Capt. Dave's Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari
Capt. The most unique dolphin and whale watching in the world! Our eco-friendly high-tech catamaran “Manute’a” is never crowded with a maximum of 49 passengers.
(758)
Dave's Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari provides the world's best and most unforgettable, eco-friendly experiences that connect valued guests with dolphins and whales in life-changing ways. Daily, year round, Dana Point whale watching trips aboard high-tech, high-speed, Catamaran Sailboat can get you up close & personal with magnificent blue whales (May - Nov.), gray whales (Dec. - May),
fin whales, humpback whales, and minke whales, plus five species of wild dolphins that can number in herds up to 10,000 and more, for an educational and incredibly exciting whale watching experience. Be one of the pod and feel what it’s like to swim with dolphins and whales without getting wet in our two Eye to Eye Underwater Viewing Pods. Knowledgeable marine naturalists explain how these animals live while you see and touch our collection of whale and dolphin artifacts. And Mrs. Dave’s yummy triple fudge brownies are served as a special treat.
12/09/2024
Yesterday we experienced some highs and lows with Humpback Whales. On our morning safaris we watched a known humpback whale that is entangled in fishing gear. The NOAA disentanglement team has been contacted and the situation is still being monitored by the response network. On the afternoon Safari two of our trips got to see this incredibly friendly pair of Humpbacks that repeatedly mugged us! -MS
*please note, boat was in neutral and the whales approached us.
•
•
•
•
(📸: Matt Stumpf 12.8.2024)
•
•
•
•
@danapoint_harbor
12/08/2024
It’s ‘dolphinitely’ exciting to see whales, but we also ‘whaley’ love hanging out with dolphins, especially when it means a look at such a sweet baby Risso’s dolphin! What a cutie! -JO
Join us onboard and make some memories with marine mammals! Book you trip at dolphinsafari.com.
We’re back again with our photographer’s top picks for the Best of 2024. Thanks for your awesome work Stacie!
“I am torn between two photos.
One is from when the orcas were in town. I love this picture because it shows just how exciting it is for us to see orcas here, but also shows how much our crew really loves being out on the water and seeing the animals. Not only are the passengers excited, but when the orca pops up right next to the boat you can see our crew member, Will, on the back of Fast Cat even more excited than all the passengers.”
The other photo is of a cute little baby gray whale with its mom. They are just so adorable, and this one just kept sticking its face out of the water like it was trying to get a look around. I love any picture where you can see the whale's eye, and the fact that its a little baby whale's eye is even better.”
(📸: Stacie Fox)
•
•
•
•
12/06/2024
12/05/2024
What does it feel like to see a whale?
The lapping of the waves against the boat sends a mist of salty seaspray across your face and the air is filled with the shrill, greedy calls of birds, anticipating their next fishy meal. You bob gently in time with the ocean, staring into the blues and greens of the water that mix below you until a powerful and familiar sound fills the air—the breath of a whale. It rises, graceful and serene, but you get the sense of the power behind the beauty before it dips back down into a watery world full of mystery. -JO
Are you ready to experience this for yourself? Don’t miss your chance to come aboard while so many humpbacks are here! Book your tour at dolphinsafari.com.
(📸: Matt Stumpf 11.30.24)
•
•
•
•
12/03/2024
What ‘fin-credible’ sights! If you’ve wanted to see whales and have been thinking of going out with us, don’t wait -get out there now! Think we’re kidding? Humpback whale encounters were up 86% in November 2024 compared to November 2023. They’re playful, present, and plentiful, so grab your chance to get on board and see them while they’re here! -JO
For a ‘whale-y’ fun time on the ocean, book your tour at dolphinsafari.com!
(📸: Hannah Walsh 11.29.24)
•
•
•
•
12/02/2024
This fall we’ve been so fortunate to see so many amazing surface behaviors from Humpback Whales. We’ve seen spy-hopping, pec-slapping, lunge-feeding, tail throwing and of course, Breaching! -MS
•
•
•
•
(📸: passenger, Leslie Rhone 11.24.2024)
•
•
•
•
@danapoint_harbor
12/01/2024
We’re diving into December and hoping to continue last month’s truly stellar wildlife sightings trend! There have been some amazing moments, so we hope this month will have memorable experiences too. What kind of wildlife are you hoping to see in December? -JO
(📸: 11.3.24)
•
•
•
•
11/30/2024
Celebrate the end of the year with us as we honor our photographer’s top picks for the Best of 2024!
