During Fort Bragg’s 30th Annual Whale Festival (March 17 and 18) the town will welcome hundreds of visitors excited to catch a glimpse of some of the 20,000 gray whales migrating north from birthing grounds in Mexico to their winter home in Alaska.

To help us all understand these wonderful creatures a little better, over the next few weeks we’re offering a few choice facts, courtesy of the American Cetacean Society.

What they look like:

Physical Description: Gray whales have a streamlined body, with a narrow, tapered head. The upper jaw is arched in profile, and slightly overlaps the lower jaw.

Color: The gray whale received its name from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Newborn calves are dark gray to black, although some may have distinctive white markings.

Fins and Fluke: The gray whale has no dorsal (top) fin. About 2/3 of the way back on its body is a prominent dorsal hump followed by a series of 6-12 knuckles along the dorsal ridge that extend to the flukes (tail lobes). Its flippers are paddle shaped and pointed at the tips. Its fluke is about 10-12 feet (3.7 m) across, pointed at the tips, and deeply notched in the center. More to come ….