We went between seasons in the beginning of December so the ticket prize was much cheaper than usual. It was worth it. We were fortunate to see so many dolphins and (to be honest I already gave up hope) at the very end the first gray whale of the season! Firstly he was simply swimming around and as we wanted to leave it, it started breaching!!!! It was amazing! Couldn't believe itš
The only thing that felt strange was, that the front of the boat was blocked off for their crew and photographers. Wouldn't have been a problem but the amount the guide said "you can see [this and that] at 12 o'clock" was immense. But 12 o clock is not visible for the guests, especially the ones in the back. Sometimes the boat even turned so that the animals would be at 12 o'clock. That was a bit strange....
Response from Host
Dec 2018
Thank you for joining us for the first Gray Whale sighting of the season! We're so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your experience. The front of the upper deck, forward of the wheel house, is the only location on our vessel that is sectioned off for crew members. This is for safety and visibility purposes, as the helm and all controls must be free of interference and, of course, the crew needs to be able to see outwards in order to spot wildlife and any obstacles (other boats, kelp, etc.) within our range. The entire front of the lower deck, which is further forward than the front of the upper deck, is open to passengers and everyone is free to move around as they please throughout the trip. The way in which we maneuver the boat also depends on where the wildlife is, what direction they are moving, sea conditions and avoiding glare from the sun. Hopefully that clears things up a little bit! Thank you again for joining us, we hope to see you again for another fantastic trip in the future!