AUGUST 2026 MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS LIST

 Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region

August 2026 

Note — This list includes reported sightings from Monterey Bay Whale Watch trips. Unusual sightings of other marine animals such as Leatherback Sea Turtles and Basking Sharks are also listed, in addition to unusual seabirds such as Albatross and Brown Boobies. California Sea Lions are mentioned only if numbers or behavior are of interest. Harbor Seals and Southern Sea Otters, which are seen on all whale watching trips, are not included in the list.

These sightings are copyright protected and may not be used without permission from Nancy Black. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of this information is a violation of federal copyright law, and is subject to prosecution to the full extent of the law.

Visit our Facebook page for more photos and descriptions    Killer Whale identifications by the California Killer Whale Project Date # Type of Animal(s) 8/31 1:30 p.m. 20 Humpback whales (lunge feeding) 8/31 9 a.m. 27 Humpback whales (lunge feeding, breaching, tail lobbing, pec slapping) 60 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/30 1:30 p.m. 20 Humpback whales 4 Risso’s dolphin 1 Nazca booby 8/30 10 a.m. 16 Humpback whales 30 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Nazca booby 8/30 9 a.m. 30 Humpback whales 20 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/29 1:30 p.m. 8 Humpback whales 50 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/29 9 a.m. 22 Humpback whales (friendly/mugging!) 2 Harbor porpoise 8/28 10 a.m. 20 Humpback whales (2 friendly/mugging!) 150 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/28 9 a.m. 11 Humpback whales 150 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/27 2:30 p.m. 12 Humpback whales 200 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/27 9 a.m. 15 Humpback whales (3 friendly/mugging!) 200 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/26 10 a.m. 5 Humpback whales 6 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/26 9 a.m. 10 Humpback whales 150 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/25 2:30 p.m 15 Humpback whales 8/25 10 a.m. 12 Humpback whales 8/25 9 a.m. 1 Blue whale 7 Humpback whales 600 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/24 1:30 p.m. 1 Blue whale 3 Humpback whales 20 Risso’s dolphin 8/24 9 a.m. 3 Orca (CA138C, CA138B, CA138B1) 4 Humpback whales 100 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/24 8 hour All Day 3 Orca (CA138C, CA138B, CA138B1) 15 Humpback whales 1 Blue whale 1000 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Northern fur seal 1 Wilson’s warbler 8/23 1:30 p.m. 7 Humpback whale 100 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/23 9 a.m. 5 Humpback whales 20 Long-beaked common dolphin 10 Risso’s dolphin 8/22 10 a.m. 7 Humpback whales (lunge feeding and breaching) 1500 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/22 9 a.m. 31 Humpback whales (lunge feeding and breaching) 200 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/22 8 a.m. All Day 37 Humpback whales (lunge feeding and breaching) 400 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/21 1:30 p.m. 6 Humpback whale 300 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/21 10 a.m. 4 Humpback whales 50 Long-beaked common dolphin 60 Risso’s dolphin 8/21 9 a.m. 6 Humpback whales 250 Long-beaked common dolphin 200 Risso’s dolphin 8/20 2:30 p.m. 5 Humpback whales 8/20 10 a.m. 7 Humpback whales 1500 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/20 9 a.m. 3 Humpback whales 600 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/19 2:30 p.m. 8 Humpback whales 8/19 10 a.m. 8 Humpback whales 1000 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/19 9 a.m. 6 Humpback whales 500 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Mola mola 8/18 1:30 p.m. 6 Humpback whales 8/18 10 a.m. 1 Blue whale 4 Humpback whales 1000 Short-beaked common dolphin 8/18 9 a.m. 2 Blue whales 6 Humpback whales 300 Short-beaked common dolphin 1 Mola mola 8/17 2:30 p.m. 4 Humpback whales 8/17 10 a.m. 5 Humpback whale 50 Risso’s dolphin 1 Elephant seal 8/17 9 a.m. 4 Humpback whales (friendly) 50 Short-beaked common dolphin 15 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Mola mola 8/17 8 a.m. All Day 5 Humpback whales (friendly mugging and breaching) 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin 50 Short-beaked common dolphin 12 Pacific white-sided dolphin 1 Guadalupe