graywhale

graywhale

Screenshot taken from drone footage by Sam Yano.

Alamitos Bay received an unlikely visitor Monday when a young gray whale was spotted near the shore.

The whale attracted crowds to the Belmont Shore area at Bayshore Avenue and Division Street, where Marine Animal Rescue personnel were hoping to coax it back to sea.

It was first spotted ocean side near the shore on Sunday swimming up and down the beach for the day, but appeared to have headed back to sea.

However, the whale showed up again Monday to bob in the bay waters near docked boats and stand-up paddle boarders.

The whale is said to be the same one that drew attention from onlookers earlier this month in Dana Point Harbor. Long Beach Marine officials told the Orange County Register the whale had apparently become separated from its mother as it made its way up the coast.

One parent was able to capture an aerial view of the gray whale through drone footage during their daughter’s class at Leeway Sailing Center.

Crews kept an eye on the whale while trying not to disturb it, but were hoping it would find its way out of the marina area and back to sea.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].