Page 120 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2021 REDISCOVERING CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST

lions and several sea otters that floated by on their
backs.
We cruised over a natural marvel known as the
Monterey Canyon, the deepest submarine canyon on
the Pacific Coast. The underwater chasm dips to a
depth of over two miles, twice as deep as the Grand
Canyon, and spreads almost 250 miles out into the
ocean. The massive canyon is a playground for ma-
rine animals. It’s common to see blue whales, hump-
back whales, gray whales, killer whales (orcas), and
dolphins. Unlike San Diego, these sea mammals are
in the area throughout the year.
Right away we saw several groups of northern
right whale dolphins likely following schools of an-
chovies or squid. About a half hour out into the bay,
we spotted our first whales - humpbacks - spouting
in the distance. For then on, we moved from one
side of the boat to the other, as the sightings multi-
plied. Our skipper aimed to bring us close to the
pods, but it was still hard to capture the majesty of
these giants on camera. By the time we headed
back toward the harbor a couple hours later, we
tallied a remarkable two dozen whale sightings. It
was a wonderful outing - perfect weather, calm wa-
ters - and no seasickness.

120 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2021