This was our first time going on a whale-watching tour & we were fortunate enough to see 17 whales! This was an amazing adventure & the crew (Captain, & 2 awesome naturalists) made the experience of traveling to the Farallon Islands worth every penny. I highly recommend the whale-watching tour with Oceanic Society, aboard the Salty Lady. The experience began near Ft. Mason, and we soon passed directly under the GG Bridge. It wasn't more than 45 minutes later before was saw our first whale & that would have been more than enough of an experience.... but we were very, very lucky! The whales kept coming up for air & they put on quite an incredible show for us! The crew was knowledgeable & they never missed ab opportunity to call our attention to educational items of interest - like the mola-mola (sunfish) we saw, or even the plastic balloon that floating in the middle of the ocean (that they fished out) before it could be swallowed be an unassuming sea creature who might mistake it for a jellyfish. I wholeheartedly recommend the Oceanic Society's Farallon Islands whale-watching tour. Get this on your schedule, & if you do so soon... you might even see a ton of whales & other magnificent creatures, like we did The Farallon Islands were absolutely beautiful - 27 miles out & worth the time it took to get there & see what I am now calling "Pinniped City". It was an experience like no other, that's for sure. read more

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Wonderful people. Smart, professional. Invest in electronic wrist bracelets for sea sickness.

Went on a whale watching tour off Half Moon Bay today with my family. Our naturalist Michael was absolutely fantastic and extremely knowledgeable. He was so kind and helpful, and made our beautiful trip so much more enriched. Definitely recommend! read more

Had my trip cancelled twice. Both times they said the waves were unsafe. The second time though was outrageous. Every forecast online had the waves at max 3ft swell and max 8mph wind gusts. Super disappointing. read more

I went on the Farallon Islands whale watching tour on Sunday. It was an incredible, truly epic all day (7.5 hours) experience. A bucket list item for sure! Michael was a fantastic guide - he shared a lot of interesting information throughout the tour and we all appreciated how knowledgeable he was. You'll definitely learn about the wildlife in addition to seeing and experiencing it! the Farallones are gorgeous and the area is absolutely teeming with wildlife - seals jumping all in a group in the water like they're dolphins, sea lions in massive numbers, different species of birds just taking over the rocky cliffsides. It takes 2 hours to get to the Farallones, and the journey is awesome in and of itself. Whales, common murres (they look like penguins), jellyfish and sea nettles, fish, the list goes on there is a lot to see. TIP: 1. Take Dramamine the night before and the morning of. I went on a wind-free day with great conditions and took Dramamine and still ended up feeling a bit seasick towards the end. It was worth it of course but just advising you to make sure you don't skip this necessary precaution. FYI my husband and friend both did not feel seasick at all after taking Dramamine so your results may vary. 2. Take some videos on your phone! I barely took any videos and after watching the couple I took afterwards, I wish I took more. The wildlife footage you can capture is world class. After the trip you'll receive professional photos via email. They are amazing and worthy of framing. I love this perk as it lets us stay in the moment and observe, cool moments are gone before I'd be able to capture them by camera anyways so it was cool that our naturalist guide was able to catch and share so many great shots. 3. Bring enough water for the whole day While the boat has a sink, the water was kinda warm. In any case you'll want to be hydrated on the water. I will definitely go on more trips with the Oceanic Society and will be recommending them to friends and family. Thank you for the memorable trip!! Ok read more

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We went to Farrallones and were so very lucky to see the whales putting on a magnificent show. I've lived by Ocean beach in SF for 15 years and never saw a whale so it is such an amazing treat to see them. We also saw many different types of sea lions and birds, including the Puffin which my daughter recognized from the Trader Joe's cereal. Our guide Michael is a passionate naturalist and excellent photographer. Some pics attached. The ride out was a bit choppy but made the experience even more exciting. I recommend dramamine, waterproof shoes/boots, warm coat, hat and mittens and a thermos with hot cocoa. We motored along the western coast of Marin which was really cool to see from the water side. I I had such a fantastic experience and highly recommend it if you like adventure and marine life. read more

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This trip is not safe. The boat is way too small for the number of passengers and we got caught in some winds and literally the boat was almost flipping over. Most people were crying and literally everyone vomited and the guy driving the ship was oblivious. If you want to see wildlife, I recommend a bigger boat and way more friendly crew. I went in a group of 6 people and 4 of us felt like we were going to need to get rescued. I've done other whale watching trips and been on boats... this was not worth the danger. read more

