Top 10 coastal wildlife hot spots

[imbues]

I've been to a couple of these locations, the ones in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. I enjoy hiking and environmental tours. Has anyone been to these other locations?



Top 10 coastal wildlife hot spots
HighlightsDepoe Bay, Oregon, welcomes roughly 18,000 gray whales en route to Alaska
Florida's Big Pine Key is the only place in the world to see Key deer
To see black bears and grizzlies, head to Knight Inlet, British Columbia

By Allen B. Bunting

(Coastal Living) -- From butterflies to grizzly bears, we know where the wild things are.

Stingray City, Grand Cayman

The clear, shallow water of Grand Cayman's North Sound teems with southern stingrays. They began to congregate here because it's where fishermen cleaned their catch. Now, they come for handouts from tourists. Ebanks Watersports (345/925-5273) offers trips to visit the sandbar, where passengers can touch, feed and snorkel among these gentle swimmers. For more info, visit gocayman.ky.

Depoe Bay, Oregon

From now until June, Oregon's "whale-watching capital" welcomes roughly 18,000 gray whales en route to Alaska. Visit the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay to learn the best spots to view the grays. (Insider's tip: Northbound whales, which migrate now, swim closer to shore than southbound winter travelers.) Spring Whale Watch Week, when center volunteers will be stationed along the coast to provide viewing tips and facts, starts March 22. Or, for an up-close glimpse, hop aboard a Tradewinds Charters tour (800/445-8730). For more info, visit whalespoken.org.

Assateague Island National Seashore, Virginia and Maryland

During spring and fall, this area's famed wild horses spend much of their time grazing the Virginia and Maryland coastlines. The best way to see the privately owned Virginia herd is aboard the Pony Express Nature Tour cruise. Captain Mark Coulbourne knows where the horses hang out (tours run May through October, 866/766-9794). On land, hike or bike the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge's 1 1/2-mile Woodland Trail to an observation platform overlooking the ponies' habitat. For more info, visit nps.gov/asis.

Big Pine Key, Florida

This is the only place in the world to see the pint-size Key deer. A subspecies of Virginia white-tailed deer, they stand just 30 inches tall at the shoulder. Go to the National Key Deer Refuge in the early morning or at dusk for the best viewing -- you may spot a newborn during the April-to-May fawning season. Stop at the visitor center before heading to an observation platform, or hike trails to see the deer. For more info, visit fws.gov/nationalkeydeer/.

Maui, Hawaii

Many green sea turtles (or honu) that gather off Maui's shores eventually make their way to Maluaka Beach, also known as Turtle Town. To view the sea turtles in their natural habitat, grab your snorkel or scuba gear. Maui Eco Tours' Seafari claims an average of 15 turtle sightings per snorkel trip (866/891-2223). Sign up with Tropical Divers Maui for an introductory lesson with a guided dive (800/994-6284). The Turtle Lagoon at the Maui Ocean Center offers a chance to see the reptiles and stay dry.

Stonington Peninsula, Michigan

During August and September, thousands of monarch butterflies swarm Michigan's Stonington Peninsula on their long southern migration. You're likely to find many at Peninsula Point, a resting spot on the Upper Peninsula. Visitors can climb the 40-foot lighthouse for a bird's-eye view of the butterflies' journey across Lake Michigan, or observe them resting in the surrounding cedar trees. Pack a picnic, and don't forget a camera. For more information, call 800/533-4386 or visit travelbaysdenoc.com.

Delaware Bay, Delaware

Head here to visit one of the world's largest spawning grounds for horseshoe crabs. These crustaceans are protected at five community-based sanctuaries --Broadkill Beach, Slaughter Beach, Fowler Beach, Pickering Beach and Kitts Hummock, all accessible to the public. There are also plans for a horseshoe-crab museum and research center in Milton (the only other museum of this kind is in Japan). You can help save the crab: If you see one turned on its back, "just flip 'em." For more information, visit horseshoecrab.org.

Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico

Often called bio bay, this is one of the best places in the world to experience bioluminescence, a natural glow produced by living organisms. You can observe the glowing dinoflagellates (a type of microscopic algae) throughout the year, but the best time to visit is during a new moon when the night sky is darkest. Blue Caribe Kayaks in Esperanza leads educational expeditions and invites you to swim among the "stardust" (787/741-2522/; reservations are highly recommended).

