Monterey Bay Whale Watching: A Rough Seas Experience and Lessons Learned
Traveling the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to San Francisco brims with wildlife encounters, making a whale watching tour off California's coast a must-do. As experienced travelers from GlobetrotterGirls, we booked a trip in Monterey Bay expecting majestic sightings of the ocean's giants. Instead, we faced turbulent seas that left one of us battling severe seasickness, clinging to the rail while feeding breakfast to the seabirds.
We anticipated serene cruises like this:
Or similar thrilling encounters.
Reality proved far different.
Migrating whales frequent California's coast year-round: gray whales head from Mexico to Alaska in spring (returning south in December), humpbacks appear in spring, and blue whales from June to October. Monterey Bay, a premier spot, hosts numerous tours, many offering whale sightings guarantees.
We selected Monterey Bay Whale Watching for its value—longest tours, onboard marine biologists, and over 20 years' experience.
Curiously, we were shadowed by the Pacific Explorer from another operator throughout, suggesting most tours yield similar results at varying prices.
The outing began promisingly under clear skies and calm harbor waters
. But open ocean brought meter-high whitecaps, jolting us for three grueling hours. Seasickness plagued many passengers.
Those not ill scanned desperately for whales to justify the ordeal. Even the whales seemed deterred by the swells—we spotted none.
A pod of dolphins playfully escorted the boat, though steadying cameras amid the pitching was a challenge to avoid going overboard.
The dolphins couldn't compensate for missing whales after such a punishing ride.
Returning to harbor, we viewed sea otters, pelicans, and elephant seals lounging nearby. However, the extended harbor cruise felt like padding to meet tour promises, extending an already miserable trip.
In retrospect, better research was key. Crew noted low sighting odds without recent successes, and no recent whale logs appeared on tour sites. We received rainchecks for future tries, though out-of-town visitors like us may rarely redeem them.
