Morning trip had several playful pods of common dolphins. We found a southbound gray whale, but it managed to elude us. The afternoon trip also saw many common dolphins and one large, beautiful fin whale!! Great time to be out on the calm Pacific.

March 2

Both the morning trip and afternoon trip saw fin whales today! These giant creatures are starting to show up in greater numbers as the krill layer is becoming denser. The common dolphins were feeding on bait today to. Hungry whales and dolphins!

March 3

Great day on the water! The morning trip got the pleasure of some close encounters from a fin whale and a couple hundred common dolphins. The afternoon saw a fun trio of sub-adult gray whales headed northbound…they were rolling and playing with each other. Too cute!

March 5

Wild animals keep us on our toes. Lots of common dolphins found on the morning trip, but no baleen whales. One large fin whale and two small southbound grays found in the afternoon with only a handful of dolphins. Every trip is a new adventure.

March 6

FANTASTIC day! Today we found a little of everything! First we saw a huge pod of common dolphins as well as sea lions and birds feeding on bait fish all around the boat. Then we were surprised by 4 southbound adult gray whales…kinda late in the season for southbound, but we were happy to see them. Icing on the cake was a gorgeous humpback whale that eagerly showed flukes with every dive!

March 10

Calm after the storm….lots of common dolphins today, a handful of inshore bottlenose, 2 minke whales in the morning, and 1 southbound adult gray whale in the afternoon.

March 13

Foggy conditions, but still had the joy of finding lots of common dolphins and a pod of 6 northbound gray whales!

March 14

Happy “Pi” Day! Today the fog lingered again, but we had a couple hundred playful common dolphins scattered throughout both trips, plus 1 northbound juvenile gray whale and offshore bottlenose in the afternoon. Bring your jackets if you are cruising with us this weekend…it’s a bit brisk out there!

March 15

Julius Caesar may have had reason to beware the Ides of March, but we certainly didn’t! Today we had common dolphins throughout the whole trip. Lots of moon jellies have been showing up in our waters too, which has been quite pretty. No baleen whales today, but we did see dolphins on our sunset cruise as well!

March 16

We had three great trips on the Privateer today. The morning trip was surprised by an adult gray whale still heading southbound!! Several small pods of common dolphins were enjoyed by all too. In the afternoon we saw dolphins first – several hundred very playful ones! Then we found a cute little yearling gray headed northbound. Thanks to the high energy of Gamma Phi Beta sorority from SDSU we got to see feeding bottlenose dolphins on the sunset cruise.

March 17

The luck o’ the Irish brought us a great day! The morning trip got a couple close looks at two minke whales. This species is often difficult to view since they are usually quite shy, but we were close enough to hear them breathe and see their gorgeous markings. The afternoon trip saw 5 northbound gray whales, including a single juvenile that surprised us right next to the boat, and a pod of 4 that were rolling around in play behavior! Common dolphins all throughout the day too!!

March 18

So much variation from one day to the next, and one trip to the next. The morning trip today got an amazing encounter with 2 northbound gray whales. They were only 2 miles outside Mission Bay, frolicking, rolling, and backstroking. The guests were so close they could smell the whale breath! The afternoon trip also saw 4 northbound grays, as well as an elephant seal, a raft of sea lions, 1 minke whale, and 2 breaching humpbacks!! WOW!!!

March 20

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!! And what an amazing first day of spring it was indeed! Today we got so many thrills and once-in-a-lifetime moments, starting with 2 northbound sub-adult gray whales approaching our boat, rolling around, backstroking down our port side, spyhopping, and playing with kelp!!!! They were directly under the bow at one point (we shut the engines down) and we could see their entire outlines under the surface of the clear blue water. One more northbound gray was seeing passing the two playful ones, and common dolphins and sea lions were all around us at the same time. Just after this fantastic encounter we found a playful humpback who was rolling around with a female sea lion, flipper slapping and rolling in kelp. It breached once to the delight of all on board. What a spectacular day!!!

March 21

Very late in the season southbound gray whale today!! We were shocked to see one still headed down south, but got a couple of really good looks at it. We also saw 1 northbounder as well as both short-beaked and long-beaked common dolphins.

March 22

Three northbound gray whales, regularly showing their tail flukes, observed on morning trip in addition to a mom/calf pair. A rambunctious pod of common dolphins put on a great show for us as well. Guests on afternoon trip were also treated to a dolphin show, a shy sub-adult gray whale, and two northbound adult grays, one of which approached our vessel.

March 23

Saturday morning we had great views of a gray whale mom and calf. A small, highly energetic, pod of young common dolphins impressed everyone on board with their high jumps. The afternoon cruise started off with a somewhat elusive sub-adult gray whale; but it wasn’t long before we found a trio of northbound gray whales. A widely-scattered pod of common dolphins entertained all on our return trip.

March 24

Calm seas and bottle nose dolphins greeted guests as we left Mission Bay in the morning. Later in the cruise passengers enjoyed a large pod of feeding common dolphins; no baleen whales on morning cruise. Afternoon guests enjoyed a megapod of common dolphins–watching them in very clear water conditions was incredible. Two juvenile gray whales showed up briefly, but were very reclusive. Spring break is upon us, and there’s great conditions on the ocean–join us for a dolphin/whale watch!

