Monterey Bay Whale Watch

Monterey Bay Whale Watch We are the original year-round whale watch in Monterey with all trips led by marine biologists! All trips are narrated by skilled naturalists.
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The deep water canyon that defines the underwater topography of the Monterey Bay creates ideal conditions for a wide variety of pelagic as well as nearshore species and offers incredible wildlife viewing opportunities year round. Come join us for an unforgettable experience as we sail in search of the many species that make the waters of Monterey Bay their home or pass through in migration. In sea

son we regularly see Blue Whales, Humpback Whales, Gray Whales, Killer Whales, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Northern Right Whale Dolphins, Risso's Dolphins, Long-beaked Common Dolphins and Dall's Porpoises. With a little luck we also find Fin Whales, Minke Whales, Harbor Porpoises, Bottlenose Dolphins, Baird's Beaked Whales and Cuvier's Beaked Whales. Sea Otters, California Sea Lions and Harbor Seals are also regularly seen and Northern Elephant Seals, Northern Fur Seals and Steller Sea Lions sometimes put in an appearance. We also see fishes like Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) and Blue Sharks, Leatherback Turtles and we encounter a variety of seabirds on our trips, including the majestic Black-footed Albatross. Our three vessels, the Blackfin, the Sea Wolf II, and the Point Sur Clipper are piloted by the most experienced captains on the Bay who are also marine biologists. There is a fully stocked snack bar aboard the boats. You can round out your trip with a visit to our eclectic souvenir shop on the wharf. We also often have one of our professional photographers on board who will offer photos from your trip for sale in the shop once we return back to the wharf. In addition to sharing these amazing encounters with our passengers, we collect valuable scientific data on abundance, distribution and behaviors of the many species we encounter. We publish some of the data ourselves in scientific journals and share it with other researchers. From April through mid-December we offer multiple daily trips in search of Humpback Whales, Blue whales, a variety of dolphin species, and other marine creatures. The morning trips depart at 9AM and 10AM and return between 1PM and 2PM. The afternoon trip departs at either 130PM and 230PM and returns between 4PM and 5PM

From mid-December through March we run a four-hour trip and 3-hour trip each day in search of Gray whales and other marine creatures, departing at 10AM and 2:30PM. We also offer many 8+ hour All Day Trips! People are always asking how to dress:
FOOTWEAR: Sensible footwear, waterproof if possible. No, spike-heels are not recommended. HATS: Almost required, the sun (even on a foggy day) can be damaging. PANTS: Something water resistant/proof. Skirts are not recommended. JACKET: Again, something water resistant/proof. The temperature on the ocean is 10-15 degrees colder than at the pier. That combined with wind chill can result in "it feels like" 40's. Remember to dress in layers. You can always take a layer off if you are too warm, but if you don't have an extra layer to put on you may get cold. Getting cold and seasickness lead our complaint department. We recommend that IF YOU EVEN THINK you might become ill, take something ahead of time. Sea sick medication is not a cure, it is a preventative. We recommend taking Meclizine rather than dramamine as it is less drowsy. We recommend taking one pill the night before your trip, and then another pill the day of your trip about an hour prior to departure. CAMERAS: There are limited outlets to charge batteries located on the lower deck, but they should be charged ahead of time. Waterproof covers/cases are recommended to have on hand in case of heavy fog or sea spray during a windy trip. AND REMEMBER: Every trip is it's own treasure! THIS IS NOT SEAWORLD! The animals provide the entertainment on their own timetable. The show begins when they want and ends when they want. We cannot predict what trip is going to be "the one". One thing we can predict is that if you don't go you will not see anything! Visit our website gowhales.com or call us at 831-375-4658 for more information.

Check this out! A photo by our wildlife photographer Morgan Quimby was recognized in a final selection of just 12 images...
09/24/2024

Check this out! A photo by our wildlife photographer Morgan Quimby was recognized in a final selection of just 12 images that were among the many entered into the birds and landscapes category of the National Audubon Society photography awards this year! Monterey Bay is an incredibly diverse and special place, and its not just about the cetaceans! We love all the amazing bird species we can see here, and they all play their role in the ecosystem including the Brown pelicans! In the fall we have the chance to see exciting feeding frenzies like the one Morgan photographed, and this is the perfect time of year to try your luck at witnessing one while on a trip with us! Here is the link to the article and photo below.

https://www.audubon.org/magazine/11-more-amazing-images-birds-and-landscapes-2024-audubon-photo-awards

