale Watching in Baja Through Andiamo Tour Mexico Reservations & Information for all Baja tours: 800/661-1325 or www.andiamo-travel.com. Whale Watching Adventure (4 days): February 15-18 or March 13-16 Journey to the heart of gray whale birthing grounds with Scripps naturalists for a more intimate, four-day adventure with these majestic animals. Travel along the scenic desert coast of Baja California toward the famed Scammons Lagoon Sanctuary. Trip includes hotel accommodations as well as visits to pristine salt marshes, the Vizcaino Desert and cave paintings. $520 per person, double occupancy $650 per person, single occupancy Whale Watching Safari (5 days): March 5-9 or March 19-23  Whale Watching in Baja California Enjoy double the fun and encounter gray whales and their calves in two separate lagoons: San Ignacio Lagoon and the famed Scammons Lagoon Sanctuary. Journey with Scripps naturalists on this five-day excursion along the scenic desert coast of Baja, with visits to Ensenada, San Quintin, San Ignacio and Guerrero Negro. Trip includes hotel accommodations as well as visits to pristine salt marshes and cave paintings. $725 per person, double occupancy $905 per person, single occupancy Whale Watching Expedition (6 days): February 20-25 Experience the trip of a lifetime with Scripps naturalists and get personal with gray whales and their calves on this six-day trip. With visits to two separate lagoons and three chances for close encounters on guided boats, this is the adventure for any gray whale enthusiast. Memorable highlights include visits to a pristine salt marsh and cave paintings, as well as an unforgettable beach sunset. Hotel accommodations provided. $870 per person, double occupancy $1,080 per person, single occupancy For more information about whale programs and events at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, please call 858/534-7336 or visit the Whale Watching section at aquarium.ucsd.edu. # # # Note to broadcast and cable producers: University of California, San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. Please phone or e-mail the media contact listed above to arrange an interview. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. The National Research Council has ranked Scripps first in faculty quality among oceanography programs nationwide Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today in 65 countries. The institution has a staff of about 1,300, and annual expenditures of approximately $155 million from federal, state and private sources. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide exploration. |
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