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Overview: The Dana Point Marine Life Refuge is an intertidal habitat filled with an amazing variety of marine life. The refuge extends from Strands Beach all the way to Dana Point Harbor. Visitors can walk along the rocky beach, explore sea caves, study ancient earthquake faults and discover an abundant amount of sea life at the public tidepool exhibit. The refuge is a perfect family outing, where children and can learn how to respect the ocean habitat and all the creatures that depend on it for life. At low tide, visitors to the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge can observe sea anemones, star fish, octopus, shell fish and more. You might even be able to see dolphins farther out past the break lines. Visitors are asked to treat the sea life gently. This means never picking up or stepping on live animals and plants. You can access the refuge by parking at the Ocean Institute and following the paved path to the beach shore. The "upper refuge" has an interpretive center and parking for about 15 vehicles. Exploring the Marine Life Refuge is sure to work up an appetite. Dana Point includes many great restaurants as well as boutique shopping. Check out the Triplog. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your hike to support this local community.
One-Way Notice This hike is listed as One-Way. When hiking several trails on a single "hike", log it with a generic name that describes the hike. Then link the trails traveled, check out the example. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.
Most recent Triplog Review
Dana Point Marine Life Refuge
Dana Point Whale Watching Trek - Feb2013
Dana Point CA Whale Watching Feb2013
Dana Point CA makes the claim of being "the whale watching capital of the west" (check out => http://www.danawharf.com/whalewatch.html ) and plays host to an annual "Festival of Whales" the first two weekends of March => http://festivalofwhales.com/ . For my wife's birthday present, we decided to select a 4-day weekend and cash in a bunch of my Marriott Rewards points to go whale watching...
Friday 2/1 - Arrived at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort (check out => http://www.lagunacliffs.com/photo_gallery/index.asp ) just before 3pm, beating the dreaded L.A. rush hour traffic. After checking into room 3031, Lynn and I had time to explore Dana Point Harbour (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12299 ), Lantern Bay Park (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17553 ) and the sun setting into the Pacific Ocean as viewed from Doheny State Beach (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12386 ). 5.06 miles logged on iPhone Trimble Outdoors Navigator app.
Saturday 2/2 - We booked a mid-day whale watching tour aboard the Dana Pride (check out => http://www.zerve.com/DanaWharf/OceanAdv and http://www.newportwhales.com/Dana_Point ... ching.html ). With the early morning tour unloading at the Dana Harbour Wharf after having registered a big goose egg for whale sightings, Lynn and I boarded the 95 foot vessel with fingers crossed. I remembered my Thursday fortune cookie from P.F.Chang's indicating; "Nature has a gift for you", while staring at a couple of seagulls passing overhead. First destination for the Dana Pride was a large marker buoy laden with about a dozen sea lions. The boat headed north towards Laguna Beach when a radio call indicated there's been a whale sighting near the marker buoy we just left behind. A quick 180 and a full throttle burst back to the marker buoy to capture our first whale sighting - a lazy baleen whale sticking its nose up with some blow-hole action - thought to be a gray whale. With our ship captain getting annoyed at the gathering of boats positioning themselves illegally in the oncoming path of a migrating whale, he moves on towards the mouth of Dana Point Harbour where he thought he saw a "whale footprint". We are soon rewarded with a gray whale putting on a show with multiple breaches (apparently a rare maneuver for a gray whale, but common for humpback whales). I know I captured some images of the breaches - hope something turns out! 3.82 miles logged on iPhone Trimble Outdoors Navigator app.
Sunday 2/3 - Morning plans to check out the Ocean Institute (check out => http://www.ocean-institute.org/ and http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17552 ) and afternoon plans to check out the San Juan Capistrano Mission (check out => http://www.missionsjc.com/ and http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17551 ). The trails from the Ocean Institute take you to some interesting tide pools near the Laguna Cliffs and Dana Point Marine Life Refuge. Took in some stellar views from the top of the bluff at the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge walking trails. We also checked out Heritage Park (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12864 ) and nearby Bluff Top Trail (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12298 ) on the walk back to the Laguna Cliffs Resort. 11.64 miles logged on iPhone Trimble Outdoors Navigator app. Sat back at the Laguna Cliffs Resort taking in the sunset, looking out on the water for whales, and downing a couple of Sam Adams while listening to the Super Bowl in the background...
