A baby grey whale was spotted cavorting at the main channel entrance to Marina del Rey on Sunday, but swam away before the coast guard had to start warning nearby vessels.
A boater spotted the whale about 2:30 p.m. and said the marine animal looked confused, said Lt. Colby Schlaht of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Within a few minutes of the sighting, however, the baby whale found its way and left the harbor, Schlaht said.
The sighting was a rare occurrence and would typically warrant a warning message to be sent over the airways to nearby vessels to stay clear, he said.