Condor Express Whale Watching

Condor Express Whale Watching Condor Express in Santa Barbara has been creating amazing whale watching experiences since 1979 ๐Ÿ‹ Come aboard - Your Adventure Awaits!
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The Santa Barbara Channel offers some of the finest whale and dolphin watching in the world. View gray, humpback and blue whales, dolphins, orcas, seals and sea lions along the coast and at the Channel Islands. Gray whales pass along the cost during their annual migration every winter and spring. Friendly humpback and gigantic blue whales enter our Santa Barbara Channel to feed from March through

fall. The channel is home to over 27 species of whales and dolphins, six types of seals and sea lions, and countless seabirds and fish throughout the year. The Condor Express is an eco-friendly, 75โ€™, quad-jet catamaran that has an extremely stable and comfortable ride. It carries up to 127 passengers. This state-of-the-art vessel uses water jet propulsion and was specially designed for allowing ocean mammals to visit up close without endangering them with a spinning propeller. Because of itโ€™s design and speed, we get to the wildlife quickly, sit quietly, and allow whales and other sea life to visit with us.

Today was all about moms and there calves ๐ŸฅนFinally some warm sunshine!
05/31/2026

Today was all about moms and there calves ๐Ÿฅน
Finally some warm sunshine!

Image: a humpback whale spy-hops close to the Condor Express.2026 05โ€“30 SB ChannelIt was a gorgeous, sunny day, but it was quite windy and bumpy offshore, so we did not go there. In fact, we were never more than 4 miles off the coast. Sightings were phenomenal: 5000 common dolphins, 5 humpback wha...

Gusty offshore but beautiful day with Fins ๐Ÿ’•
05/30/2026

Gusty offshore but beautiful day with Fins ๐Ÿ’•

Image: one of our multitalented deck hands, Aspen, is shown retrieving a special balloon from the ocean surface. (More information in my report.) Photo courtesy of Kelly Kohls.2026 05โ€“29 SB ChannelBlue skies prevailed for the entire trip today. It was the โ€œtale of 2 channelsโ€ with regards to w...

Red, white, & BLUE ๐Ÿ’™Another great in the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area
05/26/2026

Red, white, & BLUE ๐Ÿ’™

Another great in the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area

Image: humpback whales are not vegetarians! But they sure do like to rub their bodies in giant kelp and other macroalgae. Hereโ€™s one that is kelping.2026 05โ€“25 SB ChannelCaptain Eddy and the crew (Isabel and Camille) report calm seas with super clear water. On the way home there was a fresh bree...

Near perfect day ๐Ÿ˜
05/25/2026

Near perfect day ๐Ÿ˜

Image: a hungry humpback whale does some sideways surface lunge feeding in the Santa Barbara Channel.2026 05โ€“24 SB ChannelThe track of the Condor Express today ran directly from the Harbor, SW towards the W end of beautiful Santa Cruz Island. All of our sightings were along that track, and all of ...

05/24/2026

Sweet moments with a humpback mom and calf today! Surfacing together, diving together, and giving us the sweetest glimpse into life at sea ๐ŸŒŠโœจ

The Santa Barbara Channel has been absolutely showing off lately and every trip feels like a full-on ocean safari. Whoโ€™s coming out next?

Todays sightings included
These 2 Humpback Whales
1 Blue Whale with a couple more in the area
& 400 Common Dolphins

Friendly cow calf pair this morning ๐Ÿฅน
05/24/2026

Friendly cow calf pair this morning ๐Ÿฅน

Image: a glassy gray ocean surface is broken by a large rounded dorsal fin. Is it a Mako, or a great white?2026 05โ€“23 SB ChannelThe entire day was spent in the gray from a thick stratus layer. There was no swell, and no wind. Sightings: 1 and identified 12 foot long shark, 2 humpback whales, and 3...

Grey day but filled with blues ๐Ÿ’™
05/23/2026

Grey day but filled with blues ๐Ÿ’™

Image: a giant blue whale creates a huge fan appreciation moment near beautiful Santa Cruz Island.2026 05โ€“22 SB ChannelWe experienced idyllic conditions for whale watching: calm seas, no wind, no swell. Captain Dave transected the Channel, found lots of activity in the lanes, then went on to visit...

05/23/2026

Super Bowl energy while whale watching is top tier ๐Ÿค˜๐Ÿผ

๐ŸŽฅ by

Some BIG whale energy in the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area lately ๐Ÿ˜ฑ
05/22/2026

Some BIG whale energy in the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area lately ๐Ÿ˜ฑ

Image: a blue whale is seen underwater as it comes up to the surface close to the bow of the Condor Express in the Santa Barbara Channel.2026 05โ€“21 SB ChannelCaptain Eddy and the crew reported partly sunny skies for the first half of the trip, and lots of dense 1/4 mile visibility fog on the way b...

Address

301 W Cabrillo Boulevard
Santa Barbara, CA
93101

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 6pm
Thursday 7:30am - 6pm
Friday 7:30am - 6pm
Saturday 7am - 6pm
Sunday 7am - 6pm

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