Curious on-lookers were given an up close and personal view of a 30 foot California Gray whale that appeared to be trapped in San Diego Bay Tuesday.
Boaters first reported seeing the whale very close to shore around 1 p.m. Tuesday.
The Coast Guard got a report that the whale left the bay around midnight Tuesday, but as of 8:30 Wednesday morning, the whale is still in the bay.
The San Diego Harbor Patrol were out on the bay all night, trying to herd the whale back out to sea.
Experts say the whale is likely one or two years old and hasn't been on its own for very long.
"We are both lucky to see this whale and sad because he is not in a spot where he belongs," said Al Sorkin, with the San Diego Maritime Museum.
While it was exciting for boaters to see a whale so close, but this sighting was different. Whales that stray too far into shallow waters could beach themselves and die. There's also the threat of the whale being hit by a boat.
