DANA POINT, Calif. — At Dana Point, almost every day is picture-perfect. So perfect, tourists sometimes travel thousands of miles to see some of nature's most beautiful creations.

It's why Donna Kalez, the owner of Dana Wharf Sportsfishing & Whale Watching, a family-owned business in Dana Point, loves stepping into her office atop The Ocean Adventure, a 63-foot catamaran.

For one, the 360-degree views can't be beaten.

"If you're having a bad day and you jump on a boat it changes your perspective, puts you in a better mood," Kalez said.

Known as the "Whale Watching Capital of the World," Dana Point is the only Heritage Site in the U.S. — a rare designation given to areas known for their respectful interactions with whales and dolphins.

On Monday, visitors onboard The Ocean Adventure were treated to a spectacle of dancing dolphins, who seemed all too happy to put on a show.

"They jump out of the water, they surf the bow of the boat," Kalez said. "It's really magical."

But navigating a family business like this one isn't always smooth sailing. Last year, at the pandemic's beginning, the company was forced to shut down for three months.

Thankfully, they were able to survive. But just as things were starting to look up, Kalez is now dealing with another threat — one that could jeopardize not just her livelihood but everything she loves.

"Anything like this scares us and makes us very sad," she said. "We're worried."

Over the weekend, a massive oil spill sent thousands gallons of crude into the Pacific Ocean, killing fish and birds and endangering local wetlands. So far, Kalez's beloved mammals don't seem to have been affected, although that could change at any minute.

"Animals can easily move in and out of that area," said Ocean Adventure's Captain Steve Burkhalter. "I would say in this area they estimate almost 500,000 common dolphins off the coast of California… and they do a lot of traveling off the coast in an area that could be affected by this oil spill."  

Even though the oil has yet to reach their shores, it's already having a direct hit on their business.

"We've had cancellations," Kalez said, "We've had just phone call after phone call of people asking if we're open if our harbor is closed. People don't want to come here."

Kalez hoped the damage would be minimal, but as they returned to the dock, she got a call informing her the harbor was being shut down indefinitely.

"All our boats that are out there will come back with their passengers," she said, still processing the news. "It's really devastating."

To find out when the whale watching tours are back on, you can call the Dana Wharf Sportsfishing & Whale Watching at 1-800-590-9994 or check out their website.