San Francisco, California Wyland Whaling Wall 60

History of the San Francisco, CA Wyland Whaling Wall 60

-Spyhopping Gray Whale

Whaling wall 60

From its iconic location at San Francisco’s Pier 39, the image of a gray whale emerging from its ocean home for a topside look at the world has fired the imagination of millions of visitors from around the world. The behavior , known as spy-hopping, is a favorite of Wyland’s. But this mural does more than showcase a simple whale behavior. It calls attention to the gray whale’s journey across the Pacific coastline, with a subtle nod to San Francisco’s rich and abundant maritime history.
Gray whales travel between their breeding grounds, located in Baja California, and their feeding grounds, located in the Arctic. This positions San Francisco into the heart of their migration route. Indeed, at the time of the mural’s creation, the Bay Area was under fire from environmentalists who saw water pollution from the fast growing region as a threat not only to the gray whales but all life within the band. Species like the gray whales happened to be particularly vulnerable to these conditions, as well as threats from ship strikes.

Did You Know?

Commercial whaling once decimated the gray whale population, but thanks to protections placed on the species, their growth has rebounded. However, modern threats, like strikes from ships or fishing gear entanglement, are regularly present.
With over 500 species of mammals, fish, and birds, San Francisco Bay is one of the Pacific Coast’s largest estuaries. It is an important safe haven for wildlife, but also experiences heavy urban runoff, a variety of invasive species, and pollution.

Just as Wyland invites viewers through the use of his murals to consider the challenges of marine conservation in a heavily populated area, the Wyland Foundation invites millions more through its many programs and community services to discover how they can do their part for clean water and health oceans. Every educational program emphasizes the ongoing importance of ocean protection through mitigating the risks of pollution and the impact of upstream activities on downstream environments.

Pier 39-Parking Structure Entrance
Beach & Embarcadero Streets
San Francisco, California
52 Feet Long x 58 Feet High
Dedicated September 5th, 1994
By Dennis Bouey

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