09/24/2024

After the AM fog burned off it turned out to be a stunning day with several humpback whales

Video by Evan Brodsky/MBWW

We had killer whales two days in a row, from two different matrilines! We posted a little while ago about our encounter ...
09/24/2024

We had killer whales two days in a row, from two different matrilines! We posted a little while ago about our encounter with the CA39As on Saturday. Yesterday we were lucky to spend time with a favorite well known but seldom seen bull killer whale, CA20 Glacier! He is one of the older males in our Bigg's transient population, with an estimated birth year of at least 1967 (or earlier). He was given the name Glacier due to his incredible range: he popped up in Glacier Bay, Alaska in August 1989, with CA54 (his presumed mother, born in or before 1957); they are always seen together! They were with another, younger female, CA177, their very close associate for over 15 years. This trio was reported in Monterey Bay a few times in the early spring this year, but the last time we had seen them before yesterday was December 9th 2023, so our crew was very excited to see Glacier and his family again! Join us now for a chance to spot killer whales this fall! Trips depart daily at 9AM, 10AM (weekends), and 2:30PM! Book online now at gowhales.com or over the phone at (831) 375-4658.

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for 9/22:
9AM: 3 Orcas (CA20 Glacier, CA54, CA177), and 6 Humpback whales (lunge feeding)
10AM: 3 Orcas (CA20 Glacier, CA54, CA177), 21 Humpback whales (feeding), and 20 Risso's dolphins
2:30PM: 10 Humpback whales

Our secondary orca season has been fantastic already! We have been having multiple sightings of orcas each week, and hav...
09/23/2024

Our secondary orca season has been fantastic already! We have been having multiple sightings of orcas each week, and have enjoyed watching and documenting quite a few different matrilines, with many displaying lots of exciting surface behaviors and coming over to investigate the boats, giving amazing close views (as we sit in neutral of course). On Saturday's 9AM trip, we encountered the CA39As, led by matriarch CA39A Hopper. We don't encounter this group very often, but the family was looking healthy and active, and Hopper's son CA39A2 looks so much bigger with each new encounter! If you are hoping to see orcas this year, now is a great time to try your luck! Our trips depart daily at 9AM, 10AM (weekends) and 2:30PM. Head to gowhales.com or call (831) 375-4658 to book now!

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for Saturday 9/21/24:
9AM: 4 Orcas (CA39As), 15 Humpback whales
11AM: 10 Humpback whales (including Fallon!)
3:30PM: 10 Humpback whales

We have been having quite the array of behaviors from the Humpback whales lately! From lunge feeding and pec slapping, t...
09/23/2024

We have been having quite the array of behaviors from the Humpback whales lately! From lunge feeding and pec slapping, to friendly encounters, we are always so excited to see what each day has in store when we venture out each morning! Join us on a trip soon to take advantage of the nice weather and the abundant wildlife! Trips depart daily at 9AM, 10AM (weekends), and 2:30PM! Book online now at gowhales.com or by calling our shop at (831) 375-4658.

Photos from Sept. 19th+20th by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings from Thursday and Friday:
19th-
9AM: 26 Humpback whales (friendly),
2:30PM: 32 Humpback whales (lunge feeding)
20th-
9AM: 14 Humpback whales (including one friendly for almost an hour!)
2:30PM: 10 Humpback whales

09/23/2024

2 days in a row of Killer Whales!! Today we saw an entire different group then yesterday. CA20, named Glacier because he was first seen in Alaska as a full grown Bull Adult meaning he was born on or before 1967 making him one of the oldest males in our population. Glacier was accompanied by CA177 & CA54 who is also a very old whale estimated to be minimum 57 years old and the presumed mother of Glacier.

ID and Data from California Killer Whale Project

Video by Evan Brodsky/MBWW

09/22/2024

The amazing Fall season continues with incredible sightings including this morning spent with 4 Killer Whales!! CA39As
Video By Evan Brodsky/MBWW

09/21/2024

🚨Orca Alert🚨

4 Killer Whales in the bay right now

We have room on our 3:30pm trip this afternoon for a chance to see!!

*no guarantees*

We will be tabling at the Steinbeck Fair today (September 21st) from 9am-2pm talking about humpback migration! Stop by t...
09/21/2024

We will be tabling at the Steinbeck Fair today (September 21st) from 9am-2pm talking about humpback migration! Stop by to get some freebies and say hello!

