Whale of a Detour

Updated 8:18 AM PST, Tue, Jun 9, 2009

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A 20-foot California gray whale supposed to be on its way to Northern Alaska from Baja California has made a detour inside the harbor at Marina del Rey, where it was again observed Monday.

   The whale has been leisurely playing and diving in the channel for about a week, Peter Wallerstein of Marine Animal Rescue, told the Los Angeles Times.

The whale has gone into the Pacific Ocean in recent days, but keeps returning to the channel, Wallerstein said.

The whale is about half as long as gray whales can get, and is "probably a straggler," Wallerstein said.

"Some just take a hair little longer (to migrate) than others," Wallerstein told The Times.

Whales often like shallow waters because they can rub the barnacles off their bellies and feed on small crustaceans on the bottom.

Another gray whale became sidetracked into the marina 11 years ago, and was eventually coaxed out to sea.

Wallerstein said his organization like to use this method because the best approach is to let the whale follow its natural instincts of exploring, resting and eating.

Blanca Wilterdinke told The Times her husband used a pair of binoculars to watch the whale playfully swimming around the breakwater.

"It was such a beauty," Wilterdinke said.

Boaters were urged to proceed with caution.