Dolphin & Whale Watching Zodiac Adventure em Dana Point

This was such a great experience. Darlene, Hannah and Capt Matt were so fun to navigate with and educative. Loved the dolphins and Mola Mola giving us a show!!! Thank you, definitely coming back to you all. Lorraine

We didn't do the Zodiac tour - but our option isn't listed here. We did the "ORCA" yacht whale geek Cetacean Exploration tour. Our captain was Gary, and the yacht hosts 6 guests. This was amazing! Gary is clearly passionate about marine life, and he quickly found a stunning group of bottlenose dolphins that swam with our vessel and played in our wake. We then went further down the coast in search of a whale and other marine life in a "feeding frenzy" that other boats had found. We missed that opportunity by minutes, but Captain Gary quickly found another one not too much further out! We were the only ones there - and we witnessed a humpback whale feeding, coming up to the surface over and over, hundreds of common dolphins taking advantage of the whale stirring up food, and a plethora of birds - including fabulous diving ones! - also feeding. It was so active, it was as if the ocean was sizzling! I sat right on the bow of the yacht and literally got sprayed by the whale blow! It was a once in a lifetime experience!

Mike and the entire crew were fantastic! We had an absolutely unforgettable trip. We were lucky enough to witness a humpback whale perform a full breach followed by an incredible tail thrash—it was breathtaking! On top of that, we spent time with an enormous pod of around 200 common dolphins that stayed with the boat. The crew was knowledgeable, friendly, and made sure everyone had a great experience while respecting the wildlife. If you’re thinking about booking a whale watching trip, I highly recommend this crew. It was a day we’ll never forget!

Zodiac “Allswell” boat was touted to be the fastest on in the fleet. Enjoyed quickly moving to the dolphin spots. Captains Amanda and Gary were the best. Friendly, knowledgeable, they knew exactly where to find the dolphins and explain interesting facts about the different types. Sadly I missed out on the brownies since my family devoured them without my participation.

Capt E and Amanda were wonderful, professional guides for our great trip. We got lucky- dolphin stampedes, humpbacks,(multiple)- with a pectoral wave and a fluke sighting…minkes, a sea lion, so many birds and a sunfish. The zodiac is definitely my preferred trip, but I’ll take any opportunity to view our rich ocean life. Too busy being in the moment for pictures.

My daughter and I are repeat customers of Captain Dave’s and have always enjoyed an amazing time! Our most recent trip was June 12th with Captain Elier and his first mate Andy. The two of them were absolutely wonderful and as thrilled as the rest of our group when we came across a breaching humpback whale. We had such a great time! Captain Dave’s is the best!

We had an excellent experience on Capt Dave's Whale and Dolphin Watching Tour. Although it initially seemed we might return without seeing whales or dolphins, Capt E received a report of humpback whales farther away. Giselle, the marine specialist, asked if passengers were happy to extend the trip, and everyone agreed. The extra time was well worth it. We saw a large pod of dolphins and three humpback whales in their natural habitat, making for an unforgettable experience. The crew were knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about marine life and conservation, which added greatly to the tour. An outstanding experience, excellent value for money, and highly recommended.

Great trip today! Captain E’s sense of humor made the day fun, and Janel’s encyclopedic knowledge made it fascinating. Thanks to both for a wonderful experience!

We had a wonderful time on our whale watching trip. Captain Gary was very informative. Dawn was also on our trip which was also a treat to learn about the birds. We saw a couple of fin whales!!! We also tons of dolphins!

We had done whale watching on a bigger boat, which was disappointing as there was no telling which side of the boat and wildlife would appear. On this boat everyone could easily see everything and anything. And a big thank you to Marie, our Captain, and Alan, our first mate. They were very knowledgeable and helped us understand what we were seeing and when/where/how to expect it. We saw so many dolphins and even a pair of fin whales and a small minke whale. We were able to ride and watch for quite some time. Excellent experience. It does get chilly on the ride out and back so an extra later would be advisable.