SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - The San Diego Harbor Police Department confirmed to News 8 that there was a whale sighting in San Diego Bay Monday, after photos surfaced on social media.
Captain Rick Scott of the Ocean Odyssey captured images of the whale that were then posted on the San Diego Floating Lab's Facebook page. The photos were taken off Shelter Island in front of America's Cup Harbor.
The Coast Guard and Harbor Police put out a warning for mariners to remain on alert for the whale.
There are strict federal laws protecting whales from harassment, but boaters can stop and observe the beautiful creatures from an appropriate distance.
National Marine Fisheries Service data indicates the whale might be among the first leaving breeding grounds in Mexico and making the 5,000-mile trek back to the summer feeding grounds in the Arctic.