09/21/2024

Another memorable morning on the bay, with another super friendly Humpback Whale that swam up to The Blackfin as we sat in neutral while this whale approached us entirely on its own

Video by Evan Brodsky/MBWW

09/20/2024

Check out this magical encounter we had on this mornings trip with 2 extremely friendly and curious Humpback Whales that swam around our vessel for almost 45 minutes while we sat there in awe of this incredible experience with our engines completely off

Video by Evan Brodsky/MBWW

Just like that, the CA51As are back!! This incredibly charismatic and playful pod of killer whales was back in the bay y...
09/19/2024

Just like that, the CA51As are back!! This incredibly charismatic and playful pod of killer whales was back in the bay yesterday with lots of exciting moments for our trips to witness! They displayed a lot of hunting behaviors and tactile interaction and cuddling between the calves and their moms which is incredibly special and sweet to see! Male CA50B "Jimmy" who has been with the pod for the past sightings this month had split off and was spotted foraging down south near San Miguel island this weekend, so it was just the females and their calves during this sighting. The CA51As have been such a joy to watch so often recently, and we hope to continue to see them over the next month or so! Now is the time to join us on a boat for a chance to see orcas or all the amazing active Humpback whales we have been seeing! Book now at gowhales.com or call our shop at (831) 375-4658.

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for Wednesday 9/18/24:
9AM: 5 Orcas (CA51As), 11 Humpback whales (2 friendlies!)
1:30PM: 5 Orcas (CA51As), 4 Humpback whales

The breaching and lunge feeding from the Humpback whales continues!! No matter how many times our crew sees these exciti...
09/18/2024

The breaching and lunge feeding from the Humpback whales continues!! No matter how many times our crew sees these exciting surface behaviors, it never gets old! The Humpback whales will continue to eat as much small bait fish as they can over the next few months in order to bulk up before their migration to the breeding/calving grounds! Join us on a trip to take advantage of the beautiful weather and great activity we still have in the bay! Trips depart daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM! Book now at gowhales.com or by calling our shop at (831) 375-4658.

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for 9/17:
9AM: 13 Humpback whales, 50 Risso's dolphins
2:30PM: 29 Humpback whales

09/18/2024

ORCA ALERT!!! We are observing 5 orcas right now! We still have room on our 130PM trip, join us for a CHANCE to see these whales!

If you've always wanted to see lunge feeding or breaching behaviors from Humpback whales, now is a great time to take a ...
09/18/2024

If you've always wanted to see lunge feeding or breaching behaviors from Humpback whales, now is a great time to take a chance and get on a boat! While they are wild animals and we can never guarantee what behaviors they will display while watching them, but we have been having some amazing encounters lately with lots of surface active behaviors! Join us on a trip soon, departing daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM! Book online now at gowhales.com or by calling (831) 375-4658.

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for September 14th-16th

14th:
8 Hour All Day: 59 Humpback whales, 50 Risso's Dolphins, 1 Mako shark
9AM: 25 Humpback whales, 30 Risso's dolphins, 10 Pacific white-sided dolphins
10AM: 15 Humpback whales, 10 Dall's Porpoise, 100 Risso's dolphins
2:30PM: 15 Humpback whales (lunge feeding)

15th:
9AM: 41 Humpback whales (friendly)
10AM: 22 Humpback whales (friendly, lunge feeding, breaching)

16th:
9AM: 36 Humpback whales (breaching, tail slapping, and friendly!)

Big beautiful breaches and tail throws on a sunny day in Monterey Bay! There is an incredible number of Humpback whales ...
09/15/2024

Big beautiful breaches and tail throws on a sunny day in Monterey Bay! There is an incredible number of Humpback whales in the bay right now, and we often see whales very shortly after departing from the harbor! We also got an encounter with Risso's dolphins who are typically our most commonly sighted species of dolphin. This year however, sightings have been noticeably lower so it is always wonderful to see them when we do! With all the beautiful weather and active whales lately, now is the time to join us on the bay! Trips depart daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM! Book online now at gowhales.com or over the phone at (831) 375-4658.