First up is Daelyn's moment capturing a common dolphin.
“This is my favorite picture I’ve taken so far. I really love all the different textures in the water and how the dolphin looks like it is crying out crystals of light.”
(📸: Daelyn Danilof)
•
•
•
•
11/29/2024
Here in Dana Point, we’re incredibly lucky to witness dolphin stampedes. They may stampede for various reasons, such as evading predators or swiftly reaching a food source. However, we like to think these dolphins might have been racing to snag a great Black Friday deal! -MS••••(📸 Stacie Fox 11.26.2024)••••
11/28/2024
During this season of gratitude and joy, we can’t help but appreciate the many amazing moments we share with our guests worldwide. We’re endlessly grateful for your support of what we do, and for sharing in our love for whales and dolphins. Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving, we hope your day is one of warmth and togetherness. -JO
Enjoy a day of family fun and wonderful wildlife!
Book your day out at dolphinsafari.com.
(📸: Matt Stumpf 11.17.24 & 11.23.2024)
•
•
•
•
11/26/2024
We don’t always get to see Risso’s dolphins, but when we do, we love it! Unlike common or bottlenose dolphins, this species is beakless, and typically only have teeth in their lower jaw. It’s a cool feature that makes them unique among the various dolphin species. What dolphin features are your favorite? -JO
Make seeing dolphins part of your day! Book your tour at dolphinsafari.com.
(📸: Matt Stumpf 11.23.2024)
•
•
•
•
11/24/2024
“Take me to the ocean. Let me sail the open sea. To breathe the warm and salty air and dream of things to be.” -Erica Billups
We love how Dana Point offers so many opportunities to see marine life. There is no whale season here- we can see them all year long. Have you visited yet?-JO
Book your next whale watching excursion at dolphinsafari.com!
Leap into the weekend with us! Whales have definitely been the stars of the show lately, but we can’t forget the large pods of dolphins with some fun and fancy high-flying standouts. How much fun do you think you’d have with these cute cetaceans? -JO
Join us for an ocean adventure at dolphinsafari.com!
(📸: Matt Stumpf 11.10.24 & 11.17.24)
•
•
•
•
11/22/2024
Yesterday passengers got to have an amazing encounter with a pair of very friendly Humpback Whales! They came right over to our RHIB AllsWell and put an amazing display. Our boat was in neutral and the whales approached us. - MS
•
•
•
•
(📸: Jessica Clark & Caitlyn Nieblas 11.21.2024)
•
•
•
•
@danapoint_harbor
11/21/2024
Today is World Fisheries Day!
The holiday highlights creating sustainable fishing stocks and eliminating illegal or unregulated fishing, drawing attention to overfishing and habitat destruction.
It’s not just humans that depend on fish. Sustainable fishing for human consumption is vital, but we must also address unmonitored and overused fishing gear to prevent entanglement issues. Responsible management is key to ensuring healthy ocean ecosystems for all species that depend on fish.
One of the species that depends on healthy fish populations is the humpback whale. We’re grateful to have seen so many humpbacks lunge feeding in our area just this week. We hope they will be able to continue to eat their fill in safety well into the future. Let’s make the effort to ensure it happens! Have you seen a humpback feeding? -JO
Don’t miss your chance to see humpbacks in action! Book your cruise at dolphinsafari.com
(📸: Matt Stumpf 11.17.24)
•
•
•
•
Address
24440 Dana Point Harbor Drive Dana Point, CA 92629
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Capt. Dave's Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The Business
Send a message to Capt. Dave's Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari:
Videos
Yesterday we experienced some highs and lows with Humpback Whales. On our morning safaris we watched a known humpback whale that is entangled in fishing gear. The NOAA disentanglement team has been contacted and the situation is still being monitored by the response network. On the afternoon Safari two of our trips got to see this incredibly friendly pair of Humpbacks that repeatedly mugged us! -MS
*please note, boat was in neutral and the whales approached us.
