Wayward whale continues to draw spectators to Long Beach's Rainbow Harbor

A whale has drawn crowds to Long Beach's Rainbow Harbor. 

The whale is approximately 20 to 25 feet long and is believed to be in its teens. It appears to be in good health, and experts think it is just passing through.

The whale is believed to have arrived earlier in the week during high tide. However, it has struggled to leave the harbor, possibly due to a bridge, as whales tend to avoid swimming under shadows.

The crowd watching the whale has been steadily increasing, and on Saturday, the whale surfaced every few minutes, attracting enthusiastic onlookers. 

One woman from Chino Hills shared how she brought her family, including her grandson, to witness the rare sight. 

"This is a once in a lifetime experience to have it this close," said Jennifer Rich. "We've already seen it six times now." 

The whale, which is part of a smaller group of 500 in California, Oregon, and Washington, is a "solo traveler," making sightings like these extremely rare. 

Scientists and officials are closely monitoring the situation, trying to give the whale enough space to leave on its own.