March 26

Beautiful glassy conditions on the ocean all day. Morning guests were treated to great views of two minke whales (see minke mittens in photo), and came to understand the term “stinky minke.” They also observed one humpback whale. Afternoon guests got to see the same two minke whales….was nice of them to stick around….and hundreds of common dolphins (some seemingly under the influence of Red Bull). Great day on water and great guests!

March 27

Today was a great day to be on the water. We had Gray, Minke and Fin Whales as well as hundreds of dolphing to go with it. The weather continues to be nice on the water so call 619 839 0128 and make your reservations.

March 28

Fun-filled day on the Pacific today. The morning trip got to see 3 sub-adult gray whales headed northbound very early on in the trip. We got very good views and then continued on to find some playful common dolphins. The afternoon trip got the thrill of finding 2 humpback whales also headed north. Common dolphins joined them in the fun and one of the whales breached – much to the delight of all on board. The sunset was also spectacular this evening!

March 29

More amazement today! The morning trip started with a dozen inshore bottlenose dolphins that were much more playful with the boat than usual. Once offshore, we got a couple quick looks at a shy fin whale, but incredible views of 2 friendly minke whales! Usually the scenario is the other way around, so it was quite the treat to have curious minkes. The afternoon trip had a rambunctious pod of about 500 common dolphins, plus another fin whale and 2 northbound grays. Even the sunset cruise got a brief look at a gray whale! Fantastic day on the water!

March 30

The return of the sunshine! No marine layer to deal with today! Got to see 3 northbound gray whales, 1 minke whale, and 1400 common dolphins that were just as rambunctious as yesterday! The anchovies have been abundant in our waters lately and the dolphins seem to eat their fill and rather than taking a siesta, they leap and jump for joy!

March 31

HOPPY EASTER EVERYBUN! What a beautiful Easter Sunday indeed! It was as calm as a lake all day and the sun made our trips bright and warm. Five more northbound gray whales today – some juveniles and some adults. Both short-beaked and long-beaked commons were feasting on the local anchovy again and we even saw a sea lion pup hitch a ride on the back of a lady’s paddleboard! Too cute!

4 gray whales, 50 common dolphins, 40 Pacific white-sided dolphins, and 2 inshore bottlenose dolphins.
February 3
What superbowl? No point in watching tv when there are whales to be seen! Today’s totals were 9 gray whales, 120 common dolphins, 30 Pacific white-sided dolphins, and 2 inshore bottlenose dolphins. One of the grays on the morning trip breached 4 times! And two juvenile grays in the afternoon were rolling around with white-sided dolphins! Gorgeous day.

February 6
4 southbound gray whales (2 pairs of adults) seen within 4 miles of Mission Bay. Scattered common dolphins throughout the trip, and 2 inshore bottlenose to greet us at the harbor. We are expecting the southbound migration to start decreasing and for the northbound to start any day now.

February 7 
FANTASTIC gray whale and dolphin interactions today. We saw a total of 6 grays. A trio of juveniles encountered a pod of a dozen Pacific white-sided dolphins. The whales started tail-throwing, spy-hopping, and lunging. It was amazing! After viewing a few more grays we saw one breach from a distance3 times. Fun day.

February 9
The morning trip saw 3 gray whales including one that beached and lunged about 10 times. Afternoon trip saw another pair of grays that eagerly fluked on each dive. Bottlenose dolphins greeted us at the harbor entrance for both trips too. Large swell made for rolly conditions…likely still have some of that tomorrow as well.

February 10
This weekend was awesome! Wet saw several breaching gray whales, both big and small. Other grays were rolling and playing with Pacific white-sided dolphins! Common and bottlenose dolphins also delighted guests.

February 11
Good afternoon folks – a quick update on viewings and weather conditions at San Diego Whale Watch! We still continue to see solid numbers on gray whales daily. Today we had three gray whales on the southbound migration as well as a pod of 500 common dolphins! Weather conditions on the water were a little bumpy, but started to calm down in the afternoon. We are looking solid on our reservations all this week, so come on out and “sea” us! 619-839-0128

February 13
If you came out with us recently, you may have noticed a rather cool certificate hanging in our galley. San Diego Whale Watch won a Certificate of Excellence at TripAdvisor.com for 2012! This certificate is issued only to a few companies who showcase outstanding reviews, amazing customer service and are in the top of the game in their locations! We are listed in the top 20% of companies in San Diego on TripAdvisor!!

We are so lucky to have been chosen as one of the best and we hope to continue this streak through 2013! If you had an awesome time on one of our trips, go to our TripAdvisor page and leave us a review. I added a link to TripAdvisor on our links at the top of our page, to make it easier for you to access it.

Thank you to all our friends, fans and followers. We wouldn’t be able to do this without you!

You can also click here: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60750-d2268194-Reviews-San_Diego_Whale_Watch-San_Diego_California.html

February 13
today we saw a pair of southbound adult gray whales. Great looks at flukes on several occasions. Also had an adorable nursery pod of about 300 common dolphins and then 10 inshore bottlenose greeted us at the harbor.

