About Captain Dave's Dolphin and Whale Watching Safari

Our boat is safe, extremely stable and designed especially for you to get up close and personal with the awesome dolphins and whales of Dana Point. You can be close enough to smell their breath!

Just a few reasons why we're so different:

• We have the world's only Underwater Viewing POD
• Capt Dave is THE Dolphin & Whale expert! Producer of the award-winning documentary, "'Wild Dolphins & Whales of Southern California", weekly columnist and frequent speaker, he spends more time with these animals than anyone we know! Did we mention, he's also a really great guy?
• Our specially designed Catamarans will get you UP CLOSE!
• You can stay dry in our protected & comfortable cockpit area or venture out on the special 'Tram Net' for a really close encounter!
• You'll see what the dolphins and whales are doing below the surface with our 'Dolphin & Whale Cam'.
• You'll hear the unique languages of the dolphins and whales with our research-quality hydrophone.
• We'll play songs and talk to the animals and you can help us observe what they respond to!
• On the way home, we'll teach you about the aniamls. We have a collection of items from around the world, including whale baleen and teeth, vertabrae, fossils, shark jaw and teeth and scale models of all the animals we see. You can touch these items and learn first-hand how these animals eat, sleep and live.
• And last, but not least, Mrs. Capt. Dave's famous triple fudge brownies on the ride back to the harbor (that's the real reason some folks come on our trips!).

A Personal note from Mrs. Capt. Dave:

When we first started whale watching in 1995, the fishing companies took folks out only during the Gray Whale Migration, typically between December and April, on their fishing boats. We offered our whale watching trips on our sailboat, and equipped it with an underwater hydrophone and soon, an underwater camera. In 1998 Capt. Dave and I both felt that the time had come when people needed a way to come to Orange County and watch the wild dolphins, too...all year round. It was pretty lonely out there in the beginning...searching for dolphins all by ourselves. But lo and behold, Capt. Dave found them..almost every time, and soon we realized that there were resident pods of wild dolphin as large as 5,000. We also learned that there were mainly three species seen, Common dolphin, Risso dolphin and Bottlenose dolphin. We also saw the Pacific white-sided dolphin in the colder months.

It was during that year that we visited Yosemite, located about six hours north of Orange County and Los Angeles. We learned on that visit that if John Muir had not educated people about the beauty and vast wilderness of Yosemite through his writing, then Yosemite might very well not be there today for all of us to enjoy. On the six-hour drive back to Orange County, Dave talked about how he wanted to be the John Muir of the Wild Dolphins and Whales that lived off our coast. "We have a living, breathing, moving Yosemite right off the Orange County coast and no one knows." He was right about that. We would tell our slip neighbors about the dolphins and whales we would see and they were amazed. If people who had boats didn't know what was out there, then who did? And that was the beginning of our 'mission'...to educate people about the marine wildlife off Orange County and Southern California and to give them a way to experience that wildlife in an 'up-close and exciting way' on our whale watching excursions.

Dave took his cameras to work every day, photographing and filming all the dolphins and whales he saw whale watching. We began collecting rare items, acquiring the permits necessary to have real whale baleen, sperm whale teeth and other items on board to show people. We bought our first whale watching catamaran, so that people could be out front, low to the water and if they chose, they could lay down on our 'eye-spy dolphin nets' and get within arm's reach of the animals. The whale watching catamaran also offered folks a way to be out on the water and not suffer from seasickness as much because it was more stable. It also had a nice cockpit area and we enclosed it with eisenglass so it was cozy in the colder months.

Back in 1999, Dave woke me up one night at about 3 A.M. with a new vision of what would be' really awesome'. He described it as a whale watching Disneyland-at-Sea sort of experience. One of the components of that dream was to give people a way to not only watch the animals underwater but to give them a way to 'almost swim with the dolphins' (without getting wet that is). We've never forgotten that dream, and it seems that each year we draw closer to it's realization. In 2006 we bought our second whale watching catamaran, but not before Dave made sure that it had what it took to create an underwater viewing pod. Dave hired a marine architect firm and began the 16-month arduous journey of making(that part of) his whale watching dream boat a reality. Most people would have given up. The USCG had never seen plans like these before, and the Long Beach Office deferred the approval to Washington, DC. No one had ever designed an underwater area such as this in the forward area of a catamaran. After 14 months, several mofications and much lobbying on Dave's part, the plans for the most uniqe whale watching boat were approved. After two more months of building, the dream is a reality and the world's first "Eye-to-Eye Underwater Dolphin Vieiwng Pod is ready for passengers to experience.

