The Pacific Northwest is a hotbed of outdoor culture. While ski bums and vanlifers are chasing Instagram shots, Erik Urdahl, founder of The Spout, is chasing whales.
The small coastal town of Depoe Bay is known as the whale watching capital of Oregon. Every year, travel organizations send out emails and social media blasts celebrating the start of whale watching season. The truth is that you can find whales along Oregon’s coast all year long. You just have to know where to look.
There are plenty of scientifically grounded organizations in the Northwest who are working to protect and promote whales but The Spout takes a different approach – an emotional connection.
The Spout is an Oregon based non-profit that’s dedicated to connecting people to whales. Erik has witnessed the overwhelming emotional response whale watchers experience when they’re up close and personal with gray whales.
As we turn the corner on spring and head into summer, I sat down with Erik for five questions about The Spout, whale watching, and where to find whales.