February 14
Well, it’s been a long streak of gray whales – every single day since December 15th….but today we had a bit of a gap in the migration and did not see any. However, we did see a gorgeous humpback whale and THOUSANDS of common dolphins. Still a perfect time of year to see all kinds of wildlife. Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 15
Southbound season is NOT over….2 grays spotted today and we got word that there are 40-50 more coming down from the Monterey area. Also saw Pacific white-sided dolphins and common dolphins today. Flat calm seas, sunny skies.

February 16
Saw one huge adult gray whale still headed south, about 1500 very wound-up common dolphins, and 15 bottlenose with several young calves.

February 17
A little gap in the gray whale migration today, but more are on the way down and some are heading north now too. Saw about 250 common dolphins and 2 inshore bottlenose

February 18

BREACHING gray whale on the morning trip. We found a group of 4 adult grays travelling southbound and within minutes of viewing one of them breached twice. What a treat! Also found 2 more gray whales headed south in the afternoon!

February 19
A few sprinkles were not going to hold us back from seeing all the ocean had to offer today. We found 300 common dolphins almost immediately after leaving Mission Bay. Found 2 fantastic gray whales just moments after that and got to spend quite a bit of time with them. Last, the inshore bottlenose were there to greet us at the harbor entrance upon our return home.

February 22
Gorgeous clear skies made for incredible views of the snow in the local mountains from out on the ocean. It also gave us good visibility to find one southbound gray whale and several hundred common dolphins!
February 23
Every day and every trip is unique. We never know what we are going to see. This morning we had a couple hundred common dolphins, but no baleen whales. In the afternoon we had 2 gorgeous gray whales, but no dolphins. Wild animals in a big ocean….ya just never know.

February 24 
And the Oscar goes to……the gray whales!! This morning we had several scattered pods of common dolphins and a great pod of offshore bottlenose, but two gray whales were the highlight of the trip. The afternoon also had a few hundred common dolphins and some entertaining sea lions.

February 27
We found scattered common dolphins all the way from the OB pier to Hill Street. Also saw one yearling northbound gray whale that despite “snorkeling” gave us some good views. Safe travels little whale!

February 28
Today we had the pleasure of taking a boat full of third graders out on the ocean for a wonderful adventure. Thank you to Carlton Oaks Elementary School for your enthusiasm to learn about marine mammals! They got to enjoy several pods of common dolphins as well as a huge raft of sea lions. The afternoon trip took us about 12 miles offshore, but worth the extra mile (or miles) to see 4 northbound grays.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2013 is off to a fantastic start! The morning trip got the pleasure of seeing common dolphins and 4 gray whales – each travelling alone, but giving us great looks at flukes. The afternoon trip saw 6 whales including a pair of juveniles and a group of 4 adults! The quad got so close to us we could see the barnacles and lice very easily!

January 3

So many whales and so little time! Today’s morning trip saw 6 gray whales including a group of 4 that were swimming with a pod of common dolphins and giving us amazing looks at their flukes. The afternoon trip saw 5 more grays (with an additional 4 in the far distance) including our second newborn of the season!! It was super tiny and adorable. Seas were flat calm and the skies were sunny. Sure doesn’t feel like winter in SoCal!

January 4

Whales whales whales! On the morning trip today we found a gray whale within minutes of leaving Mission Bay. We got excellent looks at the flukes, spent a bit of time with it, and then ventured on to find something else. Really glad we got a bit of deeper water today because we found 4 juvenile fin whales that came right over to the boat!! They were sub-surface feeding and circling the area. Saw 2 more grays on the way in from the trip too. In the afternoon we had a feeling the fins would still be there, so after another great gray whale and some common dolphins, we headed further out and our luck continued – the fins were there and put on another great show!

January 5

PHENOMENAL GRAY WHALES!! This morning we were beyond thrilled to find our third cow/calf pair of grays and the calf was putting on such a show! It was playing with dolphins, throwing its tail in the air, and even nursing! I got some amazing pictures of this little guy’s entire head out of the water with mouth open, showing the baleen! The afternoon trip got the pleasure of watching a great group of 4 grays and another pair for a total of 6! What a fantastic day!!

January 6

Managed to get both trips in today before the heavy rain started. The morning trip got to see a total of 6 gray whales including a pair, a trio, and a single (all adults). A few dozen common dolphins lingered around the boat the whole time we were watching the whales too. The afternoon trip got to see one more gray whale with excellent looks at the flukes, plus a handful of inshore bottlenose dolphins on the way back in to the harbor.

January 7

Very proud of our Naturalist, Melissa- great shots and great story- Thank you, Alisa Schulman-Janiger for sharing! http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/post/friends-fan-out-capture-amazing-baby-whale-seal-footage-on-same-day/

January 7

Although we had to fight some strong swells today, we pushed through and saw SIX gray whales! It started with a single adult whale that was a bit long-winded, but a group of 4 was not too far behind and we spent quite a bit of time with them. Saw one more briefly on the way back in too!

January 8

Setting records! Today we only had one trip, but we had our highest whale count of the gray whale season for a 3-hour trip! FOURTEEN gray whales including a group of 5 and lots of looks at tail flukes! During our last few minutes with the grays, a juvenile fin whale suddenly surprised us right off our bow. It only stuck around for a couple quick looks and disappeared. We also saw a pod of 12 Risso’s dolphins (first in a long time) and a couple of inshore bottlenose. GREAT DAY!

