Captain Christian was the best! Contacted him a couple months before our trip to make reservations,…read morehe was quick to respond, very friendly. A week or so before our trip to Monterey our agenda has changed and we needed to switch our reservation to another day. A quick call to Captain Christian and he was able to accommodate our request. Very informative about his boat, the ocean and Monterey. Look forward to our next trip out here and will definitely be making reservations with Captain Christian.

Sailing with Christian was, without a doubt, the highlight of our trip to Monterey, Carmel, and Big…read moreSur!! Of all the activities we planned, this experience stood out the most. From the moment we booked with Christian, we knew we were in for an unforgettable day... Christian is warm, friendly, and a true expert in sailing. His boat is stunning & spacious. His knowledge of the area reflects his years of experience, and it's clear he knows the Bay like the back of his hand. He navigated the waters to ensure we had the best experience possible, keeping us in the sun & warning us when to expect a little bit of colder wind - he accommodated us with warm blankets & cups for our champagne! He made us feel completely safe throughout. We were blessed enough to spot a few whales, which made the views even more exciting. We were celebrating my boyfriend's 30th birthday, so we had an impromptu photo shoot. Christian captured beautiful photos of us that we cherish! All in all, He went above and beyond to make us comfortable and even teaching us a bit about sailing--a dream for both of us. He allowed us to connect our playlist to the speakers, or choose one on his Spotify, and enjoy. While he gave us plenty of private time to soak in the breathtaking scenery, we also loved chatting with him and hearing about his life during the tailend of the trip. This was an incredible experience, and we can't wait to sail with Christian again when we're back in the area. Don't hesitate to book this adventure--you won't regret it!

My son and I had a weekend sail on a catamaran, an intro sail, completed ASA 101 and had a few…read moreintro and club sails with Sail Monterey, and rented a boat for a sail with my kids. We love sailing in Monterey Bay. The Sail Monterey team is awesome. We a learning a lot. The instructors are amazing. I highly recommend Sail Monterey.

This was my fifth time sailing with Sail Monterey, and they never disappoint. No one else signed…read moreup for the Happy Hour Sunset trip and Captain Vince still took us out for what turned into a beautiful private sail. That kind of dedication and customer care is rare. He was also my instructor for the Introduction to Sailing class, and he is consistently professional, smart, patient, and kind. I always feel safe and well taken care of on board. I absolutely love this company and will continue to sail with them again and again.!

Great time with Captain Ron. My two brothers and I took my dad fishing for his 75th birthday and…read morecaught some beautiful lingcod and rockcods. Ron kept us fishing the whole time. Boats immaculate and feels super safe even when the ocean was trying to rock us around. We are trying to find a date to do it again!!! I would recommend Ron to anyone and everyone.

I took my brothers-in-law and nephew out with Captain Ron and we had a great time. Ron is patient,…read moreknowledgeable and rely kept us on the fish all day. I can't even begin to describe what a better experience this was than going out on a boat with 30 fishermen and fouling lines all day. West wind is THE way to fish Monterey Bay!

Originally, our group was planning to have our company gathering in Lake Tahoe, but due to the…read morefires and air, we decided to move it to Monterey. We had a very large group and gave everyone the choice of either a private whale watching cruise, a visit to the Monterey Aquarium, or a visit to Carmel. Our group decided on the private whale watching cruise. We spend two awesome hours in the Monterey Bay with these huge blue whales and finback whales. Our group had a great time! Monterey Sailing & Boat Charters is perfect for large group private cruises. Food and alcohol was also permitted. Captain and crew where awesome too.

From the owner: We are a Boat Charter Company in Monterey, California, that offers a variety of "Private Whale…read moreWatching and Special Event Cruises" either from 1-6 people or 7-11 people on a nice 37' Catamaran, or for groups up to 69 people, we use our large power vessel. We offer Large Corporate Events & Team Builder Tours/Regattas, Weddings & Memorial Cruises. We also specialize in a variety of Private Family/Friends daily Private Sailing Cruises, and Private Sunset Appetizer Cruises.

Absolutely incredible experience with Fast Raft Ocean Safaris & Captain Kate!…read more If you're anywhere near the Monterey Peninsula, local or visiting, you must experience Fast Raft Ocean Safaris. We had the privilege of heading out with Captain Kate, and what unfolded was truly beyond words. We witnessed countless humpback whale calves breaching all around us-so many that we didn't know which direction to look-left, right, behind the boat...it felt like nature's ballet on full display! The raft itself is impeccable-comfortable, smooth, and incredibly close to the water, which makes the encounters feel all the more intimate and powerful. It's small-group, thoughtfully guided, and environmentally conscious. Captain Kate's knowledge, passion, and deep respect for the ocean and its creatures created a sense of reverence and wonder that elevated the whole journey. This is not your average whale-watching tour-it's in a league of its own. A soul-stirring, jaw-dropping, life-affirming kind of outing. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Whether you're a local looking to reconnect with the majesty of your own backyard or a visitor hoping for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, this is the one to book. Truly unforgettable.

