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SSan Diego Whale Sightings 2024. Please find the Naturalist Notes for the year of 2024 from the onboard team of volunteer naturalists for our San Diego Whale & Dolphin Watching Adventure: up-close views and educational moments by expert captains and volunteer naturalists from the San Diego Natural History Museum. Don’t forget that kid’s cruise is FREE in December and January; use promo code WHALEYFUN.

2024 Morning Cruises

8/31/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

1500 Common Dolphin

A gray day with overcast skies for the entire trip. Calm seas made for great viewing of more than 1500 common dolphin in four different pods. We traveled out to the 9-mile bank, but encountered no whales. Did spot a marlin and a few flying fish.

 

8/30/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

1200 Long Nose Common Dolphin

Nice marine layer day on the Pacific Ocean. 1200 long-nosed common dolphins were encountered during this cruise.

 

8/28/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

400 Common Dolphins
50 Bottlenose Dolphins
1 Mako Shark
2 Mola Mola
Sea Lions

The day started out a little gray and cloudy to start but we kicked the trip off with a few smaller pods of common dolphins coming to swim around the boat. Once we got to 9-mile bank we encountered a large pod of bottlenose dolphin and later another larger pod of common dolphins. There were a few mola mola throughout the trip and some lucky guests also happened to catch a mako shark breaching.


8/26/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

150 Short-Beaked Common Dolphins
40 Offshore Dolphins
Pod of 30 Risso Dolphins
Pair of Bottlenose Dolphins
4 Flying Fish

Shortly after passing Point Loma, we saw 150 Short Beaked Common Dolphins in a nursery pod. We were able to stay among them for quite a while and they were entertaining to watch with lots of aerobatics. Wonderful photo ops for the guests! Further out, we saw 40 Offshore Dolphins and then a pod of 30 Risso’s, closely followed by a pair of Bottlenose Dolphins. The Risso’s were a thrill to see as they are not a common sighting. There were also 4 flying fish spotted.

 

8/25/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

350 Common Dolphins
4 Bottlenose Dolphins
3 Mola Mola
2 Flying Fish

Shortly after passing Point Loma, we saw 150 Short Beaked Common Dolphins in a nursery pod. We were able to stay among them for quite awhile and they were entertaining to watch with lots of aerobatics. Wonderful photo opps for the guests! Further out, we saw 40 Offshore Dolphins and then a pod of 30 Risso’s, closely followed by a pair of Bottlenose Dolphins. The Risso’s were a thrill to see as they are not a common sighting. There were also 4 flying fish spotted.

 

8/24/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

1 Brydes Whale
2 Mola Mola
1200 Common Dolphins
80 Bottlenose Dolphins
Flying Fish

Headed out about 13.5 miles and were surrounded by dolphins for a long portion of the ride. About 10 minutes before heading back, we saw a Brydes whale that circled the boat and came right up to it affording us great views. We also saw mola mola and flying fish!

 

8/18/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

1000 Common Dolphins
1 Humpback Whale

It was a sunny day with calm seas and multiple pods of Common Dolphins entertained passengers throughout the cruise. There were leaps and splashing close to the boat and in the distance. Our search for whales was successful with a Humpback who fluked several times before we had to head back to shore.

 

8/12/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

1000 Different Pods of Dolphins
Flying Fish
Mola Mola
Fin Whale

We encountered three different pods of common dolphins totaling about 1,000 animals! They were feeding, playing, and some were jumping sky high. It was phenomenal. There were several baby dolphins with their moms. We also saw about a dozen flying fish and a mola mola. And we were fortunate enough to see a fin whale!

 

8/11/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

300 Common Dolphins

There were no white caps on the ocean, so our visibility for sightings was good. We observed approximately 300 common dolphins feeding with some jumping near our vessel.