January 9

Fog rolled in a bit earlier than expected today, but we still managed to find 6 gray whales including a trio, plus a handful of inshore bottlenose. Rain and wind expected tomorrow, so we’ll be sitting that one out….

January 12

Another great day on the Pacific now that the storm swell has subsided. The morning trip saw a total of 8 great whales including a group of 6 sub-adults and even a yearling in the channel of Mission Bay! Obviously this is not an ideal situation for a whale, and it did appear to be a bit stressed out. But good news, we watched it leave the harbor at the beginning of our afternoon trip. That turned into a great trip too, with several more whales! see you all soon!

January 13

Morning cruise was very special–we were treated to seeing a newborn Eastern Pacific Gray Whale calf–only about 20 minutes old….how lucky for us! In addition to the calf and mom, we saw another gray whale, which showed its beautiful tail flukes, and three of the four species of dolphin in the area–common, bottle nose, and Pacific White-Sided. Afternoon cruise was good as well–good looks at four adult gray whales traveling together and another single gray whale, as well as a pod of common dolphins. This is prime time for the gray whales….hope to see you out on the water soon!

January 14

Dolphin delight!! Today we started the trip with the best pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins ever! We don’t often have more than a handful of these beautiful wintertime dolphins, but this pod was easily between 30 and 40 strong! They were bow-riding, feeding, tail-slapping, and surfing in our wake. There were even a few common dolphins mixed in! After enjoying that for some time, we found more commons and 2 gorgeous gray whales. Flat calm seas, sunny skies, and happy guests and crew!

January 15

More Pacific white-sided dolphins, common dolphins, and gray whales! Today’s grays included a pair of sub-adults and a trio of adults all with gorgeous flukes. It’s still a bit brisk out there, but it’s getting warmer!

January 16

Today observed two beautiful adult gray whales regularly showing their tail flukes, at least 200 common dolphins, and a few bottle nose dolphins in the channel…..smooth seas, great visibility and blue skies–conditions on the water don’t get much better than they were today!

January 17

Today we found some “kelp rat” gray whales. This is the term we give to the juveniles that are travelling just on the outskirts of the kelp line or directly in it. We found one juvenile swimming right among the thickest part of the kelp and another pair of youngsters just outside it. A couple of common dolphins helped lead their way. We found several more pods of dolphins throughout the trip too and the was so calm and clear!

January 18

Amazing day on “Lake Pacific” today. Best dolphins we’ve seen all week with at least 200 of them frolicking around the boat. We also had one gray whale that gave us some great views!

January 19

Didn’t think it would be possible to get calmer seas than yesterday, and yet it seems we did! It was so clear out we could see all the way to San Clemente Island (about 60 miles from Mission Bay). In the morning we found an incredible pod of about 150 offshore bottlenose dolphins. They were really wound up and we enjoyed them for quite some time. A bit later we arrived on scene to 5 gray whales that fluked constantly – sometimes in sync with each other! In the afternoon we found more playful dolphins, but this time it was about 600 commons!! Then, after enjoying the warm sunshine for a while, we found a pair of grays that were never on a dive longer than 2 minutes. GREAT DAY!

January 20

Three species of dolphins today plus several amazing gray whales! The only dolphins we didn’t see were Risso’s (they are likely feeding offshore on the abundant Humboldt squid), but we did see a handful of inshore bottlenose, about a dozen Pacific white-sided, and several hundred common dolphins! Top that off with gray whales showing flukes all day long and you have yourself a perfect day!

January 21

This gray whale season has set so many records already including overall numbers having passed through SoCal to date, numbers of southbound calves, and now a new ultimate high record of number of whales in one group!! The morning trip had the experience of a lifetime seeing OVER 20 whales in one pod!! This is likely the same mega-pod that the gray whale census counters saw yesterday in Los Angeles. I will go through pictures soon (I took over 700, so it may be a few hours til they’re posted) and try to get an accurate count on the number in the group. It was phenomenal!!! In the afternoon we also got some gorgeous views of 2 trios of grays, and another pair, plus a handful of common dolphins just before sunset. Whew!! Exhausting and exhilarating day!! – Naturalist Melissa

January 22

Holiday weekend may be over, but the great weather and whales continue to amaze us! We saw 4 more grays today (2 up close and 2 in the distance) plus a really playful pod of common dolphins and sea lions.

January 23

One spy hop and two breaches wowed the guests on board the Privateer this morning….this is one of three gray whales observed on the cruise–two of which approached our vessel! Also saw several common dolphin….unbelievably calm ocean.

January 25

We didn’t let a little light rain keep us tied to the dock today. We bundled up and got out to the open sea. Started off with a handful of inshore bottlenose dolphins at the entrance to the bay, then about a dozen Pacific white-sided dolphins, followed by over 100 common dolphins. The gray whales were also still on the move and we were able to find a single and then a trio shortly after.

January 26

Lots of fog to contend with this morning, but it didn’t slow us down. We still found 6 inshore bottlenose dolphins, about 50 common dolphins, and 2 very playful gray whales that were rolling around together and gave us some great views of their flukes. By the afternoon trip, the fog had lifted and we saw 8 more gray whales all within about a mile of each other. This included a trio, two pairs, and a single that breached in the distance!