Dolphin & Whale Safari Adventure Tips

Orange County's premier Whale Watching and Dolphin Watching trips

Whaling Wardrobe

Dress warmly, preferably in layers. During the winter months, it's a good idea to wear a long sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt and a jacket. If you are going out very early in the morning, a hat is always a good idea. Mittens or gloves are a bonus on chilly trips. If you don't have any, bring along an extra pair of socks! On the other hand, in the summer and late fall it can be positively balmy, and you will definitely be happy in shorts and a t-shirt. Can't decide what to wear? We suggest you check Weather.com for Dana Point weather, then factor in about a 10 degree chill for being on the water.

Don't Get Green!

If you're prone to motion sickness, choose an early trip. The wind almost always picks up as the day progresses and can cause choppiness and rougher seas. It also makes it more difficult for the whale watchers to locate the whales. If you do decide to take something, like Dramamine® or Bonine®, check with your pharmacist, and find out if there are any complications with other drugs you may be taking. Take the medication at least a full hour before the trip. Eat lightly, avoid grease or fatty foods, alcohol and carbonated beverages. A good nights sleep beforehand is always a plus.

Protect Those Baby Blues

Don't forget the sunglasses and some sort of hat or visor to shade your eyes. The glare from the sun (even on cloudy days) can make it harder for you to see, and give you a headache if you're squinting. Even if you are sitting in the shade, 60% of the sun's rays bounce back up from the water's surface.

Slap on the Stuff

Sunblock is a must, no matter what time of year it is. Put it on ahead of time, so you can wash your hands.

To Scan or Not to Scan the Horizon

Binoculars are always helpful, but unless you're a very experienced whale watcher or you're watching from a land lookout, they'll just get in the way. Looking through them is tough in the open ocean, and trying to focus with all the bouncing going on will probably give you a headache. To shoot or not to shoot Bring the camera, but by all means, don't spend all your time looking through the lens. You'll miss too much because your field of focus will be so much smaller. First, enjoy the sights and then try to get a few good shots. Chances are unless you're a pro, you'll end up with a lot of water shots. Keep the kiddies entertained Young children can get quite bored when whale watching, so bring along something to entertain them. Tracking whales is tough for anyone, let alone a child, who has a short attention span. (Remember, on the average, whales stay down for up to five minutes!) Choose a boat where your child can see off both sides from their seat .

And Please Don't Feed the Mammals

Keep in mind that you won't be able to feed the whales, dolphins,sea lions or harbor seals. The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits any activity that would result in altering the behavior of the mammals.

Contact Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Safari to learn more about our whale watching excursions ...949 488 2828

Available now! Captain Dave's New Documentary

"Wild Dolphins & Whales of Southern California"

“A beautiful, fascinating and informative look at the incredible dolphin and whale life off the Southern California coast.” David Sheehan –Hollywood Close-ups

Now for the first time ever, you can see a side of California that few have ever seen.

Captain Dave Anderson spent five years producing, filming and narrating this award-winning 64-minute film while conducting his Dolphin and Whale Safari expeditions from Dana Point, California. He filmed these mammals from the air and under the sea within a few miles off shore. Also included is footage from the Channel Islands, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Baja California.

The spectacular never-before-seen footage includes: dolphin herds numbering in the thousands, including common dolphins, Bottlenose, Risso’s, Pacific Whitesided, Northern Right Whale dolphin as well as the elusive Blue Whale, Killer, Sperm, Grey, Minke, Humpback and Fin Whales. Southern California hosts the largest dolphin population in the U.S. and more Blue Whales than anywhere in the world.

Whether petting friendly Gray Whales, following alongside 5,000 Common Dolphin or having a 75-foot Blue Whale head directly toward you, learning about these animals has never been more exciting as Captain Dave narrates this unforgettable “best of” safari to the wilds of Southern California.

It will change your perception of the ocean and it’s inhabitants forever.

Order [here] from Amazon.com $20.00 each + $4.95 shipping/handling. Please allow 14 days for shipping.

Half of the profits from this film are given
to World Vision

They are used to help a small village called Gangawako located in Malawi (in Central Africa). This village has about 1,100 people, many of them orphaned by AIDS. Some of the money has been used to help build a better irrigation system to increase their harvests and some of it has been used for health care, school supplies and education. You can also choose to individually support a child through World Vision. For about $30 a month, you will be assigned a child. That chld and their family will begin to receive much needed school help, food and much more. We've supported three children in this way for the past eight years or so and it has been a wonderful experience getting to know them through letters and photos. For more info on how you can help a child [click here].