Every spring, California gray whales migrate north along the coast, traveling from warm lagoons in the Sea of Cortez, where they give birth and spend the coldest months of winter, back to the arctic, where they spend the summer. Mothers with calves often travel close to shore on the northern migration. Point Dume and Westward Beach are ideal places to catch a glimpse of these giant marine mammals. Topanga resident Steven Nightser took these amazing photos of a mother gray whale and her calf, passing right by California State Parks Point Dume Natural Preserve.