This tour is subject to weather and sea animals so it's important to manage expectations. The Oceanic Society gives email notices at least a day before if there is a cancellation due to weather so some of the one star reviews based on not getting that notice are outdated. The Society could be clearer that there are a substantial amount of cancellations around summer, especially for traveling from out of town. I had to reschedule twice but I'm local so it worked out (you can opt for a refund too if there's a cancellation). The tour itself and team were excellent! Michael and Peter were very knowledgeable and Jared was a great captain. We saw humpback whales with one breaching, a rare shark attack (I think of a seal), sunfish, lots of sea lions (one spotted), lots of birds, views of the Golden Gate that you don't get elsewhere and the beautiful Farallon Islands. The waves can be rocky once you get out to the ocean but if you follow the guidance, you'll be OK. Definitely recommend this for nature enthusiasts and adventurers. Also please treat the oceans well and help prevent pollution. They're a precious treasure and we need them to survive. read more

Probably, an exclusive company in 2019, which provides public tours to the Farallon Islands. The organization, access to information and service on a high level. We took a tour to Farallon in June. Got a message with all instructions about seasickness and how to avoid it. The lessons that we have learned after the trip: 1) do not drink 2 pills of antihistamine (Bonine) or you will feel dozy all trip, 2) if you think that you put on warm clothes pretty enough, add one more jacket, 3) Have decided to not use sunscreen because there is not the sun? Bad idea, you will get burned, 4) Don't plan anything in the evening, you'll be too tired after a long day spent in the ocean. Just one complaint. From our perspective, the boat isn't big enough to accommodate 40 or more people we had on it during our trip. There wasn't free space to sit in the back of the boat most of the time. Nevertheless, it was a great opportunity to see the Farallon, meet around 10 whales and dolphins and learn some facts about marine life from the biologists. read more

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This was one of the highlights of my life, other than my camera battery failing it was stellar. The boat was called the "Salty Lady " for god' s sake! A friend was coming up for her birthday so my hubby and I surprised her at the dock with a Whale Cruise, how fun! She usually has great sea legs, but got a bit tipsy last night and was hurting for the beginning of the ride. It took about 2 hours to get to the Farallon Islands and along the way we saw tons of Sea Lions, Seals birds galore and a few Harbor porpoise (they were really close to the bay...get the name?) Once we got to the Island we killed the engine and enjoyed the view, and all of a sudden my Husband shouts "Oh my God Shark" There was a Great White who showed its teeth and quickly left. Wow that was exciting, what else will we see? Oh more birds....I don't like birds too much as I get pooped frequently. And I know it is not good luck Aunt B, you will never convince me of that. We cruised around the Islands a bit then went to the edge of the Continental shelf, you know where the ocean drops off about 2700 feet? This is where the fun begins, we started to smell this smell. Like ammonia, fish, and something nasty. That is what a whale smells like, gross. Then one surfaced and we forgot all about the smell. Blows began to show and we all shouted and pointed like kids in a Zoo. They were everywhere around us, about 12 in all feeding like mad. You could see all sorts of dolphins, they rode with the front of our boat and were a joy to watch. The Whales were majestic, flipping their tales up and eating tons and tons of fish. People were in complete awe and laughed when they came up. I have never felt so amazed at nature in my life. We stayed there for an hour or more watching the whales, the fish under the boat (clear water!), the dolphins and everything. It was such a wonderful day. We turned back when the whales seemed to be done eating, they breached a few times and it was again amazing. On the ride back some of the dolphins rode with us back to the Islands, like a farewell party if you can call them one. The boat was clean, the crew was great and our guide was amazing! Juan-Carlos, thank you!~ Also this is a non-profit tour, which makes me feel good about driving out to the Farallons. I have been on many boats and have seen many things, but today was the best day ever. read more

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Went out on the first whale watching tour of the season yesterday. Our group was fortunate and saw several humpbacks, a mola mola, Dolphins, a puffin, and many seal lions. The islands were absolutely stunning, and on our return home we saw a whale under the Golden Gate! The journey is a long one (about 8 hours total) and definitely chilly and strenuous. Our boat had about 13 passengers on board which were accommodated somewhat comfortably. Seating is limited, so you need to be prepared to stand sometimes and make due. The boat is also small and if you're prone to seasickness it could be a rough ride just given the duration of the trip. The crew was very nice, however, and brought complimentary coffee and bagels. They were also very eager to answer any questions on the journey. Overall, if you're a nature enthusiast and are okay with braving the elements for a day, I'd highly recommend this trip! It was absolutely incredible to see the remote Farallon Islands and all the wildlife. It's truly a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I think many people will truly love this trip. However, be fully aware you're embarking on an 8 hour adventure in the open ocean, and be prepared. read more

