Whales in monterey

While in many areas whale watchers have to go far from shore to see a whale , along the Monterey coast whales can sometimes be seen offshore with the naked eye. Our trips depart from Monterey Harbor, which is an ideal place for local activities before or after your trip such as Monterey Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row and the scenic coast line of Pacific Grove. In addition, it is the most convenient area to see the whales. List of Most Recent Marine Mammal Sightings in the Monterey Bay Region.

Unusual sightings of other marine animals such as Leatherback Sea Turtles and Basking Sharks are also listed.

California Sea Lions , Harbor Seals and Southern Sea Otters , which are seen on all whale watching trips, are not included in the list. The Best Time of Year for Whale Watching out of Monterey. While we sailed out Greg talked to us about the different types of whales we might see like grey whales, humpback whales or possibly even Orcas (Killer Whales). There are two types of Orcas.

The resident Orcas eat fish while the transient Orcas hunt other sea going mammals including baby whales. How to Watch Whales in Monterey Bay California: Monterey to Santa Cruz. We have been operating for almost years.

Princess Monterey Whale Watching has the two largest and finest whale watching vessels on Monterey Bay: the 100ft. Both vessels are made for your comfort and have indoor heated cabins with large windows for viewing. Beginning Monday, up to blue whales have been.

Visit from mid-December through mid-April to see gray whales , dolphins and killer whales. The most common type spotted in the Monterey Bay is the transient killer whales who will hunt seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises and whales (typically gray whale calves and minke whales). Transients are often found in matriarch pods consisting of a female and her offspring (and even her offspring’s offspring). Seven whales began wildly breaching in Monterey Bay on Tuesday, right after a magnitude-4.

From April through November the Humpback Whale is the most common whale found out of Monterey Bay. The “local” population of several hundred Humpbacks are known to spend the winter months off of the Mexican Coast and then migrate to the central California coast for the feeding season. The entire Gray Whale population migrates past the Monterey coastline every winter and spring. These whales have one of the longest animal migrations known, traveling over 10miles from their summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea to their winter breeding grounds in Baja California and back again.

The best times to go whale watching in Monterey Bay are in the summer and fall months when the humpback and blues are here. The winter and spring months are a great time to catch gray whales. This chart shows what whales and other animals you might see each season.

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Humpback whales charge orcas in an ‘altruistic’ behavior that pushes the predators away from their favorite prey: seals, dolphins, sea lions and young whales. A pod of nine orcas have killed four grey whales in seven days in the bay. A Monterey Bay whale watching trip with Blue Ocean Whale Watch is the perfect activity for families, ecotourists, and photographers.

Tours depart from Moss Landing Harbor, which is halfway between Santa Cruz and Monterey – at the heart of the Monterey Bay and the closest port to the nutrient-rich Monterey Submarine Canyon. Monterey is one of the world’s best locations for whale watching due to the deep submarine canyon close to shore. This is where the search for the wonders of the bay’s marine life begins. With whales spotted almost every day, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Some species come here seasonally, such as grays, humpbacks and blue whales. Other species can be seen year-roun such as minke whales , killer whales and a variety of dolphins and porpoises. Overall species can be seen in the sanctuary.

For recent marine mammal sightings in the Monterey Bay area, visit Sanctuary Cruises or Monterey Bay Whale Watch. The Humpback Whale is the most common whale found out of Monterey Bay, seen usually from April through November. Monterey CA whale watching is one of the most fascinating experiences watchers can immerse themselves in. The best time to see gray whales off the Monterey coast is from September to April, for example, while blue whales are in good supply from March to October. Also commonly sighted while whale watching off the Monterey coast are humpback whales and orcas, and while it is rare, you might also see minke and fin whales.

April through October is the best time to see humpback whales , while March through July is the main orca season. For example, on the same day they saw blue whales , the crew saw humpback whales just during the a. Gray whales start swimming south from Alaska in October, generally passing the coast off San Diego from December through January and again in February and March when they return to their feeding grounds. Of the species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises in the worl have been spotted near the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

Even if a gray, blue, or humpback whale doesn’t make an appearance, the tour boat captains can usually find a pod of dolphins—common, bottlenose, or Risso’s, as well as rafts of sea lions.