About Observation Post #7 Coal Oil Point, Goleta, California, United States A Survey Site Observation Post #7 is the survey site for "Gray Whales Count," a nonprofit research and education project. Volunteers (88 of them!) survey the northbound whales using the migration "corridor" in the nearshore of the Santa Barbara Channel. Here they see whales that choose to go along the coast (which is the long way, but with some advantages). >> On the map below, find the "Gray Whales Count" survey site at Coal Oil Point. Here the mainland touches the northern extreme of the Santa Barbara Channel. Notice that the coastline on the north shore of the Santa Barbara Channel (site of Gray Whales Count) runs east and west towards Point Conception. This point is where northbound whales turn right and swim north. The Channel Islands are: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands. Coal Oil Point, California (34.40N, -119.69W)