Southbound traffic on the gray whale migratory route off the Oregon Coast already is heavy and expected to reach its usual peak between Christmas and New Year's Day.

According to Morris Grover of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department's whale watching center at Depoe Bay, counts of whale sightings have been running at record levels off the central Oregon Coast.

Weather permitting, he expects those counts to rise beginning Dec. 26 when volunteers trained to watch take their posts at 26 Oregon Whale Watching Spoken Here sites during winter whale watch week, according to a press release.

Help from the volunteers will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day until Jan. 2, 2007.

On the South Coast, there are eight such locations, spanning from Winchester Bay to Brookings.

The lone Douglas County station is at the Umpqua Lighthouse.

In Coos County, volunteers will be posted at Shore Acres State Park and Face Rock Wayside State Scenic Viewpoint. The Curry County sites include Cape Blanco Lighthouse, Battle Rock Wayfinding Point, Cape Sebastian, Cape Ferrelo and Harris Beach State Park.

For more information about “Whale Watching Spoken Here” sites, exhibits and related products and services, those interested can visit the Web site at www.whalespoken.org.