San Simeon, California

Winter is a great time to observe one of California's largest resident populations of elephant seals. Visit Friends of the Elephant Seal's Web site to learn about these funny-looking marine mammals and to get recommendations for the best places to find them. One top viewing spot: the Piedras Blancas rookery just north of San Simeon, where on-site docents will answer questions. For more information, call 805/924-1628 or visit elephantseal.org.

Knight Inlet, British Columbia

To see black bears and grizzlies, head to Knight Inlet, northwest of Vancouver. The Knight Inlet Lodge, open June through mid-October, offers three-, four- and five-day packages. A boat takes guests to a channel brimming with salmon and to other areas the bears frequent. For more information, call 877/764-4286 or visit knightinletlodge.com.

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Copyright Coastal Living, 2007

[bonniejoy03]

Assagateague is wonderful! It is a close drive from Ocean City MD. Horses are wild there! They have different activites throughout the year. One time during the year, the round up the horses and "tame" a few. Another time of year, with advance reservations, you can stay there with your own horse! What a cool getaway on the East coast!

[uptown girl]

We have a beach cottage in Seaside, Oregon where we spend lots of time during the year, Depoe Bay is such a cool little coastal town, very scenic. You can also view the whales at Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach, there are several trails to walk around for this, we always keep a pair of binoculars in our car with us when we visit during the migration, we will be back on the Oregon Coast in a few days, I hope we spot some whales, they are amazing to see!

[disneygal]

I've been to Big PIne Key, in search of the little deer. We did spot a couple - so cute! It's worth a side trip if you're in the keys.

[thepiranha]

Imbues,

I live in Eugene, Oregon, which is inland from Depoe Bay. While it is true that a large number of gray whales swim north along the Oregon coast to get to Alaska, weather conditions at this time of year can be pretty harsh. I've stopped at several turnouts along the coast and, with binoculars in hand, braced myself against the battering winds in hope of spotting some of these large creatures. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to find whales because it can be very foggy along the coast, rendering visibility almost impossible, and standing in the cold, wet, windy weather can be extremely uncomfortable. In addition to whales, the Oregon coast is home to a large number of sea lions. Not far from Depoe Bay is the Sea Lion Caves, where you can take an elevator down into a huge cave that contains hundreds or even thousands of these huge animals. Just be prepared for their incessant barking.

On the other hand, ecotourism on Maui is a very pleasant experience. I lived on Maui for three and a half years and I highly recommend taking a whale-watching trip out of Lahaina. My favorite operator is the Pacific Whale Foundation, a non-profit agency that uses its funds to protect these beautiful creatures. On one whale-watching trip, I was standing at the bow of the boat with my young daughter when all of a sudden a young whale swam under the boat and surfaced right in front of us. It was an amazing experience. If you go to Maui, make sure that you take a trip to Molokini, a crescent shaped atoll located several miles from the coast. It's a marine sanctuary and you will be amazed at the many turtles and beautiful fish that you will see. It's a great snorkeling destination because the atoll protects snorkelers from waves.

Aloha!

[omegaet]

disneygal....we used to own two side-by-side building lots on Big Pine Key (should have waited a few more years before selling them) and saw Key Deer almost everythime we visited. Unfortunately, everyone doesn't seem to get warm and fuzzy feelings about Key Deer http://search.miaminewtimes.com/2008-01-31/news/bambi-bump-off/. The same type of stories pop up from time to time. Residents do the best the can to protect the little guys. They are timid little creatures, but not that difficult to approach, if some time is taken....some people just seem toget their kicks in strange anddistortedways!

[matthewlawrence26]

i've been to maui hawaii, wow i guess i really haven't visited much huh. maybe i will try to visit all those beautiful places you mentioned. i don't want to miss out on something beautiful.maybe I will plan on going on those places after my trip to Europe. Thanks!

[kyshel]

Bioluminescent Bay, Vieques Island, Puerto Rico is fabulous! Picture Esther Williams swimming in glitter! When you towel-off, your skin sparkles and glows!

[imbues]

Thank you for the replies everyone. I hope to get to all of these wild preserves eventually.