Two Humpback Whales Mug Sanctuary in Windy Monterey Bay

Departing early to get ahead of the forecasted high winds, our morning run aboard Sanctuary was highlighted by an extraordinary close encounter with two large humpback whales. These two individuals approached us directly and spent twenty minutes "mugging" the vessel, hovering just alongside.

With the water column exceptionally clear despite the rising chop, we could easily trace the outlines of their entire bodies, including their long pectoral flippers, roughly twenty feet below the surface. This behavior, where whales actively investigate stationary vessels, offers a rare look at their spatial awareness and curiosity.

The environmental conditions were brisk, with NNW winds at 17.5 knots and water temperatures holding at 54°F. Along the way, we also encountered a massive aggregation of approximately 600 California sea lions, likely capitalizing on the same bait schools that drew the six humpback whales we observed during the trip.

Navigating rough, windy seas is a regular part of late spring on the bay, but moments of quiet clarity like today's encounter remind us of the complex lives occurring just beneath the surface of these cold, productive waters.