AN INSTRUCTOR; AND STUDENT WERE SIGHTSEEING AT A LOW ALT; WHEN THEY EXPERIENCED AN NMAC WITH AN ACFT THAT WAS PROBABLY; ALSO; SIGHTSEEING.

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DEPARTED LITTLE RIVER ARPT TO OBSERVE THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND GIVE BASIC INSTRUCTION IN COMPLEX ACFT. SITED A GRAY WHALE HDG N. A TOUR BOAT WAS ALSO OBSERVING THE WHALE. WE STARTED AN ORBIT AROUND THE LOCATION. WE USED 600 FT MSL AS OUR ALT; BUT STAYED WELL WIDE OF THE BOAT -- AT LEAST 2000 FT LATERALLY -- SO AS TO NOT DISTURB THE TOUR. ALSO; THIS WAS WITHIN MSA FARS. ON OUR SECOND ORBIT; A SMALL ACFT (VARI-EZ) WENT BTWN US AND THE BOAT. HE WAS AT A LOWER ALT. NONE OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR ACFT SAW THIS VARI- EZ COMING; ONLY GOING. IN OUR ZEST TO BE LEGAL REGARDING MSA'S AND TO LOOK AT THIS WHALE; WE NEGLECTED TO LOOK FOR OTHER ACFT. SEE AND AVOID IS THE BASIS THAT AVIATION USES AS TFC SEPARATION. IN ORDER TO DO THIS; PLTS MUST SCAN FOR OTHER ACFT AT ALL TIMES. ONE MUST DIVIDE ATTN AND NOT BECOME DISTRACTED; FOR LONG. MY MISTAKE WAS IN NOT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE DOING WHAT WE WERE DOING. LESSON LEARNED: BE EVER VIGILANT FOR OTHER ACFT. WHEN YOU FLY FOR MANY YRS; SOME THINGS ARE LEARNED AND FORGOTTEN AND RELEARNED; BUT A SMALL SLIP IN VIGILANCE FOR TFC CAN BE VERY COSTLY. LOOKING FOR TFC SHOULD NOT BE ONE LESSON THAT HAS TO BE RELEARNED.