Dolphin and Whale watching trip in San Diego

LOTS of playful bottle-nose dolphins, there was a large pod of them surrounding the boat and showing off. No whale sighting, but it wasn't for lack of trying on the guides part. He warned us up front that sightings were down in August and it's not a guarantee. He was frequently in contact with other boats to get any info on whereabouts of animals. Dolphins were definitely amazing and sea lions were funny to watch. My children had a blast! Kid friendly experience for sure and we'd do it again for a chance to see whales.

My husband and I went on the extended blue whale tour and we had once in a lifetime experience! We saw 4-5 blue whales—including a male-female pair slowly gliding the open ocean ever so gracefully, 2 curious and friendly fin whales, quite a few sunfish bobbing up and down the ocean surface, and hundreds of dolphins racing alongside our boat. Captain Tom and crew were both very kind and knowledgeable and kindly answered all our questions with sincerity. From what I heard we saw less number of blue whales than previous days/weeks we didn’t mind at all, given that there are only 10,000-25,000 of them in the whole world. It was such a treat that we humans could get so close to these majestic creatures — and on their terms! I hope the blue whale population continues to recover and more people get to see them in the future.

The trip was everything I dreamed of and more! We saw multiple Blue Whales even a momma and calf! It was breathtaking! Momma even gave us a wave goodbye with her tail fin! Can't wait to visit San Diego again just for another whale watching tour. Captain Michael was incredible and determined to show us whales. His excitement for them was contagious! Hope we have him again next time!

It was such a fun trip and captain Michael did a great job finding blue whales for us to see and hang out with. We saw 5 blue whales in total and saw 3 of them multiple times. We also saw some bottle nose dolphins and a Mola Mola fish. We went with another whale watching company yesterday on a larger boat, and would definitely recommend these guys! They were well worth the money with this unforgettable experience.

Captain Michael made this the experience of a lifetime. From sharing the best wildlife facts, smooth maneuvering to keep a very close but respectful distance to the animals, to laughing along with a VERY enthusiastic group. If you’re up for an adventure, love whales, or just want to spend a great time on the water, be sure to go with Gone Whale Watching. And maybe even ask for Captain Michael! (Did small group tour 7/14/2023)