•
•
•
•
(📸: Matt Stumpf 12.8.2024)
•
•
•
•
#humpbackwhale #whale #whalewatching #wildlife #sealife #marinelife #marinewildlife #oceananimals #wildlifephotography #wildlifepage #optoutside #creatingmemories #funthingstodo #awesomeearth
#artofvisuals #naturesbeauty #roamtheplanet #exploreourearth #beautifuldestinations
#californiaadventure @mydanapoint@danapoint_harbor
@DanaPointChamber @visitcalifornia #socal #danapoint #captdaves
This fall we’ve been so fortunate to see so many amazing surface behaviors from Humpback Whales. We’ve seen spy-hopping, pec-slapping, lunge-feeding, tail throwing and of course, Breaching! -MS
•
•
•
•
(📸: passenger, Leslie Rhone 11.24.2024)
•
•
•
•
#humpbackwhale #whale #whalewatching #wildlife #sealife #marinelife #marinewildlife #oceananimals #wildlifephotography #wildlifepage #optoutside #creatingmemories #funthingstodo #awesomeearth
#artofvisuals #naturesbeauty #roamtheplanet #exploreourearth #beautifuldestinations
#californiaadventure @mydanapoint@danapoint_harbor
@DanaPointChamber @visitcalifornia #socal #danapoint #captdaves
Here in Dana Point, we’re incredibly lucky to witness dolphin stampedes. They may stampede for various reasons, such as evading predators or swiftly reaching a food source. However, we like to think these dolphins might have been racing to snag a great Black Friday deal! -MS••••(📸 Stacie Fox 11.26.2024)••••#commondolphin #dolphins #dolphin#dolphinwatching #dolphinswimming #cutedolphins #wildandfree #dolphinlove #dolphinlovers #splash #makeasplash #discoverwildlife #wildlifefirst #cuteanimals #wildlifeonearth #seacreatures #discoverocean #lovethesea #naturephotography #naturallife #discover @mydanapoint @danapointharbor @DanaPointChamber @visitcalifornia #hellofrom #socal #orangecounty #visitdanapoint #explorecalifornia #californialife#californiacoast #captdaves
Yesterday passengers got to have an amazing encounter with a pair of very friendly Humpback Whales! They came right over to our RHIB AllsWell and put an amazing display. Our boat was in neutral and the whales approached us. - MS
•
•
•
•
(📸: Jessica Clark & Caitlyn Nieblas 11.21.2024)
•
•
•
•
#humpbackwhale #whale #whalewatching #wildlife #sealife #marinelife #marinewildlife #oceananimals #wildlifephotography #wildlifepage #optoutside #creatingmemories #funthingstodo #awesomeearth
#artofvisuals #naturesbeauty #roamtheplanet #exploreourearth #beautifuldestinations
#californiaadventure @mydanapoint@danapoint_harbor
@DanaPointChamber @visitcalifornia #socal #danapoint #captdaves
Balloons polluting our oceans are an all-too-common sight. Here’s a look at what it takes to retrieve just one from the water. It may seem simple, but it can be surprisingly challenging. Here at Captain Dave’s, we’re committed to protecting marine life and encourage responsible balloon disposal—or even better, skip the balloons and celebrate with more cake!
•
•
•
•
(📸 @mattastumpf)
•
•
•
•
#balloonsblow #conservation #cleanuptheoceans #protect #savelives #beach #wave #ocean @balloonsblow @mydanapoint @danapointharbor @DanaPointChamber @visitcalifornia @danapointwhalewatching @take3forthesea
@h2oprotector @standuptotrash
Balloons polluting our oceans are an all-too-common sight. Here’s a look at what it takes to retrieve just one from the water. It may seem simple, but it can be surprisingly challenging. Here at Captain Dave’s, we’re committed to protecting marine life and encourage responsible balloon disposal—or even better, skip the balloons and celebrate with more cake!••••(📸 @mattastumpf)••••#balloonsblow #conservation #cleanuptheoceans #protect #savelives #beach #wave #ocean @balloonsblow @mydanapoint @danapointharbor @DanaPointChamber @visitcalifornia @danapointwhalewatching @take3forthesea@h2oprotector @standuptotrash
today, focus on taking life just one breath at a time. One single breath. - MS
•
•
•
•
(📸: @mattastumpf 5.6.2023)
•
•
•
•
#finwhale #whale #relax #takeabreak ##whales #whalewatching #whalewatchingtour #splash #makeasplash #animalbehaviour #creatingmemories #funthingstodo #stayandwander #beautifuldestinations #letsgosomewhere #outdoorlife #thingstodoinoc #mydanapoint #danapointharbor #visitdanapoint #visitcalifornia #explorecalifornia #californiaadventure #captdaves @mydanapoint@danapointharbor
@DanaPointChamber @visitcalifornia @festivalofwhales
Over 20 years ago Capt. Dave was living on his boat in Dana Point Harbor and taking small groups of people out to see the huge herds of wild dolphins and amazing whales off the Southern California coast. When he told other boaters about what he saw they were amazed. Capt. Dave realized if the people who live on their boats don't know what lives off their coast, then who does?
