Oceanic Expeditions Whale Watch - Moss Landing, California

May-Lynn Yeh

While we can never predict if or when any free creature in the wild show up on these trips, what you can predict are the best hosts in the business. I have gone on whale trips with 5 different Monterey companies and Mike & Maria’s Oceanic Expeditions is my personal favorite above the rest. This morning, we were surprised to be greeted by a pod of dolphins over 200 strong, swimming alongside and around us, checking us out! The fog was super thick but Mike and Maria applied their experience and knowledge and didn’t give up searching everywhere to find humpbacks for us. Finally, we were greeted not by one, not two but three gorgeous humpbacks! Then Mike & Maria turned off the engine and let us hear the ocean and the awe-filled sounds of their deep breaths. Even though there is a place for narration and education, what I value most about this amazing husband and wife team, is that they gift us with quiet, inviting us to be present and have our own sacred experience with the majestic. No excessive narrations over a loudspeaker, only a depth of knowledge always available when asked. Maybe because I have been with Mike & Maria before so the experience was even richer. Mike and Maria feel like familiar friends inviting you into their family, their passion and love of the blue, matching your wonder and thrill of seeing whales with their own. If you want to feel like you’ve booked a privately chartered trip without breaking the bank, not wanting to bump into a bunch of tourists trying to capture a good view, or be distracted by loud narration, then this the secret gem you have been looking for! Book immediately - Like me, you will keep coming back after you travel with Oceanic Expeditions. Today was yet another epic trip - Thank you, M&M!

Daniel Potthast

An unbelievable, once in a lifetime experience. Saw sooooo many humpback whales sooooo close to our boat. The exceptional crew, the smaller size of this boat and the intimacy of having such a small amount of people really made the whole trip special. If you’re debating whether to go on a larger boat, I’d have to say oceanic expeditions is WELL worth it to avoid the crowded boat feel and the loudspeaker vibe. We also saw a pod of killer whales w/a baby orca that kept leaping out of the water. I’m still buzzing about this trip the following day.

Ahmed Aljibreen

Incredible tour! It is one of the best tours I have ever taken overall. The interactions with wildlife in nature will forever be engraved in my memory. We have seen a few humpback whales for about an hour or two just a few meters away.

I cannot recommend it enough but wear layers as it can get very cold.

Arla Hile

THIS is the way to go! We had four passengers, maybe they could accommodate six, max. I felt closer to the animals (not just whales), no jostling for a spot to see well. I’ve been on larger boats and it’s just not the same! Our crew of two were super excited as well, although to be fair we got very lucky on this particular day.

I’ll be back, still hoping to see some more species other than the (usually-reliable) humpback whales.

John

Hands down the best experience I’ve ever had on the water. We were very comfortable on Oceanic Expeditions sweet boat and with the incredible crew. Mike and Mary are extremely professional, knowledgeable, and fun to be around. We had incredible encounters with several whales and will definitely be booking with Oceanic Expeditions again!

Nicholas March

Great, personal tour. The boat was extremely clean and appeared well maintained. Having only six people on the tour made it easy to ask questions, and they offered information when applicable. It was extremely foggy, but somehow they put us on some feeding humpback whales. We had one swim right under the boat. Perhaps the best was getting into the middle of a large pod of Risso's Dolphins. Absolutely amazing. So glad we picked the smaller tour. We highly recommend Oceanic Expeditions.

Ana Stadthagen

Amazing Experience! Mike made us feel safe and welcome during our private whale watching expedition. The boat is extremely nice, clean and comfortable. We picked a day that was challenging to see the whales but Mike found them for us through excellent navigation and contacts. His patience and knowledge was a big deal for our kids, they think he is super cool and knows everything about "this ocean". All in all A++ and highly recommended!

Melissa Raposo

Capt Mike is the Whale Whisperer. We had whale watching action within the first 15 minutes of the tour. We were so lucky to see a humpback mother and calf. We even saw a breech. ? We saw seals, birds and an otter and her baby.

This is the only way to whale watch in Monterey. Worth every penny. Captain Mike keeps his boat right outside the bay, so your commute time to whale watch is literally minutes. Other boat company’s have to drive along the coast making the ride much longer. As soon as we came out of the marina, we were whale watching. The smaller vessel (30 ft so not small at all) allows you to quickly move to where the action is happening. The seating on the boat was super comfortable. We did not get wet.

Capt. Mike was not only very nice, he was also knowledgeable. He provided us with interesting facts and tidbits. My teens amd 8 year old were completely engaged the entire trip and we all learned so much.

Book now. Do not hesitate.