The two massive gray whales rolled around, spinning as they embraced just off the Dana Point Headlands.

They didn’t seem to notice, or even care, that the pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins was joining the party.

“It was really cool. They didn’t care about the boat, or the dolphins,” said Dana Wharf Whale Watching captain Frank Brennan. “They just let down their guard.”

It’s not the first time Brennan has seen dolphins hanging around and frolicking with whales, a treat for passengers when they hang out in the same area together.

“I’ll be with the whales and see the dolphins and say (to passengers) ‘if these guys come together, you’re in for a treat,'” Brennan said. “They goof off together, they are like distant cousins. If they do, we always get fun behavior like that.”

Dolphins roll around a Grey whale off the coast of Dana Point on Saturday, March 24. The images were captured by Capt. Frank Brennan via a drone. (Courtesy of Dana Wharf)

Dolphins roll around a Grey whale off the coast of Dana Point on Saturday, March 24. The images were captured by Capt. Frank Brennan via a drone. (Courtesy of Dana Wharf)

Sound The gallery will resume in seconds

Dolphins roll around a Grey whale off the coast of Dana Point on Saturday, March 24. The images were captured by Capt. Frank Brennan via a drone. (Courtesy of Dana Wharf)



This particular encounter last Saturday showed the dolphins playing near the heads of the whales as they rolled around in about 100 feet of water.

Brennan said at the end of April into late May, many gray whale mothers are passing by with their calves on their northbound migration. It’s not uncommon for them to come close to shore into shallow coves or near the coast like they did in Seal Beach earlier this week.

Gray whales are on the longest migration of any mammal on Earth. They spend winters in the warm waters of Mexico before returning to Alaska, passing Orange County along the way.