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for 9/13:
9AM: 7 Humpback whales, 10 Risso's dolphins
10AM: 5 Humpback whales
2:30PM: 5 Humpback whales

09/15/2024

Fall is the best time to have a chance at witnessing all types of different behaviors from our beloved Humpback Whales from Lunge Feeding to Tail Slaps you just never know what your going to see unless you

Video by Evan Brodsky

Yesterday we were incredibly lucky and thrilled to encounter a rare (mostly) white killer whale CA216C1 Frosty! This ind...
09/14/2024

Yesterday we were incredibly lucky and thrilled to encounter a rare (mostly) white killer whale CA216C1 Frosty! This individual's rare and beautiful coloration results from a genetic condition that could either be leucism or a rare condition known as Chediak Higashi syndrome which affects the immune and nervous systems resulting in partial albinism. This syndrome has been documented in killer whales in a few cases before, but we are unable to tell for certain if that is the case with Frosty. Despite the foggy conditions yesterday, we were able to get some good looks of Frosty and his or her pod mates including CA216C, Frosty's mom! There were other seldomly encountered individuals traveling with Frosty's pod too including members of the CA35s! Our fall secondary killer whale season is shaping up to be a memorable one! Join us on a trip departing daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM! Book now at gowhales.com or by calling our shop at (831) 375-4658.

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for 9/12:
9AM: 7-9 Orcas (CA216C, CA216C1 Frosty, CA35, CA35A, CA35B, CA26, CA36, and likely the CA216Ds), 6 Humpback whales (friendly!), 150 Risso's dolphins

We had an absolutely spectacular morning on the water on Tuesday with flat calm sea conditions and active wildlife inclu...
09/14/2024

We had an absolutely spectacular morning on the water on Tuesday with flat calm sea conditions and active wildlife including a Humpback whale that did breach after breach! We even had a beautiful lucky sight of a heart shaped "rainblow" from a Humpback whale! This time of year is some of our crew's favorite months to whale watch here in Monterey due to the beautiful weather and active diverse wildlife! Join us daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM! Book online at gowhales.com or over the phone at (831) 375-4658.

Photos from 9/10 by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for 9/10 + 9/11:
Tuesday 9/10:
9AM - 54 Humpback whales, 150 Pacific white-sided dolphins
2:30PM - 21 Humpback whales
Wednesday 9/11:
9AM: 23 Humpback whales

Our fall orca season is off to a great start! We had wonderful encounters with the CA51As and CA50B for several days, th...
09/13/2024

Our fall orca season is off to a great start! We had wonderful encounters with the CA51As and CA50B for several days, then a quick encounter with the CA39As on Sunday! We even had a special killer whale visitor yesterday... more on that later! Outside of the spring killer whale season (April and May), September and October is the next best time to get on a boat and try your luck at seeing this beloved species! We also have been seeing beautiful sea conditions in the afternoon with lots of activity from the Humpback whales including lunge feeding! Join us daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM. Head to gowhales.com or call our shop at (831) 375-4658 to book now!

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for 9/8 + 9/9
Sunday:
9am - 4 Orcas (CA39As), 25 Humpback whales
10am - 25 Humpback whales, 12 Dall's porpoise
230 - 8 Humpback whales
Monday:
9AM - 56 humpbacks, 9 Dall's porpoise, 5 Pacific white-sided dolphins
2:30PM - 42 Humpback whales

For those interested in the tragic loss on Tuesday.
09/13/2024

For those interested in the tragic loss on Tuesday.

09/13/2024

Todays 9am trip hit the whale watching jackpot with great looks at Frosty and family before the fog rolled in! Frosty is an extremely rare White Killer Whale. We last saw Frosty 11 months ago last October and he is looking great! Our colleagues are still working on IDs on the other individuals. We estimate 8-10 Killer Whales present today

Video by Evan Brodsky/MBWW

We had an absolutely fantastic once in a lifetime 8 hour all day trip for our passengers on Saturday spent with 6 killer...
09/09/2024

We had an absolutely fantastic once in a lifetime 8 hour all day trip for our passengers on Saturday spent with 6 killer whales! We spent all day with the CA51As and CA50B as they hunted sea lions, played with a buoy (luckily no entanglements!), breached, tail lobbed, spy-hopped, taught the calves hunting methods on unfortunate common murres, and got friendly with the boat allowing us to make direct eye contact with them! The two calves of the pod, CA51A2A (Andi's calf) and CA51A3A (Dipper's calf), are both very energetic and playful so there was never a dull moment for the many hours we spent with them! Our fall season is off to a great start with lots of killer whale sightings already in addition to the amazing Humpback whale action we have been seeing! Join us daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM! Tickets can be booked at gowhales.com or by calling our shop at (831) 375-4658.

