Noyo Center celebrates the return of the whales

COVID-friendly activities planned for bi-annual migration

FORT BRAGG >> March is here and we all know what that signifies for the North Coast — the Gray Whales are coming! As regular as Robins, the advent of spring brings the majestic Grays back to the Mendocino Coast as they work their way north from their breeding and calving grounds in Mexico.

Singly or in small pods, a cavalcade of whales — many of them new mothers accompanied by young calves — pass through our neighborhood en route to their summer feeding grounds off Alaska and in the Bering Sea. The sight of these extraordinary cetaceans breaching just offshore as they undertake their 12,000-mile round-trip journey is one of nature’s grand visions, and one that is readily available to any coast watcher with a little time and patience.

Normally, the North Coast lays out the red carpet for the returning whales, with whale festivals in Little River, Mendocino and Fort Bragg. Unfortunately, concerns over COVID-19 this year have forced festival organizers to postpone most of the usual in-person events, from foot races to wine tasting and chowder competitions, until 2022.

It’s enough to excite a little intra-species envy — we bipedal primates are stuck at home practicing social distancing while the mighty Grays splash and cavort just beyond reach.

But don’t despair. The folks at the Noyo Center for Marine Science in Fort Bragg have devised a range of activities throughout the month of March that both celebrate the whales and provide the intellectually curious of all ages with new and fun ways to expand their knowledge about these mysterious creatures.

First up will be a reprise of last September’s first inaugural Scavenger Hunt which had participants scouring local beaches and tide pools in search of answers to a wide range of puzzlers about our coast and its creatures. Participants loved the challenge — and also the opportunity to get outside with friends and family in a COVID-safe manner.

Looking back on the event a few days ago, Sarah Schoeneman, a coproprietor of the Brewery Gulch Inn in Mendocino and one of Sep