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LATEST SIGHTINGS

MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS IN THE MONTEREY BAY

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

Since October 1, 2026 
compiled by Monterey Bay Whale Watch
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This list, updated every few days, 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 most if not all whale watching trips, are not included in the list. Each month the sightings from the previous month are moved to a monthly summary 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.

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   Killer Whale identifications by the California Killer Whale Project
Date # Type of Animal(s)
10/24 10 a.m. 1 Gray whale
10 Humpback whales
200 Long-beaked common dolphin
10 Risso’s dolphin
10/23 10 a.m. 5 Orcas (CA122Ds, CA49Cs)
5 Humpback whales
10/23 9 a.m. 16 Humpback whales
1500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/22 9 a.m. 16 Humpback whales
1200 Long-beaked common dolphin
300 Short-beaked common dolphin
20 Risso’s dolphin
10/21 9 a.m. 20 Humpback whales (lunge feeding)
800 Short-beaked common dolphin & Long-beaked common dolphin
1 Mola mola
10/21 9 a.m. 20 Humpback whales (friendly)
1000 Short-beaked common dolphin & Long-beaked common dolphin
10/20 9 a.m. 9 Humpback whales
500 Short-beaked common dolphin
40 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/19 9 a.m. 25 Humpback whales
80 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/18 1:30 p.m. 2 Humpback whales (breaching)
100 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/18 10 a.m. 12 Humpback whales
1000 Short-beaked common dolphin
1000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/18 9 a.m. 6 Humpback whales
1500 Short-beaked common dolphin
3 Mola mola
10/17 1:30 p.m. 15 Humpback whales (breaching)
500 Long-beaked common dolphin
700 Short-beaked common dolphin
10/17 12:30 p.m. 6 Humpback whales
10/17 10 a.m. 16 Humpback whales (friendly and breaching)
10 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/17 9 a.m. 12 Humpback whales
700 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/16 1:30 p.m. 5 Humpback whales
500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/16 10 a.m. 30 Humpback whales (feeding)
1,500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/16 9 a.m. 27 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/15 1:30 p.m. 11 Humpback whales
650 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/15 9 a.m. 11 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/14 1:30 p.m. 12 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/14 9 a.m. 13 Humpback whales
1000 Long-beaked common dolphin
50 Short-beaked common dolphin
60 Risso’s dolphin
10/13 1:30 p.m. 13 Humpback whales
10/13 9 a.m. 5 Killer whales (CA122Ds, CA49Cs)
18 Humpback whales
700 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/12 1:30 p.m. 8 Humpback whales (breaching, tail lobbing)
6 Harbor porpoise
10/12 10 a.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
8 Humpback whales
600 Long-beaked common dolphin
60 Risso’s dolphin
10/12 9 a.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
22 Humpback whales
600 Long-beaked common dolphin
60 Risso’s dolphin
10/12 8 hour All Day 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
31 Humpback whales
2,500 Long-beaked common dolphin
75 Rissos’s dolphin
1 Blue shark
10/11 10 a.m. 23 Humpback whales
2000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/11 9 a.m. 23 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
1 Guadalupe fur seal
1 Mola mola
10/10 12:30 p.m. 6 Humpback whales
10/10 10 a.m. 16 Humpback whales
10 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/10 9 a.m. 38 Humpback whales
500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/9 1:30 p.m. 23 Humpback whales
500 Long-beaked common dolphin
2 Craveri’s murrelet
10/9 10 a.m. 30 Humpback whales
1500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/9 9 a.m. 27 Humpback whales
1000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/8 1:30 p.m. 6 Orca (CA51As)
23 Humpback whales
10/8 9 a.m. 6 Orca (CA51As)
12 Humpback whales
10/7 1:30 p.m. 5 Killer whales
40 Humpback whales
2000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/7 9 a.m. 6 Killer whales
35 Humpback whales
2000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/6 1:30 p.m. 4 Killer whales (CA51s)
17 Humpback whales
100 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/6 10 a.m. 5 Killer whales (CA51s, CA216Cs)
18 Humpback whales
2000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/6 9 a.m. 5 Killer whales (CA51s, CA216Cs)
27 Humpback whales
2000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/5 1:30 p.m. 27 Humpback whales (4 whales chronically breaching, tail throwing, & pec slapping!)
5 Risso’s dolphin
150 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/5 9 a.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
47 Humpback whales
300 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/5 8 Hour All Day 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
35 Humpback whales
1,500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/4 1:30 p.m. 50 Humpback whales
1000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/4 10 a.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
19 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
6 Black-footed albatross
10/4 9 a.m. 20 Humpback whales
500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/3 2:30 p.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
22 Humpback whales
2,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/3 10 a.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
28 Humpback whale (kelping)
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/3 9 a.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
1 Humpback whale (kelping)
700 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/3 8 Hour All Day 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
45 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/2 1:30 p.m. 4 Killer whales (CA39As)
50 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/2 10 a.m. 30 Humpback whales
2,500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/2 9 a.m. 40 Humpback whales
1,000 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/1 1:30 p.m. 48 Humpback whales
500 Long-beaked common dolphin
10/1 9 a.m. 50 Humpback whales
500 Long-beaked common dolphin
Photos © 2026 Daniel Bianchetta and Morgan Quimby

 

A dolphin jumping out of the water in a blue ocean.

Long-beaked common dolphin launching high out of the water (October 3, 2026)

 

Orca tail above water against blue ocean background.

Curved flukes of male killer whale CA29A2 “Monet” (October 3, 2026)

 

Orca swimming with sea lion in ocean.

Killer whale ramming a sea lion during a hunt (October 3, 2026)

 

Orca surfacing, partially submerged, in ocean water.

Member of the CA39A killer whale pod hunting a sea lion (October 3, 2026)

Black and white photo of a dolphin swimming underwater.

Long-beaked common dolphin gliding through smooth seas (October 3, 2026)

 

Dolphin swimming underwater with ripples and bubbles on its back.

Long-beaked common dolphin about to break the surface in flat calm seas (October 3, 2026)

 

Close-up of a dolphin swimming in clear blue water.

Long-beaked common dolphin checking out the boat as it comes to the surface to breathe (October 3, 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.