 

8/10/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

130 Common Dolphins
2 Flying fish

At the 3-mile mark, we were greeted by a small pod of about 50 long-beaked common dolphins. Their playful interactions as they swam alongside our boat, delighting everyone on board. Continuing on to the 9-mile bank, Captain Rick spotted a pod of short-beaked common dolphins and as we headed towards the splashing in the distance a small pod of bottlenose traveled past us heading east while we were traveling west. When we arrived at the short beaked common dolphins they put on an incredible show with great leaps, breaching, and tail slaps.

 

8/5/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

150 Common Dolphins
2 Mola Mola
2 Flying Fish

A nice morning with a group of common dolphins, many leaping out of the water. A giant pacific sunfish also made a great close pass to the boat as well!

 

8/3/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

2 Adult Blue Whales
1 Cow/Calf Pair
100 Short-Beaked Common Dolphins
1 Large Mola Mola
Flying Fish

We headed out on a beautiful sunny morning and soon found about 25 bottlenose dolphin and then a pod of 100 short-beaked common dolphin, thrilling the passengers. But the highlight was finding 2 adult Blue whales and 1 cow/calf pair! As we headed back to San Diego harbor, we saw a large mola mola (sunfish) and a very energetic flying fish!

 

7/29/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

1 Undetermined Whale (possible Fin)
12 Bottlenose Dolphin
6 Common Dolphin

On the way out, we encountered approximately 12 bottlenose dolphin who spent about 15 minutes bow riding with us. A short time later, we came to the common dolphin, who enjoyed the same thrill.
We finally saw a blow and a back-arch about 300 yards ahead of us. But the whale disappeared for a good 20 minutes. A whale reappeared, but again at a distance. We were never able to determine the type. The fact that the whale was hard to spot plus the darkness of the skin suggests it was a (notoriously fast) fin whale.

 

7/28/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

400 Common Dolphins
1 Mola Mola
Several Sea Lions

On our way to 9-mile bank we encountered a few small pods of common dolphins as well as the occasional sea lion swimming along. There was not too much marine life along 9-mile bank but on our way back we encountered a huge pod of common dolphin including many mom/calf pairs. Right before we re-entered the bay we also saw a lounging mola mola.

 

7/22/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

125 Common Dolphins
25 Offshore Bottlenose Dolphins
1 Mola Mola

While no whales were spotted, a pod of 125 Common Dolphins provided excitement with jumping and stampeding while feeding. A pod of 25 Offshore Dolphins swam close to the boat.

 

7/20/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

2 Blue Whales
120 Dolphins

We saw a Cow-Calf blue whale pair around 12 miles, as they swam alongside the boat for a good amount of time ranging for a few minutes. Everyone on the boat got excited to see multiple blows from the pair, especially the tall blow from the mother whale. Adding to our delight, we spotted a pod of approx.120 dolphins with multiple nurseries in the group.

 

7/19/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

2 Blue whales (Mother/Calf)
20 Common Dolphins
50 Bottlenose Dolphins

On our way to the 9-mile bank, we saw a small pod of Common Dolphin (about 20) and then a larger pod of Bottlenose Dolphin (about 50) that were quite active, giving everyone a fun display of their jumping abilities. By the time we were about 14 miles out, just west of the bank, we spotted 2 spouts of mother and calf Blue whales. We saw them multiple times, with at least 3 tail flukes from the mother, and then the calf came up at the stern of the boat and traveled up the side.

 

7/12/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

50+ Common Dolphins
1 Juvenile Humpback
2 Blue Whales
2 Mola Mola

We headed out of San Diego Bay and soon after entering the ocean saw 50+ common dolphins. Then the captain spotted 1 juvenile humpback whale rolling, displaying its pictorial fins, and positioned the boat for all guests to enjoy. With time left on the cruise, we headed out about 12 miles and found 2 blue whales showing their dorsal fins and occasionally a fluke.

 

7/8/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

10 Bottlenose Dolphins
300 Common Dolphins
1 Elephant Seal

No whales were sighted. 10 bottlenose dolphins were seen in the San Diego, CA harbor at the beginning of this cruise. Out on the ocean, 1 elephant seal were sighted. 300 common dolphins in a large pod were a joyous event for the guests.

