What to Know
- 'Meet the Grunion' at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
- The San Pedro oceanic institution will offer special nighttime programs on select spring evenings; a beach visit, to potentially view grunion, is part of the event
- The first Meet the Grunion event of 2024 is on April 10 and a ticket is $7; the 2024 grunion runs begin on March 10, per the California Department of Fish & Wildlife
Something that can glitter, or at least shine, when the light is just right, is on our minds as March enters its second week.
It's something that also on the smaller side and has a way of prompting gasps, or at least appreciative murmurs, among onlookers. And synonymous with a beautiful California night, this glittery icon definitely is.
We're not talking about Oscar statuettes, though the Academy Awards ceremony is a springtime tradition that has plenty of shine and California cred; rather, it is the grunion to which we are paying playful tribute.
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The tiny silversides fish is a wonder in many ways, but fish fans know the ocean denizen for the spawning location it so predictably and amazingly, to we landlubbers, chooses: the beach.
Nope, spying a fish busily engaging in fish-focused activities while on land isn't a common occurrence, but if you time it right — the moon plays a starring role here — and you have a calendar handy, and a map, too, you may be able to call upon a stretch of California sand that's full of silvery small critters busily spawning.
To help us understand this ancient act, and to, just possibly, behold it as it happens, there is the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium team.
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The San Pedro-based institution's popular Meet the Grunion events pop up on select spring nights, all to give visitors a deeper understanding of the grunion.
Following the educational talk, a stroll to the nearby beach takes place where the incredible rite may, if conditions are right, be viewed.
A ticket is $7, but if you're a Cabrillo Marine Aquarium member? Your admission is free (but do secure it in advance at the aquarium's site).
There are five Meet the Grunion nights on the 2024 roster, with a special celebration on June 8: A festive Fishtival, a gathering held in honor of aquarium members.
Keep in mind that the grunion are famously late-nighters so you won't head down to the surf early in the evening; 10 or 11 p.m. are the more common times. But the Meet the Grunion program begins earlier, at 9 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending, so do check your ticket and details before attending.
The first grunion night of the 2024 season is March 10, per the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, though, again, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium's programs begin later in April.
For all of the grunion runs coming up, and lots of fabulous grunion facts, visit the department's grunion HQ now.
