Whale Watching In Monterey California

Monterey is a costal community in Northern California, located 115 miles south of San Francisco and 350 miles North of Los Angeles. The city has a beautiful waterfront along the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, is surrounded by a lush forest area and is rich with history and culture.

Monterey's history includes Spanish exploration dating all the way back to 1542, and the establishment of the San Carlos Cathedral by Father Junipro Serra in 1770. It was the site of Alta California's capital under Spain and later Mexico, and the place where California statehood began in 1849.

Monterey is home to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey Viticultural Area, Cannery Row, Fisherman's Warf, and the annual Monterey Jazz Festival.

Most people don't know much about the Marine Sanctuary or why it makes for a great place to observe marine wildlife. Monterey Bay contains the largest and deepest submarine canyon in North America and it's one of the few canyons that bisects the coastline so close to shore. This allows deep water species of marine mammals and seabirds to be found relatively near shore and accessible for day whale watches. This region is extremely productive and rich biologically due to coastal upwelling and bathymetric features. Monterey Bay's continental shelf and submarine canyon support a variety of habitats with one of the highest diversities of marine mammals in the world.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is the largest United States National Marine Sanctuary, encompassing 5,312 square miles extending from the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary in the north to San Simeon, south of Big Sur. This extremely rich area centers around the Monterey Submarine Canyon, comparable in size and shape to the Grand Canyon. The canyon extends over 50 miles offshore, reaching depths near 12,000 feet.

The central California coast is one of only five major upwelling regions in the world. Upwelling is a phenomenon where cold nutrient-rich water is driven to the surface due to wind, the angle of the coastline, and the rotation of the earth. This cold deep water is filled with nutrients, and during the spring when the northwest winds blow, this rich water is brought to the surface and with fuel from the sun creates surface plankton blooms. This plankton forms the basis of the food chain for all marine animals. Whales, dolphins, and seabirds concentrate in the waters of central California including Monterey Bay to feed on an abundance of krill, fish, and squid supported by these intense plankton blooms.

Monterey Bay contains a shallow near-shore shelf that is bisected by the Monterey Submarine Canyon. Dense kelp beds grow near-shore over the rocky bottom areas. These varying areas create a diversity of habitats for marine animals. Gray Whales migrate within three miles of the coastline and Sea Otters and Harbor Seals rest and feed within the kelp forest. Harbor Porpoise and Bottlenose Dolphins occur year-round in the shallow sandy shelf region and Minke Whales feed near shore on juvenile rockfish and other schooling fish over shallow rocky bottom regions. Humpback Whales, Blue Whales Fin Whales, Killer Whales, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, Risso's Dolphins, Northern Right Whale Dolphins, Common Dolphins, and Dall's Dolphins occur near the canyon edge and beyond into the deep water regions. Many seabird species migrate here by the millions to feed on the Bay's rich food sources.

So, if you've made it this far, I'm going to guess that you are hooked and what to know the ins and outs of whale watching in Monterey, California. First, you should know that it being able to see a certain marine animal, depends on what season it is. Whales and dolphins have migrating patterns based on the seasons.

So, In general:

Winter and Spring Trips (Mid-December to April): This is a great time to see Gray Whales and Dolphins. The entire Gray Whale population migrates right past the Monterey Coastline every winter and spring. The Gray Whale has one of the longest migrations known, traveling over 12,000 miles from their summer feeding grounds in the Bearing Sea to their winter breading grounds in Baja, California, and back again. Gray Whales are generally easy to see because they hug the coastline during their migration. You will also get the chance to see the following during this time, Common Dolphins, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, Risso's Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Dall's Porpoise, Harbor Porpoise, and Killer Whales, Sea Otters, California Sea Lions, and Harbor Seals. That's right, there are chances to see Killer Whales!

Summer and Fall Trips (May to Mid-December): You will find that during these two seasons you will be able to see Humpback Whales and Blue Whales. Humpback Whales and Blue Whales migrate to central California waters each year to feed during summer and fall. Monterey Bay is a prime feeding location for these whales. The whales often concentrate in a variety of locations within the Bay depending on movements and abundance of the their primary prey;anchovies and krill. Killer Whales, Minke Whales, and Fin Whales are occasionally sighted during this season as well, along with several different species of dolphin, sea otter, seals and sea lions.

As you can tell, no matter what time of year you go, you will be in for a treat! Now, most tours are usually half day tours, so about 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on what company you book your tour with. You should always wear layered clothing on these trips, no matter what time of year. Trust me, just because you go in the summer time, does not mean it will be warm. These tours need to get in and out of places fast, so there is a good chance the sea air will be whipping at you for the majority of the time, and let me tell you, it gets cold!

Also, in case you have forgotten, you will be in a boat, on the ocean. What does that mean? The boat will rock, it's the ocean people not a pond. If you are prone to motion sickness, make sure you take something for it. I can't tell you how many times I've gone out with people who think it's going to be a little cruise around the water, and did not prepare for the waves. Needless to say, it was not a happy trip for them. Most tours offer something for the motion sickness, but it's best to just go to the drug store and get something yourself. Also, here's a trick, ginger candy works wonders!

Okay, so where do you go in Monterey, California to find a whale watching tour? The best place to find one is on Fisherman's Warf. That is where most of the companies are located. Several tours are offered from at least three different companies that are located there.

What do I recommend? Now mind you I have no connection with this company at all, they just happen to be the company that I like to go out with. I will note that all the companies there are well equipped to show you the best time out on the water and to get you up close and personal with all the animals. I personally like the Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center because they are the only company that offer trips lead by marine biologist. The marine biologist fully narrate the trips and answer all questions. To me it's not only a sight seeing trip but an educational one, and that's what I enjoy most about it.

So there you go! I hope this lens helps you out when planning a whale watching tour in Monterey, California.