Captain Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari

In the last several months, my husband/​myself have been on 4 whale watching trips with Captain Dave’s. Each experience has been a lot of fun and we were thrilled to see gray, humpbacks and hundreds of dolphins… not to mention the beautiful sea lions on the buoys outside the harbor. The crew is very professional and extremely knowledgeable. We had no worries about safety once we realized we were in great hands with the Captain and crew.
However, we’re very disappointed with the lack of management’s responsiveness regarding a credit that we’ve yet to receive for a merchandise purchase. In December we purchased 2 Captain Dave’s jackets when we picked up our tickets for the afternoon safari. When we returned home the next day we saw that both jackets were damaged/​discolored due to being in the direct sunlight where the merchandise is displayed. We called the same day and the lady we spoke to told us to return the merchandise via mail and they would issue a credit immediately on our credit card. I shipped the jackets back that very day. After a couple of weeks we had not received a credit. We were planning a trip to the area at the end of December so we waited to ask about the credit again when we booked yet another trip. We asked about the credit when we arrived and the manager came out and introduced herself. She told us she remembered that we were due a credit and apologized that it had not been taken care of. She promised us on the spot that she would go inside and take care of it immediately. Now, another week has passed and yesterday we had to call yet again to remind them to give us a credit. And again we were told it would be taken care of immediately. Checked the credit card account again this evening and we have not received the credit.
I was hesitant to include the issue of the credit in my review but maybe it will help someone. And maybe if management reads it, they will be more respectful of their customers in the future. No customer should be treated in this manner.

So it was $ 60 per person and we didn’t see any whales. We saw some common dolphins and sea lions but because the waves were so rough we weren’t allowed to go in the underwater pod. Big waste of money for us but we mostly just went at a bad time. We also went December 23 which is only the beginning of the Grey Whale season. I’m sure that if we could go in the underwater pod and see some whales I would have given it 5 stars. But based off out experience I have to give it 2 stars. Staff was very good at least.

It was a lot of fun in such a cool area. The staff are all wonderful and friendly. Our float only saw dolphins; no whales. I think there should be some compensation — even a minimal one — for trips that don’t result in any whale sightings. I find it strange to pay the same price, especially during off-​season.

Been out with them quite a few times now. And they’re really an outstanding group. In fact so much so I’ve actually done a private charter with them with our clients. Not only are the captains really mindful of our safety but they truly know their whales and dolphins! I’ve always learned a lot when I go. Additionally they do a great job of getting incredible time with the animals, but clearly they’re so careful about making sure not to disturb them or be in their way at all. They work to help with research an education, and it really shows in how they respect the whales and dolphins. I love that they’re so passionate about our incredible marine life off our coast. Just really a great experience, truly recommend them whether it’s a fun adventure for the day, or a private charter client event.

Totally worth it! They even stayed out a bit longer to make sure we had a good time and saw what we wanted! Very professional! Next time in down here I will do it again! That’s guys we had a blast!

I had been whale watching before and the experience given here was definitely a lot better. I was having trouble finding the location and the girl in the front desk guided me and was so helpful. They also have whale pins for you, that was cute. I saw dolphins and didn’t get to see a whale. Would definitely come back!

Best part of my vacation. Wish I would have saved time for another trip. We saw dolphins and had a magnificent humpback whale come right up to our boat. Captain Tom and Chuck definitely know what they are doing and you can see how much they care not just for the customers but also wildlife. Can’t wait to come back!

Great experience! We were two couples. We saw a Hammerhead Shark, Humpback Whale, and dozens and dozens of Dolphins. What a great day! Professional staff, and well-​kept boat. Great activity for kids/​families as well.

Brought my wife her for her birthday 5 years ago, 2010. It was so thrilling she said all she wants for her birthday from now on is this. Easily done. We took our fifth trip today. Just as thrilling as the first time. They go the extra mile and spent extra time to find whales and dolphins. See you next September! Who else gets a 5 star rating, there’s a reason for that.

We went on Sunday, May 18, 2014 and even the crew, including Capt. Peter, were amazed at what we saw — a gray whale mother and her calf. We watched them for a good 45 minutes. The entire crew was amazing. I have been whale watching a number of times and I am so glad we thought Captain Dave’s looked like a good boat and trip, because it’s better than good! I know a lot of people aren’t that knowledgeable about marine animals. You will learn a lot by going on this trip and have a great time, too. The boat is a 50-​foot catamaran and the kids on the trip had an incredible time standing up front on the strong open mesh right over the waves. We saw true love on this trip. Capt. Peter really wanted to help the mother and calf escape the trap of smaller craft that were gathered to watch, and the crew was nice about it but made it clear that the whales should be allowed a clear path to go toward Dana Point. At the end of our time watching them, the mother figured her own way out to keep going north with her calf. I thought, «She’s going to turn toward us,» and she did. She and her calf came right toward us and went right under the front of the catamaran. Right under our feet. Before we left, Capt. Peter said, «I think we will see something good. There is good karma on this boat.» We looked at each other and didn’t say anything … and Capt. Peter was right.
(PS this was stuck in my Unilocal box. We have been 3 times since! Best whale watching in OC hands-​down). Capt. Dave really cares about the marine life and environment. You will get the best experience and will learn a lot — and be safe and happy!

