Sanctuary Cruises — Attraction in Watsonville Water Treatment Plant

Chase Dekker (naturalist)/photographer) and Jackson (captain) are hands down the absolute best whale watching crew around. I would give them more stars if Google allowed it. I can say they are the best, without a doubt, because I have been on many others in the Moss Landing and Monterey Bay Area. I honestly think I have lost count as to how many trips my boyfriend and I have been on with this specific crew, that's how much we love it. We've gone on the morning trips, afternoon trips, and even were lucky enough to go on one of Chase Dekker's photo workshops and spent literally all day out on the water. This crew ALWAYS goes above and beyond in making sure that if something exciting is happening out in the water, Sanctuary is right there to witness and experience it. For example, last weekend we went out and there was "chatter" about a mega pod of dolphins several miles out West of where we were, captain Jackson booked it so that we would be able to witness this firsthand (even meaning we were 30 minutes past our scheduled tour time).

Sanctuary Cruises is great for families and is great for beginners and experienced whale watching enthusiasts. You get to see so much wildlife, it's incredible. We've seen humpback whales, risso dolphins, northern right whale dolphins, pacific white sided dolphins, ocean sunfish (mola), sea otters, white footed albatross', fur seals, sea lions, seals, by-the-wind sailors, and so much more.

Cool things specifically about Sanctuary Cruises:

Smaller boat, lowest railing of any whale watching boat (that I'm aware of) so you have the best views and are essentially as close as you can get to the whales without physically being in the water with them.

Intimate setting, they never book over 25 people even with a capacity to take about 40 people. They prioritize wanting to make sure everybody has prime viewing capability.

Chase Dekker is the boat's naturalist and a professional photographer, he has been published in National Geographic, ABC, BBC, Lonely Planet, Nature's Best Photography, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. One of his photos was even featured in the Smithsonian and another one of his photos went viral (humpback "swallowing" a seal).

Chase and Captain Jackson are the only born and raised crew out of Monterey, they have decades of experience and I feel like they know all there is to know.

Important to know:

Bathroom and sink are available on the boat (cannot flush toilet paper, has to be thrown away in the trash) Venmo QR code available for easy payments

Most important things to bring (in my opinion):

Dramamine & water Warm clothes (beanie, gloves, scarf, windbreaker/jacket) Waterproof shoes (I like to wear my rain boots) Sunglasses & sunscreen Binoculars Camera and/or phone Extra battery pack/power bank with cord to charge your phone

Things available for purchase prior to and on the boat:

Motion sickness vibrating bracelet - $7.00 Snacks (candy, chips, granola bars, etc.) - $2.00 Photos taken by Sanctuary's very own professional protographer- $20.00 + (dependent on size)

The one thing that my boyfriend and I wish was different would be the cost (although you do get what you pay for). We absolutely love going out on these trips, but the cost limits our ability to go out as much as we would like to. It would be amazing if different discounts were offered, for example: $_ off when you refer a friend, book 3 trips and get the 4th free/discounted, or even some sort of annual pass would be...

Sanctuary Cruises is the only whale watching tour worth your time and money in Moss Landing. I went out with them in the fall and it was an amazing experience. I didn't realize how special their company is until I made the terrible mistake of booking a tour with one of the big companies this weekend to see the gray whale migration. This other company had a sale on tickets so I thought I'd check it out (they're also highly rated on Google and Yelp). That tour company didn't even take us to the area the whales are located in the Bay! Their on-board naturalist admitted he doesn't know anything about sharks or seabirds. And I'm pretty sure the captain planned the route in a way to make his job as easy as possible. He also intentionally drove the boat through a huge raft of seabirds!

Sanctuary is completely different. Their naturalists are actual biologists who will answer all of your questions at any point in the trip. Their captain goes as far as they need to to find the whales! And they are very mindful not to disturb wildlife while still getting you close. The boat isn't crowded and there are no surprise upcharges for a "VIP experience" - every passenger is a VIP on Sanctuary!

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY GOING OUT WITH ANY OTHER COMPANY! Sanctuary is 110% worth the little bit extra you pay. You will not regret booking your whale watching...

This was my first whale watching tour and I'm so happy we chose Sanctuary Cruises. So awesome that this sustainable charter boat uses biodiesel! The captain and Brian (marine biologist) were so nice and accommodating and expert with their info and their ability to locate the best spots for finding marine wildlife. We embarked for our 3-4 hour afternoon tour. Just after leaving the harbor we encountered our first Humpback whales! All in all we saw numerous sea lions, an otter cracking open a clam with it's favorite rock (a tool they keep with them in a flap under their arm), 20+ Humpback whale sightings which included feedings on bait balls of sardines and a few breaches, an enormous pod of common dolphins which swam along with the boat near the bow, the fin and tail of a blue shark, and we must've been hundreds of marine birds. We really lucked out. There was so much activity (mid-October) during our tour the hours felt like they flew by. There was no wind. The ocean was calm. The day was absolutely gorgeous. The crew really provided a great guest experience. My two kids were even given a chance to drive the boat! Thank you so much for a phenomenal day! I highly recommend Sanctuary Cruises and I definitely plan to return for another tour...