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for Saturday 9/7/24:
8 Hour All Day: 6 Orcas, 7 Humpback whales
9AM: 6 Orcas, 8 Humpback whales (friendly)
10AM: 6 Orcas, 6 Humpback whales (breach)
2:30PM: 6 Orcas, 5 Humpback whales (double breach, chin slapping)

09/08/2024

Wow… we are all lost for words after today! All trips today spent some unforgettable quality time with Biggs Killer Whales (CA51As + CA50B) (including our all day trip which we extended an extra 2.5 hours!) while we watched them breach, spyhop, socialize and even training their young to hunt with some target practice on common murres!!

Identified by

Video by Evan Brodsky/MBWW

09/07/2024

🚨Killer Whale ALERT!🚨

Our All day trips and 9 & 10am boats are with the CA51As + CA50B right now!! Join us on our 2:30 for a chance to see them (no guarantees)

11:46am 9/7/24

We had another beautiful day with killer whales on 9/5/24! These friendly and active whales, the CA51As and CA50B, displ...
09/06/2024

We had another beautiful day with killer whales on 9/5/24! These friendly and active whales, the CA51As and CA50B, displayed all kinds of behaviors yesterday. From chasing a mola mola, hunting sea lions, hunting a harbor porpoise, playing with a spot prawn buoy, to celebrating with breaches and spyhops, there were so many behaviors to see! There is a good chance to see killer whales during the months of Sept and Oct, join us this weekend for an 8 hour all day, 9AM, 10AM, 230PM, and 530PM!
Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

9/4/24 Sightings -
9AM - 28 Humpback Whales
230PM - 15 Humpback Whales

9/5/24 Sightings -
9AM - 6 Orcas, 13 Humpback Whales
230PM - 6 Orcas

Despite some foggy afternoon trips this week, that hasn't stopped the whale action! On Tuesday afternoon we were treated...
09/05/2024

Despite some foggy afternoon trips this week, that hasn't stopped the whale action! On Tuesday afternoon we were treated to a feeding frenzy of Humpback whales gorging on a bait ball of anchovies! We even got to see a very special young whale feeding with the adults! You may remember Aria, the calf of the beloved Humpback Fran who was struck and killed by a vessel in August of 2022. Every time we see Aria growing bigger and thriving in Monterey Bay it is a happy and inspiring sight! We hope Aria will fill her mom's shoes (or flukes) and be a social regular in the bay. We had orcas this morning on the 9AM trip so we hope you'll join us at 2:30 today for a chance to maybe see them if they stick around! We have trips departing daily at 9AM, 10AM, and 2:30PM and tickets can be reserved at gowhales.com. You can also call our shop at (831) 375-4658 with any questions or to book over the phone!

Photos by Daniel Bianchetta

Sightings for Tuesday 9/3/24:
9AM: 10Humpback whales
2:30PM: 9 Humpback whales (including Aria!, lunge feeding frenzy with sea lions)

09/05/2024

ORCA REPORT! At least 5 orcas right now, our 9am boat is with them!

09/05/2024

Humpback Whale and Sea Lions all day today!

Video by Evan Brodsky/MBWW

We can't resist sharing more killer whale photos from our weekend spent with the CA51As and CA50B Jimmy, this time from ...
09/04/2024

We can't resist sharing more killer whale photos from our weekend spent with the CA51As and CA50B Jimmy, this time from photographer Morgan from Sunday's 10AM! To start off the encounter, the pod was doing a bit of prey sharing and some celebration behaviors like these fun breaches from CA51A2 "Andi" and her calf! After observing the pod interact and celebrate, they took off south and sent the sea lions all over the area scattering! Towards the end of the encounter, we watched as they attempted to hunt several different sea lions including one that attempted to hide under our boat! Shortly after the hunting behavior started up, several Humpbacks quite a ways in the distance started tail lobbing and rushing our way! In a very short amount of time, the Humpbacks were surrounding the boat (as we sat in neutral) with several individuals on the right and one of the left! We saw one of the calves dart from the right side of the boat, under us to the left, and disappear. Shortly after the Humpbacks were around our boat trumpet blowing, the killer whales disappeared and then popped up behind us a few minutes later half a mile away going back north! Humpback and killer whale interactions are very rare but something we strive to document and study whenever we get the chance. It was a trip our crew and passengers alike won't ever forget!

Photos by Morgan Quimby

Address

84 Fishermans Wharf # 1
Monterey, CA
93940

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 7pm
Tuesday 7am - 7pm
Wednesday 7am - 7pm
Thursday 7am - 7pm
Friday 7am - 7pm
Saturday 7am - 7pm
Sunday 7am - 7pm

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