Megapod!
Gray whales usually travel in small groups of two to three. Groups as large as 18 have been seen, but it's a rare sight. Imagine the excitement when at least 23 gray whales cruised past trained whale watchers at ACS/Los Angeles. These whales swam about 75 miles in 18 hours! How do we know? Fluke photos taken by scientist Alisa Schulman-Janiger confirm that many in the gray whale megapod on January 20, 2014, matched gray whales seen in the San Diego megapod the next day. This epic migration brings surprises every year!

Image: Natalie Massey