San Diego Whale Watching Adventure Cruises by Hornblower Cruises and San Diego Natural History Museum

The First Whale You See On Hornblower Cruises Whale & Dolphin Watching Adventure Is From The Wyland Collection!

Hornblower Unveils Wyland Art Gracing Bows Of Whale Watching Boat!

Guests on Hornblower Cruises & Events Whale & Dolphin Watching Adventures will spot their first whale before they even leave the dock! That is, the first Gray Whale that they will see is a beautiful brush art rendition by the renowned marine life artist Wyland gracing the bows of Adventure Hornblower. Stretching over six feet high, Wyland agreed to let Hornblower enlarge his art to put on either side of the bows of the boat in honor of the whale watching season in San Diego, which begins on December 15.

Wyland is one of the most celebrated and recognized artists and designers of our time, and has captured the attention of the world with his spectacular marine life paintings and landmark Whaling Wall murals. With half a million collectors in over 30 countries, he has done more than any other artist to raise awareness of the beauty of life on our blue planet. Wyland is also the official artist for the United States Olympic team at the 2008 green Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he will paint his 100th Whaling Wall. His non-profit foundation is actively engaged in conservation and education programs, including the current nation-wide Every Drop Counts Tour, which is visiting schools and communities to educate children in caring for our waterways. www.wylandfoundation.org Whale watching on the open ocean - watching gray whales leaping out of the sea and splashing in the wild - is an experience not to be missed. Hornblower, in partnership with the San Diego Natural History Museum, serves over 25,000 whale watchers who will experience these gentle 45-foot-long whales traveling together on an epic 5,000 mile journey onboard their annual Whale & Dolphin watching Adventure Cruise Dec. through March.

San Diego Whale Watching Cruises- Why is the boat so important? With a capacity for over 300 guests, the Adventure Hornblower is still the newest, largest, fastest, and most comfortable whale watching yacht in Southern California. On a clear day, guests can spot whale spouts from as far as three miles away from the yacht's sundeck that rises 25-feet off the ocean surface.

Hornblower's exciting and educational Whale Watching Adventure also features live narration by experienced Captains who are Naturalists. Hornblower Captains exclusively welcome children and guests to the wheelhouse for questions, interaction and photos. For your comfort, indoor and outdoor seating is available as well as a snack bar with hot and cold foods items and souvenirs. We suggest you bring a jacket to enjoy the outdoors.

Hornblower offers a GUARANTEE on Whale Watching Cruises This means if our crew doesn't spot a whale during your Hornblower Whale Watching Cruise you receive a ticket to return again for FREE another time on a whale watching cruise or narrated bay cruise.

Did you know, we sight other types of whales, dolphins, sea lions and sea birds on many of our whale watching adventures? Yes we sight schools of Common Dolphins, Risso's and Pacific White Sided Dolphins.

Risso's Dolphins (Grampus griseus) are commonly called Grampus because of their species name, Grampus griseus. They reach lengths of at least 15 feet with newborns reported to measure 5 feet. Risso's are thought to eat squid and occasionally fish. Risso's dolphins have several distinguishing characteristics, which make them fairly easy to identify. They have a large curved dorsal fin that is far back and is generally darker than the rest of the body. Adults appear light gray to nearly white in coloration mostly due to the scarring patterns from the dolphins raking their teeth across each other. Their snout has no pronounced beak and there is a unique v-shaped indentation on the forehead.

Pacific White-Sided Dolphins head and body length is 5-10 feet, pectoral fin length is about a foot, dorsal fin height is up to 1 foot, and the width of the tail flukes is 1-1.5 feet. Most species have a gray or black back, a paler belly, and various bands and stripes on the sides; there are conspicuous yellowish brown and grayish streaks on the sides. The dorsal and pectoral fins are pointed. The beak is poorly defined. These dolphins are known to leap clear of the water and is the only dolphin of the eastern Pacific known to turn complete somersaults under natural conditions.

It is amazing the marine life that flourishes in the San Diego Bay. Everyday we see Sea Lions on our harbor cruises. During Whale Watching we see so much more!

Birds:

Great Blue Heron, Geene Heron Black Crowned Night Heron, Double Crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Common Egret, Brown Pelican, Harrier, Red Tailed Hawk, Least Tern, Caspian Tern, Many types of Gulls, Common Loon, Surf Scooter, Bufflehead, and Mallard Duck

Mammals:

California Gray Whale, California Sea Lion, Harbor Seal, Pacific White Sided Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, Humpback Whale, Pilot Whale, Fin Whale, Blue Whale, Killer Whale, Southern Right Whale, and Minke Whale.

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What you'll see on a Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruise!

The stars of the Whale & Dolphin Watching Cruises are California gray Whales. You'll see mother whales and calves, you'll see frolicking adolescent males and you may even witness whales mating.

You'll see hundreds of dolphins. We see up to three different species: Common dolphins, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Risso's Dolphins

You'll see California Sea Lions living in a undisturbed colony on the Bait Barges near Point Loma.

You'll witness whale tails and behaviors such as "footprints" and "blows", and "dives" but the best thing you may see is a "breach".

It is amazing the marine life that flourishes in the San Diego Bay.

Birds: Great Blue Heron, Geene Heron Black Crowned Night Heron, Double Crested Cormorant, Brandt's Cormorant, Common Egret, Brown Pelican, Harrier, Red Tailed Hawk, Least Tern, Caspian Tern, Many types of Gulls, Common Loon, Surf Scooter, Bufflehead, and Mallard Duck Mammals: California Gray Whale, California Sea Lion, Harbor Seal, Pacific White Sided Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, Humpback Whale, Pilot Whale, Fin Whale, Blue Whale, Killer Whale, Southern Right Whale, and Minke Whale.

San Diego Whale Watching

Hornblower has the best yacht in southern California for Whale Watching Adventures.

The boat is fittingly called the Adventure Hornblower and is the fastest, largest and most stable whale watching vessel in San Diego with a large guest capacity. The yacht is three decks high with bird's eye views of whale spouts from 25 feet above the water. For your comfort, climate controlled indoor and outdoor seating. Binocular rentals available on board.

NEW Sea Lion Adventure Cruise

Come see the Sea Lions living in San Diego harbor.

The wild and rugged headland of Point Loma encloses the western end of San Diego Bay underneath high cliffs and provides a comfortable and sheltered lee. As you cruise toward Ballast Point there is an incredible view of the resident population of California Sea Lions.

Several hundred of these fascinating pinnepeds lounge around on buoys and the what is locally known as the bait barge.

The Sea Lion Adventure Cruises are one or two-hours in length and cruise daily at 10:00am, 12:30 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:15 pm. The cruise includes a narrated cruise of the north end of the San Diego bay. You will see the Star of India, Aircraft carriers, Shelter Island and of course SEA LIONS! The sea lion cruise is half price for children ages 3-12 years, under age 3 are FREE. Children receive a Sea Lion Treasure map, an information sheet about sea lions and a sticker when they see the California sea lions in the wild about half way through the cruise.

Discounts are available on all cruises for children groups, seniors and military personnel. Hornblower Cruises & Events ticket booth is located at 1066 North Harbor Drive.