Quick Details
Price Starts At:
$ 196.10
DEEP WATER, DAY TRIP
Monterey’s submarine canyon puts pelagic seabirds such as albatross, shearwaters, and stormpetrels relatively close to shore and viewable during day trips
WHY MONTEREY
Most West Coast ports need a long run to reach genuinely deep, offshore water. Monterey does not. Monterey’s submarine canyon is unique in that it’s the largest and deepest (12,000’) on the west coast and approaches near-shore. Cold, nutrient-rich water rises up the canyon wall, plankton blooms, and the food chain that follows attracts a variety of seabirds that are normally found much further offshore from other harbors. Since the deep water is close to shore we have more time and easier access to find a diversity of seabirds here comparted to other locations.
For a birder, that translates to three things:
• More time on productive water and less time transiting.
• A chance to find a large variety of seabirds both near-shore and pelagic, with rarities
possible
• Species diversity and abundance change through the seasons.
Previous trip Sightings:
September 28th | September 21st |August 17th
SPECIES
Monterey Bay is a globally renowned location for seabirds. It is known for its shearwater diversity, Black-footed albatross, jaegars (3 plus south polar skua), storm-petrels (especially Ashy Storm Petrel which is nearly a California endemic species), and alcids such as rhinoceros auklet and tufted puffin. Our trips primarily run in the fall during the highest seabird diversity of the year. Below is a list of species encountered, including those that are rare and very rare.
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- Black-footed
- Laysan
- Short-tailed
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- Northern Fulmar
- Cook’s petrel
- Hawaiian petrel
- Buller’s shearwater
- Short-tailed shearwater
- Sooty shearwater
- Pink-footed shearwater
- Flesh-footed shearwater
- Manx Shearwater
- Black-vented Shearwater
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- Wilson’s storm petrel
- Fork-tailed storm petrel
- Leach’s storm petrel
- Ashy storm petrel
- Black storm petrel
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- Cocos booby
- Nazca booby
- Red-footed booby
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- South polar skua
- Pomarine Jaeger
- Parasitic Jaegar
- Long-tailed jaegar
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- Common murre
- Pigeon guillemot
- Marbled murrelet
- Guadalupe murrelet
- Scripp’s murrelet
- Craveri’s murrelet
- Cassin’s auklet
- Rhinoceros auklet
Tufted puffin*
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- Black-legged kittiwake
- Sabines gull
- Herman’s gull
- Short-billed gull
- Western gull
- California gull
- Herring gull
- Iceland gull
- Caspian Tern
- Black tern
- Elegant tern
- Common tern
- Arctic tern
- Forester’s tern
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- Red Phalarope
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Surf scoter
- Migrating ducks, geese, shorebirds, and passerines
MARINE MAMMALS AS A BONUS
You are on the same rich waters as our whale watch trips, so cetaceans and pinnipeds are a regular part of the day: humpbacks, blue whales, killer whales, and a variety of dolphins.
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This is a full day at sea, covering many miles as we travel offshore. The route works the canyon edge and the offshore waters where the birds concentrate, so expect a meaningful run out and back with the productive hours in the middle.
- Duration: 8-12 hours (Seasonal)
- Departs: from Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey
- Returns: approximately
- Group size: up to 35
- Leaders: There are several expert bird leaders on each trip snd spotters to assist. Leaders
include John Tsortos and Mark Kudruw on all trips; also Tom Hamel, Kai Russell. - Booking: FareHarbor widget loads below this section. Price from $196.10.
Book direct
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Seasickness. This is the honest part. A pelagic trip runs long and goes into open water that can be rough. If you are prone to motion sickness, plan ahead: take your preferred remedy the night before and again the morning of, per the label, and eat a light breakfast. Ginger helps some people. The middle of the boat, low and looking at the horizon, is the most stable spot.
Layers. It is colder and windier offshore than it is at the dock, in any season. Bring more than you think you need: a windproof outer layer, a warm mid-layer, and a hat. Waterproof footwear is smart.
Optics. Binoculars are essential. A camera with reach is rewarding but optional. Scopes are not practical
Food and water. Bring food and snacks, water and soda available on boat
Conditions and cancellations. Trips depend on weather and sea state, and safety comes first. We will notify you if we need to cancel for weather usually by the night before and you will get refund or can rebook to another trip
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The observations logged on these trips add to a long record of seabird occurrence in Monterey Bay. Our leaders record the day’s sightings onto ebird which is sent to trip passengers.