A humpback whale stuck in Ventura Harbor off the southern California coast was able to swim back into the Pacific Ocean this weekend, authorities said.
The 35-foot-long humpback appeared to have lost its way as spectators spotted the whale swimming in circles between docks in the Ventura Isle Marina Saturday afternoon, the Los Angeles Times reported.
There was no sign of the whale on Sunday, officials told the Times. The Ventura Harbor Patrol told the newspaper that they did not think the whale was injured.
KABC-TV reported that the whale seemed agitated at the time it hit the dock a number of times and crashed into the back of a boat. Rescuers used a hydrophone that played underwater whale sounds in an attempt to guide it out of the harbor, the television station said.
In the meantime, the whale drew a large crowd at the marina as it continued to swim around the harbor.
"I think it's pretty exciting," Stacy Ortiz told KABC-TV. "I just hope he gets out safe."
Wildlife experts ended efforts Saturday evening after four hours of trying to coax the whale out, wrote the television station.
"I don't know if it's injured or if it's sick," harbormaster John Higgins told KABC-TV. "I know that earlier today when it was navigating in here under the lower tide that it was bumping into boats and there was some superficial cuts and bruises to it, but I don't know to what extent."
Some visitors posted photos and videos of the wandering humpback whale on social media.