January 26

http://www.cbs8.com/story/20715014/large-pod-of-gray-whales-spotted-off-coast

Our large pod of gray whale showed up on the evening news! Check out the clip! Melissa, our naturalist on board, made a great cameo – not to mention some fantastic input from experts all throughout San Diego!

January 27

A bit rougher seas today, but in the morning we spotted a pair of grays, a handful of common dolphins, and then another pod of 5 grays. In the afternoon we saw a few more scattered commons, and a wonderful trio of grays with a few more in the distance….oh, and some bottlenose dolphins on the way in. Tomorrow (Monday) is the backside of the storm which often means strong swells and winds, so we’ve decided to cancel. But the rest of the week looks like it will be back to our normal SoCal condition

January 30

Seas calmed down quite a bit today and we enjoyed a handful of inshore bottlenose at the mouth of Mission Bay, about 50 common dolphins that enthusiastically changed their course in order to play with the boat, and 2 gorgeous gray whales. The second whale was even in “rest mode” and hung out near the surface for quite some time and swimming slowly until finally diving down. Even whales have to make a pit stop once in awhile.s!!

We had 2 boats on the water today. The Eclipse had a 3-hour charter and got the pleasure of seeing 5 fin whales plus lots of common dolphins. The Privateer also had dolphins as well as 3 kinds of baleen whales! While watching 2 minke whales on the morning trip a large splash was seen close to shore off North La Jolla. It turned out to be a breaching humpback!! We did get some close views of the whale (after the breaching) and witnessed lob-tailing and a few good looks at the tail flukes. The afternoon trip had a couple hundred more dolphins and a sub-adult fin whale! The grays may not be here yet, but there’s still lots of action on the Pacific!

December 2, 2012

Another extraordinary day on the water! This morning’s trip started early with a couple of inshore bottlenose dolphins at the mouth of Mission Bay. Not long after that we got to play with about 100 short-beaked common dolphins. Rain and fog started to make the day gloomy, but the skies cleared in time to find the same humpback and 2 minkes from yesterday! The humpback was surface-feeding for a little while and then did a couple of tail throws and even breached!! Just when we thought our trip couldn’t be any better we found the FIRST GRAY WHALE OF THE SEASON only a couple of miles outside Mission Bay!!! It was a large adult whale headed southbound and eager to get to the lagoons. The afternoon trip also got the joy of finding about 8 more inshore bottlenose, 500 short-beaked commons, and the same gorgeous humpback and minke whales! The humpback approached the boat a couple of times to the delight of all passengers on board. Skies remained clear until we were back at the dock and the rain showed up again…but there wasn’t a frown to be had!! GREAT DAY!

December 3, 2012

Third time is a charm! This was the third day in a row we found the same awesome humpback whale. Today it was surface-feeding on krill and even lunged next to the bow of the boat, so close that we could have jumped into the mouth!! There were also 3 minke whales feeding nearby and one came over to check us out! Just before we got back to the harbor we had a handful of inshore bottlenose dolphins that sprinted over to us to play!

December 4, 2012

Fourth day in a row finding the humpback whale….we’ve now unofficially named it Holly. It was surface-feeding again along with 2 fin whales and a minke. We also saw about 200 commons and a couple inshore bottlenose! Bright sunny skies and calm seas!

December 7, 2012

After a couple of days without trips, we had to start from scratch today to find whales….but it paid off! We found a handful of inshore bottlenose dolphins just outside the harbor to start things off nicely. Then we hit the jackpot with two fins, a minke, and a DIFFERENT humpback from the one we had all week. Very good looks at the flukes and it tells the story that this whale was probably attacked by a killer whale long ago.

December 8, 2012

So many whales today!! On the morning trip we headed out to where we saw whales yesterday and were rewarded to find 2 fins and 2 minkes. They were just milling around the area of 100Fathoms. But it’s amazing how different things can be in just a couple short hours, because we couldn’t find any of those same whales in the afternoon. However, we got back to the area off La Jolla where we had luck before and found the SAME humpback from last week! It was surface-feeding and milling around with another fin whale and 2 more minkes! Oh, and we can’t forget the 500 common dolphins and 2 inshore bottlenose!

December 9, 2012

Our motto here at SDWW is “it’s not over til we’re back at the dock”…and today was proof of that! Coming in on our afternoon trip just now and we spotted a pair of gray whales just outside Mission Bay! This is only our second gray sighting of the season and it was beautiful at sunset. This was after also seeing two minke whales and a gorgeous humpback and hundreds of common dolphins throughout the day!

December 10, 2012

More whales!! Today we saw yet another humpback whale, plus 2 fins, a minke, about 150 common dolphins, and 300 offshore bottlenose!! Yes, you read that right – 300 bottlenose. That’s one of the largest pods we’ve ever seen off our our coast! The water conditions couldn’t be any nicer than it is right now too.

December 10, 2012

FACEBOOK FAN SPECIAL!! Hi everyone! As you might have noticed, we’ve been having a lot of luck lately finding a huge variety of marine mammals. Our trip tomorrow (Tuesday) has a very light load, but we are definitely going. We are teaming up with the local food bank to help those in need this holiday season. So, for tomorrow’s trip, the first 50 people to donate two cans of food will get a FREE tour on the Privateer! To reserve your spot, call owner/captain Chris Switzer (858-610-8844) and we will have bins for the food donation at the landing upon your arrival. Let’s help feed the hungry

December 11, 2012

Whales Whales Whales!! That was three cheers – one for each of the humpback whales we saw!! One was the same from yesterday, but the other two were different. This makes 10 days in a row of humpback whale sightings with a total of 5 different individuals. Wow!! Also saw a large fin whale too! Take advantage of the last day of the Groupon deal and come SEA the fun!