 

7/7/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

50 Bottlenose Dolphins
700 Common Dolphins

We left under a marine layer with high expectations for seeing Blue Whales, given the last two trips where many were spotted. But the whales had other ideas and must have moved on to other areas more rich with krill! The dolphins saved the day: first, a pod of about 50 Bottlenose dolphin and then several large pods of very active Common dolphin that leaped through the air, swam with the boat, and kept everyone entertained. We returned under blue skies after a beautiful cruise with calm seas the whole time.

 

7/5/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

8 Blue Whales
50 Common Dolphins
1 Mola Mola

Captain Rick took excited guests out about 5 miles off Point Loma for an incredible outing where we encountered EIGHT blue whales over a several hour period. Lots of really close looks, amazing big blows and several tail flukes.

 

7/1/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

3 Adult Blue Whales & 2 Juvenile Blue Whales
12 Inshore Bottlenose Dolphin with 1 Baby
25 Common Dolphins

We headed out in a westerly direction about 5 miles from the tip of Point Loma. Where we came upon a small pod of 25 Common Dolphins enjoying themselves near the vessel. Shortly after seeing the Common Dolphins we encountered a small pod of Inshore Dolphins and 1 calf within the mix. They enjoyed taking the thermal glide near the bow of the vessel. Guests were delighted to see two types of dolphins so soon after leaving the bay.

There were several large spouts that could be seen about 1/2 mile away from where our vessel was when we heard the exciting words,”There she blows!” Adventure had found 3 Blue Whales. As we observed the Blues we noticed that none of them were showing us their 25 foot flukes. Adventure continued to observe these 3 Blues when we noticed several more spouts about 300 yards away from the vessel. We came upon 2 juvenile Blue Whales and observed that they did not show their flukes too.

 

6/29/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

6 Blue Whales
50 Bottlenose Dolphins
3 Mola Mola
1 False Killer Whale

We spotted 6 different blue whales out at the 9 mile bank, relaxing and spouting in the sun. Three mola molas were out sunning themselves. We encountered 2 pods of bottlenose dolphins, frolicking in the waves. There was even a false killer whale hanging out with one of the dolphin pods!

 

6/28/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

2 Fin Whales
1 Blue Whale
5 Bottlenose Dolphin
50 Common Dolphin

We made our way to the nine mile bank were delighted to find two fin whales and a blue whale feeding in the area upon our arrival. The blue whale emerged close to the boat and guests got to hear the whoosh of the whale’s breath and see a huge tail fluke. Soon after, we were joined by a pod of about 5 bottlenose dolphins. On the way back we encountered a pod of common dolphins that played in our wake.

 

6/24/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

1 Blue Whale
500 Common Dolphin
1 Mola Mola

Saw several sea lions on buoys on the way out of the bay and more at the bait dock upon returning. The boat mostly stayed between 3-9 miles out or so from shore, eventually in over 1100 feet of water. On the way we saw several fairly large pods of common dolphins that rushed to the boat to bow ride, much to the children’s delight. They were relieved to be out on the ocean with a cool breeze looking for what rises – one blue whale, hundreds of common dolphins, and the spectacular sunfish or Mola Mola.

 

6/21/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

0 Dolphins
0 Whales

The ocean had 3-4 ft swells at 12-second intervals with occasional larger swells, especially at the 9-mile bank. The ride back was smoother with the sun burning through the marine layer, providing sunny skies, at about 12:00 pm. Occasional sea lions we spotted swimming & sunning with 1 flipper out of the water. Sea gulls and turns occasionally flew by. No other marine wildlife was spotted.

 

6/15/2024 – Whale Watch & Dolphin Sightings:

2 Blue Whales
600 Common Dolphins

We sailed out under marine layer conditions and saw several sea lions before leaving San Diego Bay. Soon a large pod of common dolphins was sited just beyond Point Loma. Heading west, we found 2 blue whales frequently showing their backs and small dorsal fins. We stayed with them for quite a while.

 

San Diego Whale Watching: Naturalist Notes – 2024

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