Photo Credit: Chuck Graham
Hop aboard a whale watching tour and see why the Santa Barbara Channel is one of the best places in the world for spotting sea life
The best season for whale watching in Santa Barbara begins in late November. Those of us lucky enough to call Santa Barbara home are aware of the amazing wildlife that can be seen off the Santa Barbara Channel, one of the west coast’s best areas for whale watching. Its nutrient-rich water is home to hundreds of species of marine life as well as a wide variety of seabirds. Spotting dolphins is a daily occurrence, along with seasonal appearances of migrating whales. A whale watching trip here combines nature, adventure and a potential glimpse of the biggest mammals on Earth.
Now through April, locals and visitors alike can marvel at thousands of Pacific gray whales as they migrate through the Channel; first heading south to the warm water lagoons of Baja California. On their return in the spring many gray whales, especially mothers with newborn calves, hug Santa Barbara’s coastline heading to their eventual summer home in the Bering Strait off Alaska.
While you’re visiting Santa Barbara, enjoy the many leisurely trails along the scenic bluffs that also double as perfect vantage points to sit and watch for these magnificent creatures heading north.
Late spring through early fall, the Santa Barbara Channel offers regular sightings of humpback whales and the largest mammal on earth, the colossal blue whale. You might also spot the shy minke whale, fin whale, Pacific white-sided dolphin, coastal bottlenose dolphin and rissos dolphin.
There are a variety of ways to get out on the water for a whale watching adventure in Santa Barbara:
- At 75 feet, the Condor Express delivers up to 120 passengers to the Santa Barbara Channel’s prime feeding grounds. With in-cabin and upper-deck seating, the Condor Express is a great way to see one of the many species of whales that visit the area throughout the year. You can even enjoy a spectacular dinner cruise.
- With a maximum capacity of 15 passengers, the is one of the more serene ways to see whales in their natural habitat. The 41-ft. yacht sails alongside giant California gray whales as they break the surface, allowing you to not only see the whales but also hear them as they catch their breath. Passengers can help sail the Sunset Kidd or sit back and enjoy the wildlife, which may include everything from minkes to orcas and even the giant blue whale.
- If you want a closer look at the Channel Islands, Captain Jack’s might be just the right tour. The four-and-a-half-hour trip off the Santa Barbara coast offers a spectacular look at blue, humpback, gray and killer whales from the comfort of a 75-ft. catamaran. Passengers enjoy beer, wine and snacks while catching a glimpse of the beauty and grandeur of the Pacific’s most majestic creatures as they migrate to Baja to give birth, and then again as they head north with their babies.
- One-third of the marine mammals in the world can be spotted in the waters off the coast of Santa Barbara, and Celebration Cruises wants you to see them up close. From February to May, 27 species of whales share these waters with Celebration Cruises’ 46-passenger luxury yacht. You’ll also see sea lions and dolphins on this Santa Barbara cruise.
- Spotting Santa Barbara’s whales from the deck of a sailboat is an experience like no other. Santa Barbara Sailing’s 50-ft. catamaran, the Double Dolphin, silently slips through the waves so you can get as close as possible to the whales and other aquatic animals without disturbing them. Reservations are required for this extraordinary cruise that runs seven days a week.
For more information about whale watching in Santa Barbara, read this article from the VC Reporter. Meantime, if you’d like to live in this haven for wildlife and are searching for a home in Montecito, Hope Ranch or any of Santa Barbara’s upscale communities, please call me at [ai_phone href=”1.805.886.9378″]1.805.886.9378[/ai_phone], or email [mail_to email=”Cristal@Montecito- Estate.com”]Cristal@Montecito- Estate.com[/mail_to].