December 15, 2012

GRAY WHALES! Today we were back on the water after a 3 day hiatus due to weather. While our humpback whale streak ended, we can’t be happier that it lasted as long as it did! We were still rewarded today with 2 very large (possibly pregnant) gray whales! We got fantastic looks at both of them and were lucky enough to find them in the afternoon as well. Also in the afternoon we found 4 Pacific white-sided dolphins swimming with the whales! These are our first local “Lags” (short for Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) of the season!

December 16, 2012

EIGHT gray whales spotted today – 4 for each trip! This includes our FIRST SOUTHBOUND CALF OF THE SEASON on the morning trip and a trio on the afternoon trip. Plus we saw about 150 commons and 3 more Pacific white-sided dolphins!

December 17, 2012

2 more gray whales today! We got close looks at one of these whales (the other was in the distance) plus an adorable nursery pod of common dolphins. Today was truly the calm before the storm as the water so so glassy and perfect! No trips the next two days as a nasty cold front is approaching. But there will be sunshine and whales after that passes through!

December 20, 2012

Another gray whale today on flat calm seas! This whale was quite the show-off giving us good looks at the flukes on 2 out of every 3 breaths, not just on dives. Plus we saw about 75 common dolphins and half a dozen inshore bottlenose! The snow in the mountains can also be seen from the water and it is breathtaking!

December 21, 2012

Found our first southbound pod of gray whales….a total of five including a newborn! We don’t usually see cow/calf pairs traveling with that many other adults so it was a treat! We also saw one other gray whale, so our total for the trip was 6!

December 22, 2012

Saturday morning trip: 2 gorgeous gray whales and 400 common dolphins! The first gray whale fluked many times and had kelp on the flukes a couple of times. It also spyhopped with kelp on its head! Here’s hoping the afternoon trip will be just as awesome! Stay tuned for details….

CAPTAIN’S LOG: December 22, 2012

Saturday afternoon trip was nothing short of picture perfect San Diego weather- The animals did not dissapoint, either. Thanks to my sportfishing buddies fishing La Jolla, Privateer gets some major advantages to the SDWW operation. Not only are we 10 minutes to open ocean, the close relationship with the sportboat brethern helps us get on whales and dolphins daily. The Captains aboard these vessels keep a weather eye out for us year round, and we say Thank You to Chubasco 2 Sportfishing, Alexes Sportfishing, the New Seaforth, Pacific Voyager and Sea Watch. As for our air breathing water friends, we were greeted with a group of 8-10 Pacific White Sided Dolphins and a pod of 3 Gray Whales that put on a great show for our afternoon group today. THe weather was absolutly beautiful and we really enojoyed the guests aboard this afternoon! We are out for 2 trips tomorrow, if you’d like to join, a 10am and 130 pm departures.
Thanks for checking in with us! Capt Mark

CAPTAIN’S LOG: December 23, 2012

What more can be said for the migration of the Gray whales right now, other than ‘Spectacular”. The morning trip started out with a herd of Grays 5 adult and one Juvenile that were spotted by us going from West to East (as opposed to North to South) and then South into the kelpline of Point Loma. We then ventured to the 100 fathom curve where we had great showings on Common Dolphins and even spotted 2 Fin whales. In the afternoon, I spotted our same group of 6 Grays from inside Mission Bay- after woring out to them, we saw a pair ahead of them. Another boat turned us onto a great pod of about 35 Risso dolphins, that displayed lots of Spyhopping and Tail Slapping behaviors. The weather today, beautiful- flat calm and serene. I wish you all could have been here today. Out for a 10 am trip tomorrow, so come on out, we’ll welcome you aboard Privateer!
Breaches and Flukes, Capt Mark

December 27, 2012

The phone has been ringing off the hook! Seems like a lot of people got some great holiday gifts … to go out on the water and enjoy wildlife! My trips for tomorrow are sold out, but if you still want to come out, I have plenty of availability for my trips on Saturday and all the way up through the new year! Celebrate the new year with our wildlife. Call 619-839-0128 to book now or book online at https://secure.seaforthlanding.com/new/whalewatch.php .

Again, thank you to everyone who gave us such an amazing 2012. Without you, our friends, we would not be here, so we thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.

December 28, 2012

Our perfect weather returned today and the wildlife made it even better. The morning trip got to see a total of 5 gray whales including a trio. The afternoon saw two more grays and about 150 common dolphins!

December 29, 2012

Gray whales and common dolphins continued to delight us all day today. The morning trip got to see 4 grays (2 of which were surrounded by common dolphins) and the afternoon trip saw 3 more! What a great time of year for whale watching!

December 30, 2012

Today we were caught in the occasional rainstorm, but it didn’t dampen our spirits and we ended up having an incredible day! The morning trip got to see FOUR different species of baleen whales including 1 humpback, 2 fins, 1 minke, and 2 grays…plus a handful of common dolphins! The afternoon trip also saw the same humpback and fin whales, plus dolphins, and 3 gorgeous rainbows! Sometimes a little “bad” weather can bring out some of the best sightings.

