Discovery Whale Watch

Discovery Whale Watch Monterey Bay is the premier destination for whale watching year around! Monterey Bay is the premier destination for whale watching all year!
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We see whales every day here in Monterey. Our daily whale watch trips are narrated by a marine biologist or naturalist who provides educational and interesting information about whales, dolphins, and a wide variety of marine wildlife. In addition to teaching you about the wildlife, our marine biologists and naturalists will provide information about the natural history of the local area and talk a

bout conservation. While out on the ocean, our marine biologists and naturalists are also collecting sighting data for scientific research. We are highly invested in learning about our local wildlife and serving as a data collection resource for other scientists who study our local wildlife as well. Our daily whale watch trips are 3.5-4 hours in duration in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. (Trips are weather permitting.) We travel to different locations within Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary to view whales and dolphins throughout the year. Our crew will show you how to spot whales and dolphins as well as give you advice on how to best capture photos and videos of the wildlife. We regularly send out a professional photographer on our whale watch trips to capture those amazing moments with the wildlife. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about getting the perfect shot. Furthermore, the photographers will be available to give you some tips and tricks for how to catch those moment for yourself while on board with us. We see whales year round! Learn more about the different species throughout the seasons on our website here: https://discoverywhalewatch.com/education/

05/31/2026

Morning trip was insane, watching 15+ Killer Whales porpoising together south towards Carmel Bay!

Wow 🤯 we are speechless right now!

Moments from this past week of trips (Tuesday – Friday)We encountered Killer Whales earlier this week on Tuesday afterno...
05/25/2026

Moments from this past week of trips (Tuesday – Friday)

We encountered Killer Whales earlier this week on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday turned out to have great feeding frenzies around the area. Thursday we watched two Humpback Whales roll around in algae, having a relaxing moment at the surface. Later we had “Direwolf” getting sassy as she had a couple of tail throwing moments on the afternoon trip. On Friday, passengers and crew onboard Pacifica were very lucky to encounter Baird's Beaked Whales! They are rare to encounter partly because of their long dive times and their preference for deep offshore waters! Pretty much have to be at the right place, right time! When we have seen them in the past they are often resting or milling at the surface, but during this encounter we got to watch them socialize and show a livelier side that most don’t get to see. Along with the beaked whales, we also encountered Humpback Whales, Common Dolphins.

Risso’s Dolphin sightings have also increased this past week thanks to market squid spawning not too far from the harbor around Cannery Row.

Trips 5/19 – 5/22

05/23/2026

Baird’s Beaked Whales are one of those once a year, if we’re lucky encounters out here in the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary.

On today’s 9am trip passengers onboard Pacifica headed offshore along the Carmel Canyon and came across a group of 40+ individuals. What really took us by surprise was how long they stayed at the surface, for 14 minutes!

Baird’s Beaked Whales prefer deep, cold offshore waters (deeper than 3000 ft). Their dive times are unpredictable and can last anywhere from 15 minutes to well over an hour. They mainly feed on squid, but are also known to hunt deep sea/pelagic fish.

Having this many individuals remain at the surface for that long was something special. We got to watch them socialize with one another, including a few chin slaps, shown in today’s video!

Video taken by Photographer Amanda

Friday’s extended trip was pretty swell… literally. Thankfully, the stronger forecasted winds held off until later in th...
05/17/2026

Friday’s extended trip was pretty swell… literally.

Thankfully, the stronger forecasted winds held off until later in the day, so we lucked out on both the weather and wildlife.

We started with a trio of Humpback Whales along with a few Harbor Porpoise mixed in, which are always a treat since they can be an elusive bunch. Not long after, a breach in the distance caught our attention and we made our way over just in time to watch the whale breach a few more times. We had a brief and quick glimpse at a pod of Northern Right Whale Dolphins. Then we encountered two known Humpbacks, “Percent” and “Venus,” traveling west.

Just before noon, Capt. Danny noticed tall spouts on the horizon and it turned out to be Fin Whales. This encounter was unique because of how curious they were, circling the boat numerous times on their own terms while we drifted in neutral. Watching the second largest whale in the world surface nearby really puts their scale into perspective and honestly left us in awe.

During the trip, we also responded to a Coast Guard call requesting nearby vessels to assist in rescuing passengers of a capsized vessel. We were on standby incase but once we knew that they were officially safe and sound, we resumed searching for more wildlife.

We ended the day with Pacific White-sided Dolphins and Risso’s Dolphins just as the winds finally started picking up.

Photos from 5/15 Extended Trip

Last Sunday’s Extended saw 4 dolphin species: Pacific White-sided, Risso’s, Northern Right Whale Dolphins, & Common Dolp...
05/16/2026

Last Sunday’s Extended saw 4 dolphin species: Pacific White-sided, Risso’s, Northern Right Whale Dolphins, & Common Dolphins.

We also watched scattered Humpbacks that included an active cow/calf pair, the calf giving us close passes and even tail throwing next to the boat. As the weather picked up, we tucked back in to watch Common Dolphins stampede & chase fish. Before we came in, we had a chance to see a rare Steller sea lion (not Chonkers).

Our GM Sophie manage to capture Humpback Whale "Motitas" and her calf on Monday and later on white-sides. Tuesday brought Common Dolphins, Humpbacks, and even a lost warbler resting on the boat before flying off, thanks Naturalist Isaiah for the photos. By Thursday, more feeding Humpbacks, birds, and Common Dolphins were chasing mackerel, photos by photographer Amanda

Photos from trips 5/10 (Extended), 5/11, 5/12, & 5/14

Photos from trips May 6th, 7th, and 9th
05/13/2026

Photos from trips May 6th, 7th, and 9th

Photos from trips 5/1 (Extended Trip), 5/2 and 5/3 (Extended Trip)
05/10/2026

Photos from trips 5/1 (Extended Trip), 5/2 and 5/3 (Extended Trip)

Photos from trips 4/25 (Extended WW), 4/26, 4/29 and 4/30
05/10/2026

Photos from trips 4/25 (Extended WW), 4/26, 4/29 and 4/30

Address

66 Fishermans Wharf
Monterey, CA
93940

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 5pm
Tuesday 7am - 5pm
Wednesday 7am - 5pm
Thursday 7am - 5pm
Friday 7am - 5pm
Saturday 7am - 5pm
Sunday 7am - 5pm

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