Whales in Monterey Bay: What Can You See?
Famed for its incredible diversity of Cetacea, Monterey Bay is one of the best places in the world to see whales, and in vast numbers. These cool and temperate waters create rich feeding grounds for whales, while also being a popular stop-off point for animals on their migration routes. Hundreds of whales visit Monterey Bay every year, but if you were to sign up for Monterey Bay whale watching, what could you hope to see?
The Whales of Monterey Bay
Humpback Whale
The large and graceful humpback whale is a common sighting in Monterey Bay. They are most often seen April through November, but can be spotted most all times of year; January is usually the only month you won’t have any chance of spotting these animals. Powerful and energetic, the humpback heads to Monterey Bay to feed, and can usually be seen leaping from the water in impressive breaching behaviour. While whale watchers should avoid approaching these animals directly, they’re known to engage with boats, with younger whales in particular often keen to get up close and do a bit of people watching.
Gray Whales
Gray whales are famous for being playful and endearing creatures, which makes them a must-see for whale enthusiasts. Known for heading over to boats for a closer look, the chance to see these stunning animals in the wild is not to be missed! One of the most common whales of Monterey Bay, they frequent the waters in vast numbers during the winter months, most commonly between December to April but can see as late as May.
Blue Whales
The undisputed titans of the ocean, the magnificent blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived, and makes a real impact when seen in the wild. Monterey Bay is one of the best places in the world to see blue whales. They start to appear in May, and can hang around as late as November, but if you really want to see them, the height of summer is your best bet.
Fin Whales
Fin whales are a rare sight anywhere in the world, and the same can be said for Monterey Bay, but these creatures do visit the waters from time to time. Massive animals, the second largest whale species, a sighting of a fin whale is guaranteed to leave a lasting impression. Small numbers of fin whales head through Monterey Bay between October and January.
Sperm Whales
The largest meat-eater on the planet, an encounter with this gigantic predator is one the bucket list of many wildlife enthusiasts. While the sperm whale is a whale of Monterey Bay to look out for, we don’t suggest making the trip just to see one. These animals are very rarely seen, with no recorded sightings in 2019. They have been known to visit around October, but don’t get your hopes up, and just be thankful if you do catch sight of one!
Killer Whales
Not technically a whale, orca are found hunting larger prey (including whale calves) when they visit Monterey Bay. The ocean’s top predator, catching a sight of their mighty dorsal fins is a thrill many hope to experience. If you want to see wild orca, then Monterey Bay is a fantastic location to search. Their sightings are sporadic at best, with orca being spotted almost all times of the year, although you’ll have most luck during the late spring to early summer months of March to June, as they follow breeding gray whales.
Other Species of Cetacea
Monterey Bay isn’t just home to whales. There are plenty of species of dolphins that frequent the area, with some even living in the area all year round. Dolphins to look out for in Monterey Bay include Risso’s dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, northern right whale dolphins, pacific-white-sided dolphin and long-beaked common dolphin.