Capt. Dave eventually traded in his small sailboat for a 35-foot catamaran sailboat with a capacity to carry 24 passengers. It was aboard this vessel, “DolphinSafari.com”, during regular trips, that Capt. Dave filmed his documentary, Wild Dolphins & Whales of Southern California. It ended up winning eight awards at two of the world’s biggest wildlife film festivals: the International Wildlife Film Festival and Wildscreen in England, the ‘Academy Awards’ of wildlife films. “DolphinSafari.com” was the first vessel in Southern California to offer YEAR ROUND dolphin watching trips.
In 2007 Capt. Dave added a second catamaran sailboat to his fleet. “Manute’a” was 50 feet long and carried up to 49 passengers. Like his first catamaran, “Manute’a” also had Eye-Spy Tram Nets for up close and personal viewing of the whales and dolphins. A couple of years later Capt. Dave upgraded “Manute’a” with one of his most innovative ideas: an Eye-to-Eye Underwater Viewing Pod. The Pods (he added second Pod two years later) gave passengers the opportunity to feel what it’s like to swim with wild dolphins without having to jump in the water!
In 2007 Capt. Dave added a second catamaran sailboat to his fleet. “Manute’a” was 50 feet long and carried up to 49 passengers. Like his first catamaran, “Manute’a” also had Eye-Spy Tram Nets for up close and personal viewing of the whales and dolphins. A couple of years later Capt. Dave upgraded “Manute’a” with one of his most innovative ideas: an Eye-to-Eye Underwater Viewing Pod. The Pods (he added the second Pod two years later) gave passengers the opportunity to feel what it’s like to swim with wild dolphins without having to jump in the water!
“Lily”, a 65-foot power catamaran, was welcomed into the expanding fleet in October 2013. In addition to luxury accommodations such as a bow with cushioned bow seating and rails enclosed with Lexan® glass for wind protection, “Lily” is also equipped to respond to a whale in distress. She can host and feed an entire rescue team and stay with the whale for days until it is successfully disentangled.
During the summer of 2009, Capt. Dave launched another special feature on “Manute’a”: WhaleWatchingTV. Long before Facebook, Instagram, and other social media apps were doing live video, Capt. Dave had the idea to broadcast his trips live on the internet. He outfitted the boat with seven cameras and microphones on the crew so everyone around the world could see whales and dolphins live on their computers.king events that help feed starving children and families. Proceeds from the sales of Capt. Dave’s award-winning book and DVD go to support this cause.
From special trips and custom boat features to drone photography and more, Capt. Dave continues to seek new and ground breaking ways to introduce passengers to the incredible wildlife off the coast of Dana Point, California. And yes, we continue to serve Mrs. Capt. Dave’s famously delicious Triple Fudge Brownies! We are committed to providing the most unique whale watching tour in the world!
In addition to our daily, year-round, dolphin and whale watching safaris, we are proud to be giving back to the environment and to the community. Capt. Dave founded and organized Orange County's first whale rescue group. He persists in his efforts to rescue entangled whales and find new methods for reducing the number of entanglements. We are also honored to partner with Kids Around the World for annual meal packing events that help feed starving children and families. Proceeds from the sales of Capt. Dave’s award winning book and DVD go to support this cause.
To reserve for our safaris, give us a call at 949-488-2828 or visit www.dolphinsafari.com