Awesome, awesome and awesome. They were prompt, courteous and professional the whole way. We chartered a boat through Captain Dave’s to spread my late father-in-law’s ashes. Shannon, the person who assisted me with the order, was fantastic and very responsive to all of our needs. Captain Tom was extremely professional, helpful and very friendly. Everything from start to finish went off without a hitch and with a high level of dignity. It was the exact send off and closure we were looking for.
Definitely recommended.
Thank you so much to everyone at Captain Dave’s!

Seeing dolphins and whales in their natural state, wild, and free! It was a beautiful, amazing experience. So much fun! We saw hundreds of dolphins, a blue whale, and a humpback whale. The boat was super fun. Prepare to get wet if you’re up front. Our shoes were soaked, but so worth it that we didn’t even care. The boat ride was thrilling. I cannot say enough about the awesome, helpful, friendly, knowledgeable captain, crew, and employees. Also, free delicious brownies as a treat at the end of the trip. YUM!
I highly recommend this company. They will treat you right, and you will never forget this experience.

Had a good time with these guys. Got a little seasick in the beginning, but evened out later in the trip. We saw a blue whale, but unfortunately couldn’t get too close. We ran into a pod of dolphins though, and cruised through them a few times; that was awesome. Could almost touch them they were so close!

This was our 4^th safari with Captain Dave’s team, and this time we chartered the Manute’a for a family reunion. As always the team was very passionate and professional. We saw 3 blue whales and so many Dolphins, including baby Dolphins.
The kids in our group loved the underwater viewing pods, and standing on the nets experiencing all the action. Truly a remarkable experience that remains fresh and appealing.

This was amazing!
We saw dolphins, a sea lion, and 3 whales! What a great experience and a great crew. It was a memorable experience.

We took the small boat. only had about 15 people on the boat total which was great! The guide was very friendly and funny. Will definitely come back and do the tour again! We saw a bunch of Dolphins and sea lions but no whales

Took the family down to Dana Point for the last day of the 2015 Festival of Whales and stumbled upon Capt. Dave’s Dolphin & Whale Safari. Managed to book the last boat out that day with this crew… And we cannot recommend them highly enough!
The boat is a catamaran type body which seemed to make the ride much more stable on the waves than our past experiences. This boat also has «viewing pods» where you can see under the water (altho by the time we looked thru this the light had pretty much faded… we’ll take better advantage of this next time!).
The crew was helpful, knowledgeable, engaging, funny, hard working, and passionate about understanding and respecting sea life. Every one of them was great!
NOW…
It is Whale Watching. This means you are at the whims of nature… sometimes the animals are easy to find, and sometimes they are not. The crew paused to show us some sea-​lions which our 4 year olds loved, and then found some dolphins to watch, before getting to the actual task of whales.
The crew worked very hard to get where they thought some whales might be found. It took a while, but they managed to get us right near a Fin Whale and it was fantastic! The Captain was very respectful of the whales space/​distance, while still getting us close enough to get a very good view of it surfacing a couple of times and then took the boat over and showed us the whale’s «footprint» after the whale had gone.
Because we were the last group out for the day, they kept us out on the water a little bit longer as they spotted a Gray Whale on the way back in. This was particularly fun because we could clearly hear the whale «blow» each time it surfaced. Too cool!
Beautiful sunset over the water and all together a magical day. Our kids are still talking about it at length, 2 days later, as are the adults. Oh, and the chocolate brownies handed out after the trip were YUMMY! What’s not to like?
Thank you for such a memorable trip, Captain Dave’s!!!

The catamaran was the perfect way to see whales. We were at the front of the boat and this crew makes sure you see whales. We counted 20, the crew said we saw 4 — guess we saw them 5 times! Who cares?
Dress warm, hats help. What is pleasant and sunny on the shore turns windy and cold on the water but the thrill of seeing whales surface and blow is worth it.
We had friendly people on our trip and that magnifies the enjoyment. The crew were as Dennis B said — out to make it a great trip!
Bring food, unless you like junk food. There is soda/​beer/​wine/​water available and toilets… read the directions. We did a 1:00 p.m. tour — just right.
Lots of seals and water birds too. No dolphins on our trip but others have said they often show up. We were there in February on a Saturday and it wasn’t crowded on the catamaran or the shore.

What an awesome experience! We saw 6 gray whales, 1 fin whale, and several dolphins. The crew does a great job tracking sea life up and down the coast and positioning the boat for ideal views once they do. On the way back they shared a lot of fun facts about what we saw and other whale/​dolphin trivia. The modifications made to the catamaran really make it the only choice for local whale watching. The front deck is mostly criss-​crossed canvas straps so you can see the sea whizzing past and the dolphins jumping when they race the boat. The two underwater plexiglass pods at the front of each hull (see pic) give you a dolphin’s eye view if they get close. They didn’t this trip, but they did last time we went. Call ahead or check the site to see what’s out there when you want to go

GO. Just go. You won’t be disappointed.
In addition to being very knowledgable of the ocean and having a great sense of humor, Captain Chuck and his team knew how to find dolphin and whale. We ran through an entire pod of dolphin for a solid 20 minutes and they were swimming right with us – unreal experience.
We saw two blue whale on our trip – the second one being an unreal experience as it was less than 50 yards away and took a deep majestic dive into the ocean.
Highly, HIGHLY recommend!

Bonnes prestations, accueil (comme.tjs aux us) parfait. Nous n avons pas vu de baleine aujourd hui, mais de magnifiques dauphins.