WHALE A BOON FOR PARK ENTRY FEES

A young gray whale that has been a daily visitor to Bodega Harbor this week

had been spotted in the harbor by mid-Thursday afternoon.

But the hundreds of people who headed to the coast hoping to see the whale

have proved a boon to the Sonoma County Regional Parks, which operates Doran

Beach County Park.

By 3 p.m. Thursday, the parks department collected about $1,400 in entry

fees, compared to the $70 or so collected on an average winter day, Ranger

Rich Crumley said.

He said about 200 visitors had bought day-use passes at the park's entry

kiosk, and perhaps twice that many had entered using annual passes.

The whale, believed to be between 1 and 2 years old, was first spotted in

the harbor Monday. On Wednesday it entered the channel near low tide and spent

hours moving slowly northward into the harbor.

Marine life experts have said the whale appears to be healthy and in no

danger -- but, with its safety in mind, have urged boaters to exercise caution

and not approach the 20-foot mammal.

-- Jeremy Hay