Humpback whale spotted swimming around Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KGO) — A 30-foot juvenile humpback whale has made Pillar Point Harbor its home for the past day or so. The opportunity to see a whale so close has brought people from across the region.

‘Tis the season for whale watching, Half Moon Bay is always a great place to see these gentle giants but usually from much farther.

Onlookers from across the Bay Area enjoyed an up close and personal experience with a humpback whale in the harbor.

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“I’ve been here for 20 years and this is the first time I’ve seen a whale in the harbor,” Half Moon Bay Resident Daniel Ross said. “It’s pretty neat. It reminds me of Humphrey the Humpback over in the Delta.”

“It’s unbelievable,” San Jose Resident Javier Cruz said. “I wish somebody could help it because it’s stranded here. They’re supposed to be back in the ocean, not in here.”

Thankfully, experts say the juvenile 30-foot humpback whale is not stranded, it worked it’s way into the harbor Thursday morning from the ocean nearby the historic Mavericks surf spot.

San Mateo County Harbor District General Manager Jim Pruett says it’s just enjoying an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet.

“I think he’s enjoying the harbor and enjoying all the bait fish that’s within the harbor itself,” Pruett said. “They feed on bait fish, minnows, and there’s a lot of bait off the coast right now. You can see that with the tuna coming within 20 miles of shore, the stripers are running and the birds are working.”

Since the whale is just enjoying a fish-feeding frenzy, the harbor district has been instructed by the Marine Mammal Center to let it be and allow it to return to the ocean on its own.

There’s a similar message for people interested in seeing the whale for themselves: respect the wildlife.

“We don’t want to create additional stress,” The Marine Mammal Center’s Kathi George said. “People, boat noises, even our voices carry across the water. We want this whale to be comfortable and be able to navigate its way out of the harbor.”

The Marine Mammal Center says the Pacifica Pier, Linda Mar Beach and Muscle Rock are great places to see whales right now as well without creating issues for the one at Pillar Point – who will hopefully safely return home soon.