California Whale Watching Is Unique
California whale watching is unique in that it's one of the only places in the world where visitors can see whales year-round. You can elect to take one of the Monterey Bay cruises for whale watching or watch from the shore. In addition to gray, humpback, blue, minke, fin and killer whale watching, you may also see thousands of Pacific white-sided dolphins, Risso's dolphins and Dall's porpoises frolicking in the bay. "A lot of people would rather see dolphins than whales," says Pete Bruno, owner of Randy's Fishing and Whale Watching Trips, "because dolphins are very active and will follow the boat."
There are many factors that make whale watching in California a cut above the rest, particularly the Monterey Bay harbor cruise whale watching. For instance, Monterey Bay is one of the few places you can witness killers hunting grays. Normally, the grays will stick to shallow waters during their mid-December to April migration. However, the grays must venture much deeper into killer whale territory to cross the Monterey Canyon, which often results in bloody conflict. During the rest of the year, visitors will see humpbacks and blues hunting smaller prey like anchovies and krill. "This year there's been so much krill it looks like the sea is stained with red," explains Keith Stemler of Princess Monterey Whale Watching. And more krill means more whales, he adds.
California whale watching will take you out on a boat for the trip of a lifetime. While some whales are rather elusive, the humpback whale in particular is a curious beast. "By law, boats are required to stay one hundred yards away from whales," explains Benji Shake of Princess Monterey Whale Watching. However, they can't help that whales sometimes express curiosity about them! Monterey Bay marine biologist Nancy Black adds, "Humpback whales will sometimes show strong curiosity about the boat." In fact, it's not unusual for one to swim right up alongside you -- rolling on its back, spouting up water and looking to catch the eye of a human passenger.
California whale watching wasn't always this tremendous. Back in the eighties, whales were suffering from serious endangerment and you'd be hard-pressed to see anything. A few grays lived in the area and there were about 500 humpbacks migrating along the California coastline. Now that the whales have proliferated and grays are no longer an endangered species, it looks like blues and humpbacks are also poised for a strong recovery. In some parts of the world, these whales are endangered, explains marine biologist Nancy Black, but they are doing well in Monterey Bay. For more information on whale watching trips and tours in California, contact Monterey Bay Whale Watching Cruises, Princess Monterey Whale Watching or Randy's Fishing and Whale Trips.
Related topics about California Whale Watching
Where To Find a Whale Watch Cruise
If you're looking for a whale watch cruise in the South, consider going to Mexico. You can call up Discover Pacific Tours, Baja Whale or Go-South-Adventures to see fins, orcas or grays. Many people love to take their whale watching cruise in Mexico because this is where most of the whales migrate to feed and breed during the winter months.
Tips For Whale And Dolphin Watching
Whale and dolphin watching is a thriving tourist industry, bringing in over $1.25 billion a year and whisking more than 10 million curious travelers around the vast oceans of the world. Whether you're visiting Boston, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Mexico or the Caribbean islands, you can add a whale watching cruise to your itinerary to get a closer look at these amazing animals.
Whale Watching Cruises FAQ
Some whales are more commonly seen during certain months. That is when they come closer to shore and it is easier to see them. If you want to see California Gray Whales then you need to take a whale watching cruise during the months of December through April.