I've taken Fastraft a few times. It's always an amazing experience ! The raft gives you the…read moreability to be up close to the whales or dolphins while being completely safe. Leaving from Moss Landing allows you to be directly over the ocean trench so the wildlife is close to the harbor. It's amazing. Laura D

Had a great time with Crab and Dabs. Deckhand Kayla was very friendly and helpful, and they put us…read moreon fish. Can't ask for too much more. Would go with them again.

The captain definitely knows how to put you on fish -- no complaints there. But the deckhand ruined…read morethe experience. Many people on the boat were clear first-timers, and on every other boat I've been on, the deckhands help unhook fish for beginners. Instead, this deckhand gave people attitude, refused to help, and said she'd "show them once" and that was it. Meanwhile, she spent more time fishing than assisting anyone. One passenger even had a rental pole malfunction, and instead of swapping it out, the deckhand just said it was "far enough in the water" and handed it back. I ended up helping other passengers because she wouldn't do her job. Great captain, terrible deckhand. Would be an amazing trip with better crew support.

We had the best experience with Captain Joonya and were so lucky to see so many otters, seals, and…read morebirds on our trip. We even saw multiple groups of mating otters & a mother and baby!! The boat is so comfortable and beautifully decorated. My 99 year old grandmother had the best time & appreciated the extra blankets provided on board and how comfortable Captain Joonya made our family feel! We will definitely be back for another charter in the future!!

Fantastic trip on the slough to see otters. Great boat. Great staff. Definitely recommend.read more

Found this cruise last minute due to holiday travel plans changing. We saw humpback whales and…read moreorcas! We found then both real fast and so we chased the orcas for a while and spent time with the humpbacks at the beginning and end. Only wish was maybe not chasing orcas because my nieces really wanted to see dolphins closer (bow riding) and bigger pods than orcas. It was an amazing trip and I'll definitely take any of my friends that come to visit.

Had a great experience whale watching on Mother's Day with my Wife and Son. Chase and Captain Joe…read morewere great and I would recommend. Heed the preparatory message about sea sickness if you (or your party) is not experienced. The wrist band is good for those that might be susceptible.

Kevin did a wonderful job with our trip! He was so knowledgeable about the entire bay. He provided…read moresnacks and drinks and made it a really fun trip on the water. Would highly recommend for a nice, casual trip with friends of family. Feel free to bring a few bottles of wine to enjoy (just not red wine, since it may stain during rough waters).

I started following IG and FB posts from @coastsidekevin. Kevin is the proprietor of…read more@shearwatersailing. I joined the crew from San Francisco to Monterrey. It was my first offshore experience. Out of the gate, it went from excitement, to intimidating, to being put at ease by the professionalism and meticulous safety of Kevin and the rest of the great crew! What an incredible day & experience! Atalanta is a beautiful fast 53' Farr. I hope to go again. shearwatersailing.ne

We went pedal boating here and I really enjoyed it, it was something different for us. It was me,…read moremy husband, and my daughter and we got to pedal around the lake together, which was really nice. The staff was great, very informative and made sure we understood everything before we got on. They had different types of boats too, not just regular ones, but fun ones like ducks, swans, and even dragon boats, which made it feel more exciting, especially for kids. It's very family friendly and I felt like everything was safe. They provided life jackets and made sure everyone was good before heading out. We'll definitely come back, probably on a warmer day so we can enjoy it even more.

4 Stars for El Estero Boating + 1 additional star specifically for the very chill, handsome dog &…read morethe young gentlemen handling this joint. First and foremost, thank you to my Little for planning a fun day out in Monterey for our monster!! We honestly couldn't have imagined a better FUNtie!! Located across the way from Dennis The Menace Park, El Estero Boating is a family owned business offering paddle boat rentals. They are open 7 days a week aside from rainy, heavily foggy, or extremely windy days. Rentals are available for half hour rentals or hour long rentals. The regular paddle boats will set you back $27 for 30 mins & $35 for an hour. The fancier boats [swan, duck, dragon] are rented by 30 min increments and cost $45 for each half hour timeframe. Life jackets are conveniently included within the listed pricing. Please be advised that a $2 card transaction fee will be applied if you pay via card. The lake is spacious and that leaves you with plenty of room to roam freely and not have issues running into other boats. BUT!! Don't get the bright idea of racing any other guests bc WHO REALLY DOES THAT?? LOL!! My legs absolutely felt the burn bc ya girl doesn't do any kind of running unless it has to do with my mouth. Lmao!!! The boats work well and they go in the appropriate direction you want them to- this is not always the case for paddle boats in general! Side note: I agree with some of the reviews regarding customer service being dry and unfriendly depending on the person you're dealing with but I'll chalk it up to it being really early. By the end of our visit, our entire party was really happy with the kindness & helpfulness of the staff we encountered. Overall, picking El Estero Boating was great. Coming here was lots of fun for both us adults and a 5yo toddler.