Rare Sperm Whales Spotted Off Coast Of Oceanside

OCEANSIDE, CA — Whale watchers aboard an Oceanside Adventures boat witnessed a rare sight this week off the coast of San Diego County.

The lucky sightseers aboard the vessel Nala spotted two sperm whales about 1 p.m. Sunday roughly 5.5 miles off the coast of Oceanside, according to the whale watching company. Drone operator Mark Newman, aboard the boat with Captain Shane Hansen and his crew, recorded the rare sighting, calling it "a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

Hansen described spotting the "distant blow" of these rare whales as "like finding a needle in a haystack."

A spokesperson for Oceanside Adventures told Patch that the occasion marked a historic first for the whale watching company in 10 years.

"It was truly remarkable to see these whales on a two-hour trip," she said.

The sighting of sperm whales in this area is considered extremely rare.

Sperm whales prefer deep waters, where they hunt for their primary food source: deep-sea squid. The animals typically dive for food as deep as 3,280 feet and can stay submerged for up to 90 minutes.

Due to the extended duration of the noon trip, Oceanside Adventures dispatched its smaller Catamaran at 2:30 p.m. to allow for more whale watchers to witness the special encounter.