I really love dolphins and am always looking for a way to get close to them. I went on several dolphin and whale watching cruises in California, but I especially enjoyed my latest trip with the Ocean Institute of Dana Point.
The highlight was a trip on the R/V Sea Explorer, a 70-foot marine science research vessel, to visit the dolphins and whales in their natural habitat.
The waters of Southern California are full of Dolphins and Whales year-round, but the best time to pay them a visit is in springtime. The weather is beautiful and you have the added bonus of spotting a few whales during their migration north to Alaska.
For our latest sea adventure, we went to Captain Dave’s Dolphin Safari off Dana Point. Captain Dave operates a smaller catamaran from Dana Point Harbor with a net bottom up front and two glass underwater observation pods.
Tip: The weather is much cooler in deep waters, so make sure to wear layers and bring a jacket or windbreaker.
After some safety instructions, we headed into the ocean looking for Whales and Dolphins.
My first cruise experience was an eye-opener. I never expected to have so many new experiences on a 4-day trip, but by the end of the 4th day, I was regretting not booking a longer voyage.
Our cruise took us from Long Beach to Santa Catalina Island in California to Ensenada in Mexico and back.
Carnival offers 3- and 4-day trips to Ensenada, but we picked the 4 days because of the stop at Catalina.
Approaching the falls from a distance I started to hear the thunderous roar of millions of cubic feet of water (per minute), dropping from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. Getting closer, I was stunned by the amazing view in front of me.
Three powerful walls of cascading water crashing into the rocks and river way below, the water rushing through the Niagara Gorge and throngs of people mesmerized by the force of nature.