Seasonal migration creates a popular tourist destination
On a chilly but clear sunny day on Monterey Bay, several boats
pulled up along the dock at Fisherman’s Wharf. It is a morning
ritual for the captains and the deck hands. They board up
passengers
– many from out of state or overseas – who all hope to catch a
glimpse of the giants of the sea.
Seasonal migration creates a popular tourist destination
On a chilly but clear sunny day on Monterey Bay, several boats pulled up along the dock at Fisherman’s Wharf. It is a morning ritual for the captains and the deck hands. They board up passengers – many from out of state or overseas – who all hope to catch a glimpse of the giants of the sea.
Between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., people began gathering around the dock in front of one of several whale watching operations. Though there are several to choose from, Monterey Whale Watching – the tour run out of the bright yellow building with the red sign – offers tours starting at $34.95 for two and a half to three hours on one of the largest whale watching vessels in Monterey.
The Princess Monterey is more than 100 feet long, and seafarers say riding on a larger vessel leads to less seasickness.
Rhode Island residents Paul Brown and June Mitchell were among the first to check in for the morning tour around the bay. The two stopped off as part of a statewide tour that would culminate in a visit with Brown’s daughter in the Sacramento area.
The couple started in Southern California with a visit to the set of “The Price is Right.”
“We didn’t win anything,” Mitchell said, with a laugh.
Mitchell and Brown stopped near Hearst Castle before arriving in Monterey.
“We saw an elephant seal give birth near Hearst Castle,” Mitchell said. “Then we saw sea otters floating on their backs during dinner last night.”
They hoped their luck with nature sightings would continue as they boarded the boat.
January is a good opportunity to see whales on the bay, but when it comes to wild animals there are no guarantees.
During January, gray whales pass through the region on their migration from their feeding grounds to their mating area. The whales leave the Bering and Chukchi Seas in October, and about two months later, they arrive in Monterey Bay. Eventually they will end up in Baja California, where they will mate and give birth to calves. They will stay in the lagoons for a few months before returning north again.
During the tour, Senior Capt. Leon Oliver offered a narration. He talked about the history along Cannery Row, mentioned the sights along the coast as the boat headed south, but mostly gave out information about gray whales.
“The ice floe formed late this year so we are seeing less whales than we would expect around this time,” he said.
Passengers started out seated along the outside benches of the boat, most bundled up in winter coats, scarves and warm hats. But as soon as the first spout of water was spotted everyone rushed to the bow of the Princess Monterey.
“The bigger the blow, the bigger the whale,” Oliver said, during the first sighting. “They stay down for three to five minutes, but some can stay down as long as 15 minutes.”
A handful of whales traveled closely together, but seemed to be moving at a faster speed than usual, according to Oliver.
“They travel at a speed of two to four knots (nautical miles),” Oliver said. “These guys are going about seven. Their top speed is 10 knots.”
A mile on land is about 0.8 nautical miles.
After each spout, the gray whales surfaced for a few seconds, just bringing the very top of their bodies out of the water before flipping their tail fins and diving back down.
The whales are baleen whales and feed on small crustaceans. The male whales are about 45-46 feet long, and females are slightly larger. They weigh between 30-40 tons.
The babies are born jet black and their skin lightens as they get older.
“The mother’s milk is 53 percent butter fat,” Oliver said. “Human milk is 2 percent.”
After traveling south of Carmel, passengers on the Princess Monterey viewed about eight whales. On the return to Monterey, a few spouts where seen off in the distance, but none close to the boat.
On the return, Oliver talked about the state of gray whales in the wild.
“They were hunted to near extinction in the North Atlantic and Korea,” he said. “In 1937 the International Whaling Commission passed laws to protect them, and they received full protection in 1947.”
There are believed to be close to 24,000 gray whales in the wild now, Oliver said, close to their historical numbers.
“They [American Cetacean Society] are doing a census this year so we will know how many gray whales we have,” Oliver said.
Melissa Flores can be reached at mf*****@**********ws.com.
Tips for whale watching
– Dress warmly – the bay can be cold year round so bring along a hat or hood, scarves and mittens.
– Wear sunscreen – even on overcast days a few hours at sea can lead to burned checks and noses.
– Bring binoculars – offers a chance to see whales better from a distance. Some tours have binoculars available for rental.
– Prevent seasickness – take Dramamine or use another method to avoid seasickness. Dramamine should be taken an hour before setting sail.
Whales and wildlife can be seen on the Monterey Bay throughout the year.
December – April – gray whales migration
May – November – blue and humpback whales migration
Year round sea otters, dolphins and other wildlife can be seen.
Reservations are recommended and tours may be canceled for bad weather.
Monterey Whale Watching
96 Old Fisherman’s Wharf #1
www.princessmontereywhalewatching.com
1-800-979-3370
Online tickets are $37.95, plus a service fee
Monterey Whale Watch Center
84 Fisherman’s Wharf
www.montereybaywhalewatch.com/trips.htm
831-375-4658
Tickets are $32-43 for adults, depending on season and length of tour
Randy’s Fishing Trip and Whale Watching
Fisherman’s Wharf
1-800-979-3370
Tickets start at $30.
www.randysfishingtrips.com/
For more information on gray whales, visit www.acsonline.org.