December 31, 2012

2012 is ending on a high note! Today’s morning trip saw NINE gray whales including a juvenile that approached the boat before going back to swim with the adult it was travelling with. Super cool! The afternoon saw 3 more grays and a brief sighting of 2 Pacific white-sided dolphins. Thanks to everyone who joined us this year for what can only be described as epic. Here’s to whales, dolphins, good weather, and good fortune for 2013! Happy New Year everyone!!

Found a hundred common dolphins, plus some sea lions and a Mola mola today in lake-like conditions.

November 3, 2012

This beautiful fall day brought us a great view of a minke whale and 25 spunky offshore bottlenose dolphins. As we finished our last sunset cruise of 2012, we saw the close of Daylight Savings Time and look forward to an extra hour of sleep tonight!

November 4, 2012

Spectacular day on the water today! The morning trip got the pleasure of watching the crazy shenanigans of over 80 offshore bottlenose dolphins, including “Patches” the piebald (partially albino)! In the afternoon, while enjoying a pod of playful commons, a blue whale suddenly surprised us. It was a very large whale, that appeared to be feeding as it was circling around the area off La Jolla. Happy to see the blues are still in the area!

November 5, 2012

Blue whale season isn’t over yet! Today we saw three of them surface-feeding off La Jolla in crystal clear water surrounded by common dolphins and Cassin’s auklets. It simply could not be a more perfect day!

November 6, 2012

Another blue whale spotted today. This time it was travelling South, but we got some good looks. The dolphins managed to hide from us today, but we were all very content to spend a nice day on the water and enjoy the blue whale!

November 7, 2012

This year, San Diego Whale Watch will have a booth at the American Cetacean Society conference! If you are going, swing by and say HI! We plan on having a lot of fantastic pictures taken by our wonderful naturalists as well as the chance to meet some of our crew and sit down and chat!

November 9, 2012

Pretty rough seas due to an approaching storm, but whale-watchers, including several in town for the ACS Conference, did get to see a good-sized mola mola and about 40 common dolphins. Chris fished about 10 balloons out of the water–the marine mammals, fish and birds should be happy not to have to deal with them

November 11, 2012

A big thank you to the American Cetacean Society for allowing San Diego Whale Watch and Pacific Nature Tours be a part of the outstanding conference here in San Diego. We learned so much and made some great connections. To anyone still in town for the conference, or anyone at all for that matter, we have a second 3-hour trip running Monday afternoon. Light load right now and the conditions are great on the water. Hope to see you out there!

November 12, 2012

Calm seas have returned and so have all of the dolphins! Today’s morning trip got to enjoy the “trifecta” of all 3 local dolphin species, starting with a nursery pod of Risso’s only a couple miles from shore! Afterward we found several hundred playful commons and just minutes later a large pod of about 60 offshore bottlenose! The afternoon trip also got to enjoy the same pod of Risso’s and a pod of bottlenose! Our local waters are the place to be if you’re in search of squid and bait fish!

November 13, 2012

Playful commons and breaching Risso’s today! We just love these gorgeous animals!

November 16, 2012

Today was one of those days where you just want to jump in and swim with the dolphins. We probably never went more than 10 minutes without seeing common dolphins today…they were everywhere! And the water was glassy calm and gorgeous! If you can make it out with us this weekend or sometime next week, you definitely should. Gray whales should be arriving any day now!

November 17, 2012

More flat calm seas and common dolphins today. There have been a few sightings of gray whales to the north of us, so we are anxious for them to arrive!

November 18, 2012

30 Risso’s dolphins spotted only a half mile out from Mission Bay in 20 fathoms of water this morning. This included at least 5 cow/calf pairs. The squid has been very shallow lately, so these gorgeous dolphins came in to get a bite to eat. We also had common dolphins, sea lions, and hundreds of seabirds feasting off La Jolla. The mackerel were trying to hide under our boat! The afternoon trip was also able to enjoy a pod of common dolphins, bow-riding and wake-surfing. Nice day on the water.

November 19, 2012

Lots more dolphins today. Started early with a beautiful pod of short-beaked common dolphins. Then we decided to head out West for a little while and it paid off with a HUGE pod of about 300 offshore bottlenose dolphins! They were breaching on the bow, getting guests wet, and leaping for joy in the wake. It was such a treat and so difficult to leave!

November 20, 2012

Pretty day—and some common dolphins—still awaiting that first gray whale….should be any day now!

November 21, 2012

Everyone here, at San Diego Whale Watch, hopes that all our friends and their families have a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with nothing but beautiful memories and fabulous food! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

November 21, 2012

Gorgeous weather, beautiful blue water, frolicking Risso’s dolphins, and a great bunch of guests…..we are so thankful for today and every day! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

November 23, 2012

Risso’s dolphins and offshore bottlenose dolphins today. I think the whales must be recovering from a Thanksgiving feast!

November 25, 2012

Common dolphins all day today! It was great watching them bow-ride, surf in the wake, and feeding with sea lions and birds. Flat calm seas again too!

