Stormy winter fuels safety concerns for whale watching tours

Monterey Bay is one of the best spots in the world for whale watching; tourists from all over come to enjoy the bay’s marine life.

But this year’s El Nio raises safety concerns, and whale watching crews are on edge.

“As far as weather goes, Mother Nature is going to be the great deciding factor as to whether we go out or not, primarily because safety is going to be our number one concern,” Jeff Shindell, with Princess Monterey Whale Watching, said.

If the conditions aren’t right, the boats will stay docked.

“If it gets too bad we stayed tied up,” Senior Captain Leon Oliver said. “We don’t take that chance.”

From “man overboard” drills, frequent equipment inspections, and boat maintenance, the staff and crew say they’re prepared all year round.

“During the winter months, we tend to go out and around the point because we’re following the gray whales,” Shindell said. “And the gray whales tend to hug the coast, as opposed to going further out into open waters in the middle of the bay. As for preparation, we’re going to be as prepared you know in January as we are in July.”