Our 3 1/2 hour whale watching adventure began with a foggy morning and the hope of seeing at least a few of the magnificent humpback whales that visit Monterey Bay this time of year. Early on, we saw one juvenile, at bit of a distance. Even so, the sight of that huge and powerful beast flashing its tail in the air prior to a deep water dive was a thrill. We continued our trip for an addition hour or more, seeing some birds and fishing boats, but no whales. Of course, whales aren't as predictable as trees and rocks in terms of knowing where to find them, so we weren't totally surprised. Suddenly our boat was surrounded by humpbacks- between 10 and 20, all surfacing, diving, feeding and only a few feet away! Our boat was put in idle-mode and for several magical minutes, we experienced a once-in-a-lifetime event of being completely surrounded by countless majestic whales! The on-board naturalist added comments and information throughout. I know that Discovery does their best to provide a great experience to all customers. We were lucky enough to get the "royal treatment!"