Monday 2/4 - Morning plans for one last tour around Lantern Bay Park (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17553 ) and Doheny State Beach (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12386 ). 5.55 miles logged on the iPhone app before checking out of the Laguna Cliffs Resort. Also a San Juan Capistrano Mission (check out => http://www.missionsjc.com/ and http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17551 ) redux prior to hitting the road mid-day for the trek back to Phoenix via CA78 through the Anza Borrego (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=1304 ) and the Salton Sea (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=16583 ).
Excellent time by the sea! Surprised by the 4-day weekend mileage at 26.07 miles logged (5.06+3.82+11.64+5.55). Photos (360 images to sort through - yikes!) to be posted when I get the chance...
Dana Point CA makes the claim of being "the whale watching capital of the west" (check out => http://www.danawharf.com/whalewatch.html ) and plays host to an annual "Festival of Whales" the first two weekends of March => http://festivalofwhales.com/ . For my wife's birthday present, we decided to select a 4-day weekend and cash in a bunch of my Marriott Rewards points to go whale watching...
Friday 2/1 - Arrived at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort (check out => http://www.lagunacliffs.com/photo_gallery/index.asp ) just before 3pm, beating the dreaded L.A. rush hour traffic. After checking into room 3031, Lynn and I had time to explore Dana Point Harbour (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12299 ), Lantern Bay Park (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17553 ) and the sun setting into the Pacific Ocean as viewed from Doheny State Beach (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12386 ). 5.06 miles logged on iPhone Trimble Outdoors Navigator app.
Saturday 2/2 - We booked a mid-day whale watching tour aboard the Dana Pride (check out => http://www.zerve.com/DanaWharf/OceanAdv and http://www.newportwhales.com/Dana_Point ... ching.html ). With the early morning tour unloading at the Dana Harbour Wharf after having registered a big goose egg for whale sightings, Lynn and I boarded the 95 foot vessel with fingers crossed. I remembered my Thursday fortune cookie from P.F.Chang's indicating; "Nature has a gift for you", while staring at a couple of seagulls passing overhead. First destination for the Dana Pride was a large marker buoy laden with about a dozen sea lions. The boat headed north towards Laguna Beach when a radio call indicated there's been a whale sighting near the marker buoy we just left behind. A quick 180 and a full throttle burst back to the marker buoy to capture our first whale sighting - a lazy baleen whale sticking its nose up with some blow-hole action - thought to be a gray whale. With our ship captain getting annoyed at the gathering of boats positioning themselves illegally in the oncoming path of a migrating whale, he moves on towards the mouth of Dana Point Harbour where he thought he saw a "whale footprint". We are soon rewarded with a gray whale putting on a show with multiple breaches (apparently a rare maneuver for a gray whale, but common for humpback whales). I know I captured some images of the breaches - hope something turns out! 3.82 miles logged on iPhone Trimble Outdoors Navigator app.
Sunday 2/3 - Morning plans to check out the Ocean Institute (check out => http://www.ocean-institute.org/ and http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17552 ) and afternoon plans to check out the San Juan Capistrano Mission (check out => http://www.missionsjc.com/ and http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17551 ). The trails from the Ocean Institute take you to some interesting tide pools near the Laguna Cliffs and Dana Point Marine Life Refuge. Took in some stellar views from the top of the bluff at the Dana Point Marine Life Refuge walking trails. We also checked out Heritage Park (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12864 ) and nearby Bluff Top Trail (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12298 ) on the walk back to the Laguna Cliffs Resort. 11.64 miles logged on iPhone Trimble Outdoors Navigator app. Sat back at the Laguna Cliffs Resort taking in the sunset, looking out on the water for whales, and downing a couple of Sam Adams while listening to the Super Bowl in the background...
Monday 2/4 - Morning plans for one last tour around Lantern Bay Park (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17553 ) and Doheny State Beach (check out => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=12386 ). 5.55 miles logged on the iPhone app before checking out of the Laguna Cliffs Resort. Also a San Juan Capistrano Mission (check out => http://www.missionsjc.com/ and http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=17551 ) redux prior to hitting the road mid-day for the trek back to Phoenix via CA78 through the Anza Borrego (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=1304 ) and the Salton Sea (see => http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=16583 ).
Excellent time by the sea! Surprised by the 4-day weekend mileage at 26.07 miles logged (5.06+3.82+11.64+5.55). Photos (360 images to sort through - yikes!) to be posted when I get the chance...
2013-02-01 Randal_Schulhauser
