Did a half day (morning) whale watching tour with a friend starting from Pico. What an incredible experience! First, off, it feels great to watch and learn about whales through a company grounded in sustainability and research - not just earning profits. You can tell all the staff are incredibly passionate and knowledgeable about the local wildlife, and they even have internships for those who want to get more involved in the work. In addition to the whales, we learned about local fowl, crabs, and other sealife.
Communication and payment was super easy via their website, and I got WhatsApp updates on the meeting spot and timing the day of. They make sure to keep you well protected from the elements with a waterproof jacket and overalls. The boat is not a typical tour boat meant for leisure - this is a small rigid inflatable boat with forward-facing seats meant for a bumpy ride. This is NOT a recommended trip for people with orthopedic injuries, sensitivity to jarring motion, or who are pregnant. They do make a point to check in on everyone to ensure they're doing okay. I am prone to seasickness and I had some nausea while we were idling, waiting for a whale. But, being smaller, it's fairly agile and able to maneuver quickly when chasing a whalespotting tip and my nausea subsided once the boat was moving again. Definitely recommend a tour with Naturalist! read more