fur seal 2 Mola mola 6 Black-footed albatross 8/16 1:30 p.m. 5 Humpback whales 8/16 10 a.m. 2 Blue whales 3 Humpback whales 15 Short-beaked common dolphin 60 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Mola mola 8/16 9 a.m. 2 Blue whales 2 Humpback whales 1 Blue shark 8/15 5:30 p.m. Sunset 5 Humpback whales 8/15 1:30 p.m. 2 Humpback whales (Angel Wing & her calf breaching) 8/15 10 a.m. 2 Blue whales 6 Humpback whale 6 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/15 9 a.m. 2 Blue whales 12 Humpback whale 8/14 2:30 p.m. 4 Blue whales 150 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Black-footed albatross 8/14 1:30 p.m. 3 Blue whales 1 Humpback whale 8/14 10 a.m. 6 Humpback whales 8/14 9 a.m. 2 Blue whales 18 Humpback whales 2 Mola mola 1 Shark 8/13 1:30 p.m. 8 Humpback whales 8/13 9 a.m. 5 Humpback whales 150 Long-beaked common dolphin 8 Dall’s porpoise 8/12 2:30 p.m. 12 Humpback whales (feeding) 8/12 10 a.m. 1 Blue whale 5 Humpback whales 8/12 9 a.m. 4 Orca (CA216Bs) 2 Humpback whales (chronic breaching) 8/11 2:30 p.m. 8 Humpback whales (lunge feeding!) 8/11 1:30 p.m. 10 Humpback whales (lunge feeding!) 8/11 10 a.m. 4 Orca (CA113s, CA177, CA20) 16 Humpback whales (lunge feeding) 8/11 9 a.m. 4 Orca (CA113s, CA177, CA20) 12 Humpback whales (lunge feeding) 15 Dall’s porpoise 8/10 1:30 p.m. 6 Humpback whales (lunge feeding!) 8/10 10 a.m. 14 Humpback whales 600 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/10 9 a.m. 12 Humpback whales 600 Long-beaked common dolphin (hunting fish!) 8/9 1:30 p.m. 9 Humpback whales (breaching mom + calf) 8/9 10 a.m. 17 Humpback whales 75 Risso’s dolphin 8/9 9 a.m. 18 Humpback whales 2 Minke whales 1500 Long-beaked common dolphin 100 Risso’s dolphin 8/8 5:30 p.m. 3 Humpback whales (friendly) 8/8 2:30 p.m. 4 Humpback whales (chronic breaching calf) 400 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/8 11 a.m. 12 Humpback whales 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/8 10 a.m. 12 Humpback whales 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/8 9 a.m. 18 Humpback whales 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/7 5:30 p.m. 3 Humpback whales 8/7 1:30 p.m. 6 Humpback whales 1 Minke whale 400 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/7 10 a.m. 10 Humpback whales 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/7 9 a.m. 17 Humpback whales 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/6 1:30 p.m. 9 Humpback whales (breach) 8/6 10 a.m. 1 Blue whale 13 Humpback whales 200 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Steller’s sea lion 8/6 9 a.m. 2 Blue whales 3 Humpback whales 80 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/5 1:30 p.m. 2 Blue whales 2 Humpback whales 8/5 9 a.m. 1 Blue whale 20 Humpback whales 60 Risso’s dolphin 8/4 9 a.m. 12 Humpback whales 200 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/4 10 a.m. 6 Humpback whales 8/4 2:30 p.m. 1 Blue whale 4 Humpback whales 8/3 2:30 p.m. 9 Humpback whales 200 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/3 1:30 p.m. 7 Humpback whales 200 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/3 10 a.m. 14 Humpback whales 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin 30 Risso’s dolphin 8/3 9 a.m. 12 Humpback whales 600 Long-beaked common dolphin 8/2 2:30 p.m. 7 Humpback whales (breaching) 1 Mola mola 8/2 1:30 p.m. 7 Humpback whales 8/2 10 a.m. 6 Humpback whales 8/2 9 a.m. 6 Humpback whales 1 Minke whale 2 Bottlenose dolphin 1 Fork-tailed storm petrel 8/1 10 a.m. (Sea Wolf II) 1 Blue whale 2 Humpback whales 500 Long-beaked common dolphin 1 Elephant seal 8/1 10 a.m. (Pt Sur Clipper) 6 Humpback whales 2000 Long-beaked common dolphin Photos © 2026 Daniel Bianchetta and Morgan Quimby     Close up head on view of a Humpback with their mouth open! (August 2, 2026)   Close up head on view of a Humpback with their mouth open! (August 2, 2026)   A pair of big Brandt’s cormorant chicks begging for food from their parent (August 2, 2026)   Fork-tailed storm petrel, a rare sight on our whale watches! (August 2, 2026)   Large California sea lion male sitting under the wharf (August 2, 2026)   Blue whale fluking up (August 1, 2026)   Long-beaked common dolphin (August 1, 2026)   Southern sea otter mom and pup (August 1, 2026)   Juvenile male Elephant seal “star-gazing”/resting at the surface (August 1, 2026)   Photos © 2026 Daniel Bianchetta and Morgan Quimby

Copyright © 2026 Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC. No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.