A friend of mine told me that, being a child, he was aware that a hedgehog is a fantastic creature. And, when he saw a real hedgehog, his world has turned upside down. Something similar happened between me and whales. Intellectually, I knew that they do exist, but I couldn’t believe it in my heart.
Can you imagine an alive creature that has a length as a nine-story building? I’m not exaggerating: the average length of an adult blue whale is 22-27 meters, and in 1926 some bastards caught one that had 33 meters! A blue whale weighs about 150 tonnes - as much as 1800 adult men together, and his heart weighs about 600 kg. They can live without sleep for up to 3 months, hold their breath up to 12 hours and don’t eat for 8 months!
After several whale watching trips in Canaria and Madeira, my awareness that the whales are fairy-tale animals jus had been strengthened: we’ve seen a lot of dolphins, and whales - on the pictures in sniper’s albums.
But in 2013 I met them. The last place where I did expect to see them was the USA; but, being in Monterey aquarium, I’ve seen a lot of signs inviting for whale watching, the weather was good, and I decided to go.
I’ve seen them. Ok, I've seen their tails, backs, and fountains. But there were real, alive, free whales, just in several miles from the coast! They DO EXIST! I’ve observed them, I’ve heard the sounds of their splashes, I sensed the presence of this clever giant in a couple of hundred meters away from me, and I felt myself an incredibly happy person.
How to see whales in Monterey:
🚀 Monterey is about 112 miles south from San Francisco by highway, but if you want to see one of the most beautiful roads in California - follow California 1; it will take you about 2-3 hours then. Look for Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey Bay, leave your can in the parking and proceed to the end of the wharf. There you can find several companies selling whale watching trips.
⏰ Usually, half-day cruises start at 9 AM or 10 AM or at Noon. You better arrive 30 minutes before.
💶 The half-day tours cost you about $40-$50 for 2,5 - hour trip depends on weather and on a company. Discount for the children available. If you are a real fan of whales, you may find trips for 8 and even for 12 hours!
📅 There are two seasons for whale watching in Monterey Bay. Visit from mid-December through mid-April to see gray whales, dolphins and killer whales migrating, or visit from mid-April through mid-December to see humpback whales, blue whales, dolphins, and killer whales.
🍽 While waiting for your cruise, you can have a quick lunch or breakfast in one of the beautiful restaurants in the Wharf: just beware of the seagulls! They love to steal some food from the tourist’s plates!
🦕 Some companies have pet-friendly trips! Just be aware that your friend can stay still for 2 or 3 hours on board.
✍️ Before you go, check the timing and pricing online (“whale watching Monterey” in Google). You can book online the trip you like, but I’d better do it in the place: the weather can change any time.
✍️ Please note that there is really cold in the open ocean, even in the summertime. Wear comfortable, waterproof clothes.
📷 It is quite tricky to take good photos on the board of a small boat in the ocean! It might be not enough space for the tripod, and you never know where exactly you will see a whale. So you better take a monopod, set the shortest exposure and burst mode, and wait patiently.
🐟 Monterey Aquarium impressed me even after Valencia, Genova, and Barcelona. Even not so modern, it has the largest diversity of species; also you may come to listen to the lectures of the scientists working there.