My feet left the deck as I clutched at the rail for balance. "Hold on" ordered the Captain as he spun the wheel into the whitecaps looming ahead of us. My breakfast slammed against my stomach and I vowed not to lose it. Swallowing hard, I braced myself against the wind when "thar she blows!" snapped my head to the right.
A plume of sea water was followed by a huge speckled back gliding above the water followed by the classic tail of a Gray Whale. Sweet...
Despite the challenging conditions, I really enjoyed Chris' Whale Watch on Monterey Bay south of San Francisco, California. The boat is basic with plenty of room to walk around and the Captain knew where to find whales. We were treated to constant sightings and even watched one whale breach many times and slap the water with his flipper. Monterey Bay sits over one of the deepest marine trenches in the World which attracts huge quantities of wildlife. Even Blue whales and Orcas can be spotted here seasonally.
Make sure to spend some time on the dock at Fisherman's Wharf, too. Seals and Sea Lions are everywhere. The fresh fish and clam chowder there have been featured on the Food Network. This is a special place and a great way to spend the day enjoying marine life at it's best.
