Not-so-distant whales

For decades now, “Western Pride” boat Capt. Bob Ezell has kept the same routine for his whale-watching expeditions.

Start up the engine, slowly pull away from the dock, steer to the ocean, list the safety rules few will listen to. He heads out to sea, eyes peeled looking for whales, dolphins, seals. He’s seen them all before; his passengers haven’t.

The radio cackles with other voices, other captains on the same mission: show these ocean tourists a slice of the sea’s wildlife. Three boats pulled away from the dock Thursday morning. “Western Pride” was packed with nearly 100 fourth-graders from Star View Elementary School in Midway City with their parents.

For Ezell, it was a good day — nothing more. He’s done whale watching for 20 years, on top of two more decades of other work on boats. Families that rushed onto “Western Pride,” seemed thrilled with just being on the waterDavey’s Locker Whale Watching was something they’ll never forget.

Dolphin fins broke the water’s surface less than a mile off the coast, and Ezell was the first to see them. Before long, countless little bodies scrambled to the bow, or front of the boat to see. A school of Common Dolphins, about six strong, swam close enough to see under the water. Off the port (left) side, kids pointed to jellyfish near the surface while parents held chunks of bread in the air. The sea gulls, gliding on pace only feet above the boat, dove down to grab the bread from their hands.

“Hello, Mr. seal! Follow us!” one girl yelled, as it leaped in and out of the water past Western Pride. The ocean tourists weren’t even halfway into the nearly three-hour expedition.

A lull in the action below the surface was offset by the escorting sea gulls, who knew kids plus popcorn equals food. Soon there was an announcement: “We see a couple of them.”

Western Pride’s engine roared and headed southeast toward Dana Point, never getting much more than a couple miles from the shore, where the gray whales like to stay.

The three boats formed a vast triangle hundreds of yards apart from each other, trying to give all of their audiences a good show with the whales between them.

Soon enough kids and parents serenaded the captain with “oohs” and “ahhs” as plumes of water spouted from the surface and tails descended in the water.

When the whole tail comes out of the water and goes straight down, its “deep diving,” Ezell said. They can stay under for up to four minutes, he said. While the kids screamed with glee, Ezell never stopped his narration. The man is like a human National Geographic documentary, one of the employees said. He educated kids on the dolphins and whale species, what they look like, and which ones come to local waters and why.

On the return voyage, kids were sprawled across the deck exhausted. Some were awake enough to reflect on the trip.

“I did not think I would actually see a baby dolphin,” said 10-year-old Max Duque. “I was amazed. That was the first time I’ve ever seen one.”

“I liked feeding the sea gulls with my hands,” said 9-year-old Thomas Vu. The whales’ reclusive nature didn’t seem to dampen spirits because of everything in between.

“We had a great time, it couldn’t have been a better time to go out,” parent Dean Stanec said.

Ezell may have been reserved in his own excitement, but he understands how special it is for families.

“Back when I was in school if we wanted to see whales we had to go to the Museum of Natural History in L.A.,” he said. “This gives kids a chance to experience something they may never get a chance to — and they’re not in school,” he said, chuckling.

Whale watching is only available for about three and a half months of the year, with two trips on weekdays and three on weekends. Whale watchers are given a free pass for another trip if they don’t see any whales or dolphins on their trip.

And though the migration is reportedly lighter this year, Davey’s Locker manager Norris Tapp said that means the small migration window will only be busier.

For a photo gallery of the whale-watching trip, click here.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.