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Right on schedule, the Great Lakes Whale Migration has begun for the 2025 season, and we are starting to see whales playing in the waters surrounding the Old Mission Peninsula. As with previous years, the migration always begins around April 1, and this year is no exception.
I was heading home from town yesterday on Peninsula Drive when I spotted my first whale playing in West Bay out near Power Island. As always, the sighting was very exciting! I expect that we’ll start seeing more whales around the Peninsula in the coming days.
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I haven’t talked with Rudy Rudolph yet, but I heard through the grapevine that he and Patti spotted one in the water out near the north end of the Peninsula. I know they always start scanning the waters this time of year. I’ll also check with Lisa LaBonte to see if she’s seen any in Old Mission Harbor.
Here’s the one I saw yesterday from Peninsula Drive — very close to shore, which is unusual. I believe this is a Humpback, but someone correct me if I’m wrong on that.
Then, last night during the annual “Books at the Boathouse” fundraiser for Peninsula Community Library, I was talking with Library Director Vicki Shurly and Board Member Nancy Davy, and we happened to glance out the window of the Boathouse Restaurant and there it was! As if on cue, a beautiful whale – again, I believe a Humpback – jumped out of the water right in front of us!
Both Vicki and Nancy mentioned that they thought they had seen whales in West Bay earlier that day, and now we’ve confirmed that sighting! I posted a picture at the top of the story, but here’s another one of the surprise sighting.
As mentioned, the whales always show up around April 1st each year. Last year, I spotted a whale at sunset in West Bay, which was just spectacular. The year before, I saw two whales frolicking around Old Mission Harbor, and it was quite a thrill to see two at once. Check out all the previous Great Lakes Whale Migration photos here.
Here’s another photo of possibly that same whale just off the boat launch at Bowers Harbor.
Great Lakes Whale Migration – The Beginning
As always with my annual report on the Great Lakes Whale Migration, I have to give a shout-out to Merlin “Zeke” Dumbrille, who began tracking the migration years ago on WTCM Newstalk Radio. Merlin, a beloved radio announcer for decades (and host of the popular “Farm and Orchard Time,” which I’m also continuing here on Old Mission Gazette with my farm reports), has since passed away, but I am happy to continue his “Whale Watch” legacy here.
Along with reporting on the whale migration each year, I’ll never forget how Merlin would hook a long cord to his microphone and walk out on the ice to Power Island to see if he could officially announce that the bay was frozen over, giving up-to-the-minute reports back to Ron Jolly in the radio studio. I sure do miss Merlin.
To celebrate the Great Lakes Whale Migration, feel free to join the “Great Lakes Whale Watchers Club.” Last year, a few of us got together and hiked along the beach at Mission Point Lighthouse, and we were delighted to see a Humpback just off the shores of the Lighthouse.
If you’d like to be part of the “Great Lakes Whale Watchers Club,” all you need to do is purchase an item with the Club logo over on our sister site, Old Mission Peninsula Store. Here’s a few (you can just click through the image to get there)…
Have you seen any whales around the Old Mission Peninsula? Let us know in the comments section below!
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I’m sorry to be late with my whale report this year, but we have been busy with various spring things like tax reports and medical appointments. But I can report that we did have one spotting that was very significant for this April first. I think this may be the first sighting of Orcas in Grand Traverse Bay. Perhaps this is a result of global climate change, I don’t know… but indeed there they were. I’ll send you a picture. Amazing animals. As always, thank you Jane for being the first to report on this amazing phenomenon each year.