November 26, 2012

FIN WHALE AND HUMPBACK WHALE TODAY!!! We found one of each in calm water only six miles off South La Jolla feeding on sub-surface krill! Spectacular show!!!

GREAT WHITE SHARK 4.5 miles off La Jolla!!!!!! It was feeding on a harbor seal. Can’t wait to get the pics and video posted! Oh, and common dolphins sighted today too.

October 5, 2012

400 common dolphins, calm seas, and a gorgeous sunset!

October 6, 2012

600 common dolphins today, plus several baby Mola mola. Calm seas, abundant bird life, and a picture perfect sunset!

October 7, 2012

Guests enjoyed bottle nose dolphins on Sunday morning’s cruise as well as hundreds of common dolphins. A real treat was in store for the afternoon cruise–a young humpback whale–amazing everyone with nearly 20 breaches and several spy hops. Blows of larger baleen whales were seen in the distance….looks like with the cooler water and more krill, they’re returning to the area! Also saw common dolphins on return trip. Great day on the water.

CAPTAIN’S LOG: October 7, 2012

I am still in awe of the amazing afternoon trip we had today… after what seemes like eternity without Baleen whales, I was in disbelief as I spotted a blow from the bridge…. turned out to be one of the best encounters we’ve ever had with a Humpback aboard Privateer at San Diego Whale Watch… this animal followed the boat, played, breached too close for MY comfort and gave us great looks and utter amazement. I knew it was only a matter of time as we saw so many Shearwaters feeding on krill outside La Jolla yesterday afternoon before the baleen whales returned. On another note, I did see a couple big blows 2 miles west of our Humpback, which I believe were Fin Whales… but decided not to leave this animal… good thing, I would have had a mutiny on my hands… hopefully this marks the turn for us and the baleen whales give us an October and November to remember while we await the Grays…. Capt Mark

October 8, 2012

No baleen whales today–however, a highly energized pod of over 500 common dolphins and at least 30 Risso’s dolphins kept guests and crew entertained–plus we got to see several young Mola Mola’s.

October 9, 2012

Bottle nose dolphins greeted guests as we exited Mission Bay this morning—and we were entertained by at least 1,000 common dolphins offshore. Lots of sea birds were spotted as well.

October 10, 2012

500 common dolphins today. Water temperature is 67 degrees and dropping….this is good news if we want the whales to return!

October 12, 2012

Hey Everyone! We just joined twitter (better late than never, right?). Follow us @SDWhaleWatch! Tweet us from the boat, tweet us from the land, tweet us about anything and everything!

October 12, 2012

Today was the calm AFTER the storm. Very nice conditions considering yesterday’s rainy weather. Lots of friendly common dolphins and even a handful of Risso’s dolphins. Lovely day!

October 14, 2012 –

800 common dolphins, flat calm seas, blue skies, and we could see the Miramar Air Show from the ocean….yeah, it was a good day.

October 19, 2012

A couple hundred common dolphins in the morning; followed by….finally…two adult blue whales on the afternoon cruise….an extra treat was another couple hundred dolphins….glad the baleen whales are back!
Guests looking at the whale got quite a surprise and distraction–a shore bird trying to hitch a ride!

October 23, 2012

THREE BLUE WHALES!!! Today we we delighted to find these amazing animals only 5 miles offshore. The first was a pair (adult and juvenile) and the third was just a little past them. They gave us great looks, including tail flukes! Gorgeous day on the water too! Yay!

October 24, 2012

SURFACE-FEEDING BLUE WHALES!!! Today we faced some strong swells and it paid off. We started early with a pod of 200 common dolphins and a huge flock of birds feeding on bait fish. Then we found 4 adorable juvenile Mola molas. Then the highlight of the day was EIGHT blue whales including Nubby and Captain Hook (favorites from last year!) all feeding on surface krill!! Looks like the whales of summer are back!

October 25, 2012

BLUES AND MINKES!! Today we had common dolphins scattered almost throughout the entire trip. We went to the same area we saw the blues yesterday, but they weren’t there. Just when we were starting to think we were going to strike out, we saw a spout! Turned out to be one very large blue and two minkes swimming around it. The blue whale came up to surface feed twice very close to the boat. Spectacular show! Third day in a row for the return of the blue whales!!

October 26, 2012

Crew took the Eclipse out today for a fun day on the water and found 3 blue whales and thousands of common dolphins!

October 28, 2012

Super calm seas today with excellent visibility both above and below the surface. We enjoyed several hundred common dolphins with a few sea lions mixed in. No baleen whales today, but there’s always tomorrow!

October 29, 2012

Autumn is the best time to come out on the water…it is so calm and gorgeous! We got to share the nice weather with some playful common dolphins and lots of jumping baby Mola molas. Tomorrow we have two trips and the afternoon load is very light. Come join us for two-for-one Tuesday!

October 30, 2012

A bit of fog in the morning, but it lifted early and just in time to find some common dolphins and 1 very large Southbound blue whale. The afternoon was also sunny and calm and allowed us to play with more commons and another blue whale, but this time headed North! There was also a pair of minkes not too far from the blue and lots of ocean sunfish. Fun day!

October 31, 2012

1000 common dolphins today and a surprise visit from 30-40 bottlenose that we haven’t seen in awhile. Tomorrow’s trip is very light again, and it’s perfect weather. Join us for some fun!