‘TIS THE SEASON: Just as the swallows...

‘TIS THE SEASON: Just as the swallows can be counted on for a timely landing in Capistrano, you can expect whale season to open between Christmas and New Year’s. A couple of great grays have already been spotted off the Orange County coast en route to Baja California, says Julie Smith of the Dana Point Marine Institute. . . . “The pregnant whales usually come first,” she says. “But we’ll see a lot more soon. Whale watching is quite an adventure, if you haven’t tried it. You’ll spot dolphins too.”