Welcome Aboard!
I am looking forward to meeting you in Santa Cruz for our tour on Monterey Bay, one of the best places to view marine wildlife. We are hopeful this will be the trip of a lifetime for you.
Our trips are designed for photographers & videographers and those who truly love the ocean. We will make every effort to spend as much time on the water and create the best interactions possible with the animals. That said, we are dealing with nature and there are no guarantees. We may have to work to find the animals and there may be days when weather prevents us from even going out. For this reason, we need team players who are patient and contribute positively to the entire experience. We operate with one simple goal in mind – to create a life-changing experience! Any time of the year there is always something going on in Monterey Bay.
Arrival Steps
Please meet us at the Santa Cruz North Harbor “Dock J” 20 minutes prior to your departure time
Park in the North Harbor Parking lot located by 555 Brommer St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
If you are running late, need additional directions please call or text me at 510-520-7331
In the parking lot there is a bathroom and a parking ticket dispenser.
Pay for parking for 5 hours, you never know what we will see and if we can stay out longer we may
Please use the bathrooms as the boat does not have an onboard bathroom and the trip is 3-4 hours.
Meeting location for directions on google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/YYiT9XW3riYTd5M49
If you are prone to sea sickness you need to take medication before arriving on the boat, we recommend 24 hours prior to departure
Important Notice: Please arrive 20 minutes early as we will begin our journey right on time. We strongly recommend wearing warm layers and closed-toe shoes, and bringing a hat that stays on in wind. Remember it tends to be a lot cooler out on the water. Don’t forget your camera to capture the fantastic sights!
Meeting Location: Please meet us at the Santa Cruz North Harbor Docks by 555 Brommer St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
NOTE: Santa Cruz is 40 minutes/40 miles north of Monterey. Plan enough time to arrive 20 minutes before the trip departs.
The boat is at the “J” Dock
For questions regarding this activity, contact Captain James Moskito 510-520-7331 / [email protected]
Meeting location for directions on google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/YYiT9XW3riYTd5M49
Please meet us at the Santa Cruz North Harbor boat launch ramps 20 before departure
Park in the North Harbor Parking lot located by 555 Brommer St, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
If you are running late or need additional directions, please call or text me at 510-520-7331
The parking lot has a bathroom by the parking ticket dispenser.
Weather
Weather is always a concern, we monitor and use the NOAA Marine weather forecast website you can do an internet search or follow this link https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/data/Forecasts/FZUS56.KMTR.html
Storm systems come and go, so there may be several calm & drizzly days followed by rough days when we cannot go out at all and then periods of warm, gentle sunshine. We will contact you if the weather becomes an issue and we have to cancel your trip, otherwise, expect to go rain or shine.
Tours Operate in light rain and other moderate weather conditions, but we may cancel a trip up to an hour before the start time in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If we cancel the event, ticket holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), convert their tickets to Gift Certificates for use in the future, or receive a full refund.
It is possible to get wet when it’s rainy or windy and choppy since our vessel is open and low to the water. We can provide waterproof-breathable jackets that fit over your warm layers and provide wind and water protection (up to size XXL). We will try to keep you as dry as possible, but in some conditions, spray is inevitable. We have always said, “Dress like you are going to the snow in layers”. Monterey weather can feel much cooler when on the water because our boats travel at 20 miles per hour, and a wind factor can bring a chill.
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It’s surprisingly cold out on the North Pacific Ocean where the whales are — even if it’s sunny and hot in Santa Cruz or on the coast. Whales have blubber for insulation but we need jackets and hats, especially when our boat speeds up. Monterey Bay is a long way north from the beaches of San Diego.
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- long pants & long sleeves
- closed-toed shoes (not sandals or heels)
- warm fleece sweater or jacket
- warm hat & scarf (chin straps needed for brimmed hats)
- gloves (in winter)
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Storm systems come and go, so there may be several calm & drizzly days followed by rough days when we cannot go out at all, and then periods of warm, gentle sunshine. We’ll try to reach you if we think rough weather threatens your trip. Otherwise, expect to go rain or shine.
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The tour runs in light rain and other moderate weather conditions, but the captain may cancel a trip up to an hour before the start time in the event of severe or unsafe weather conditions. If we cancel the event, ticket holders will be allowed to reschedule tickets (subject to availability), convert their tickets to Gift Certificates for use in the future, or receive a full refund.
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There is a possibility of getting wet when it’s rainy or windy and choppy since our vessel is open and low to the water. We provide waterproof-breathable jackets that fit over your warm layers and provide wind and water protection (up to size XXL). The captain will try to keep you as dry as possible, but in some conditions, spray is inevitable.
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- sunscreen
- sunglasses
- camera
- snack, drink
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- full meals or messy/crumbly snacks
- fragile glassware; sharp knives
- muddy or caked shoes (keep boat clean & reduce our water use)
- fine leather shoes/jackets that could be damaged by salt spray
- sharp or high heels
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- Cannabis
- Firearms including permitted concealed carry
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We are photographers too. Zoom telephotos such as a 70-200mm (with or without extender) or 100-400mm are best. If you have two camera bodies, put a wide-angle on one, and a telephoto up to 400mm on the other. Larger lenses like 500s and 600s are workable only on very calm days. Small point-and-shoot cameras are handy for wide-angle photos and videos.
Phone cameras and GoPros work well on this boat.
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Storage space is very limited aboard. We have a large dry-bag that can keep purses and small backpacks dry.
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Yes, please! We might need to adjust plans. Nice weather on land sometimes means rough seas. Please be reachable in case of weather or scheduling concerns. Please give us a cell phone number and remember to check voice mail / texts and email before your trip (including the SPAM folder).
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Please contact us as soon as possible to reschedule or cancel your booking. We will refund your tickets with 48 hours notice if you are not able to reschedule. Cancellations made less than 48 hours before a tour will be handled at our discretion. If Ocean Safaris cancels your tour due to weather or other reasons we will do everything we can to reschedule your trip while you are in town, and if it’s not possible we will give you a 100% refund.