Oceanic Society Whale Watching - Passing by the Golden Gate - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Ross, California

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I went whale watching last weekend and it was the best experience, on time, lots of information given and yes, tons of whales. The people on the boat where enthusiastic and helpful. If you want to do some whale watching I highly recommend this nonprofit organization. I copied and pasted this review from the SF. Gate Farallon Islands: Last Saturday's trip was the most spectacular of the year for the Oceanic Society out of San Francisco: 78 humpback whales, 9 blue whales, 1 gray whale, along with harbor porpoises and shorebirds. Vast acres of krill have brought the whales to the Gulf of the Farallones. Humpbacks were tail slapping, lunge feeding and breeching within 20 feet of the boat, and blues came within a body length. Whale hotline, (415) 474-0488; Oceanic Society, oceanicsociety.org. read more

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I'm sorry to read the negative reviews. It is definitely the luck of the draw as to whether or not you will see whales. The weather and sea conditions can be hit or miss. But you can't blame the Oceanic Society for any of these factors. We were lucky with the weather. The weeks before were accompanied by rough seas. In fact the day before the winds were clocked at 30-45 mph. Magically the winds died down to 5-15 mph on the morning of our trip. The seas were still a little rough but I managed NOT to get seasick. Were talking about someone who in the past gets seasick by the mere mention of the word, "seasick.." I have gotten the tip to just stare at the horizon line (or a land feature). This technique seems to work for me. There were a couple of points where I could see the waves rising high above our ship, The Salty Lady. I could feel the boat going straight up. Then blam! The boat went down with a big whoosh! But I didn't feel even a twinge of nausea! The trip was 3 hours long. We saw a cute little sea otter just nonchalantly riding the waves on his/her back. There was also a sighting of a porpoise which I didn't see, Then during the last hour of our trip......we saw some whales! None of the fancy jumps or other awesome manuevers. We saw spouts and then some backs surfacing though the waves. Still very cool. I took at least 7-8 photos on my digital camera but when I viewed them later there were mostly shots of the sky or empty sea......oh well,....... but we really did see them! This is at least our second or third trip with the Oceanic Society over the years. Once several years ago we went on a trip where we saw a RIGHT WHALE--which is on of the rarest whales in existence. This whale came to the boat and hung around for at least an hour rolling and rolling and flirting. Most of the people on board the boat couldn't take it's photo since they only brought these fancy expensive cameras with these long telephoto lenses. I was able to take several photos with my cheapo insta-matic camera (before the era of digital cameras). Apparently we were the only boat that was lucky enough to see this Right Whale. Other whale watching excursions that day didn't see him/her. It was a historic trip that made the news and history. One has not been spotted since. btw The Right Whale is called this because it was an easy whale to hunt since it was so docile. I think we'll try their all day long trip to the Farallons some day. read more

I'm not one for negative reviews, but mess with my Sunday morning and the shit be *on*. Now, in all fairness, the brochure tells you to call this number the morning of the trip to make sure it's still going, but I hadn't noticed that, and anyway they had been very adamant that the trips go RAIN OR SHINE. So we get down to the Marina at 7:30 on a calm, overcast morning, and sure enough there's several other groups of people waiting for the trip. No one from the OS seems to be around though, so we're wondering what's up, and finally we notice the number on the brochure. So we call, and there's a sleepy voice recording saying "yeah, Sunday's trip is cancelled due to weather". Ok, now this is annoying for a couple reasons: 1) How about telling us that actual date of the trip you're referring to so we know this recording isn't just a leftover? 2) Care to elaborate on "weather"? I know the ocean is unpredictable and all, but if your trips go rain or shine, and it's overcast and calm, what's the problem? If something bad is looming in the forecast, at least do us the service of telling us what it is. 3) Would it really be too much trouble to send ONE person to stand at the meeting point from 7:30 to 8 to tell people that yes, the trip really is cancelled? I mean, we were far from the only people who foolishly showed up (including one poor couple from Germany who was only here for one weekend), and if they cancel trips in seemingly benign weather, this must be a fairly common occurrence. So be warned that you obviously can't count on these things actually going. And even if you remember to call the number, you and all your friends still have to wake up at 6 AM to do so, and of course you still have to have all your gear and food ready to go (the BYO lunch thing is another gripe). Anyway, I'm still determined to get to the Farallons someday, but who knows when I'll muster up the energy to try again. *UPDATE* Note that OCSC runs trips to the Farallons as well. They're more expensive and less frequent, but I've found them to be very reliable and organized. And *they* bring the lunch. read more

I have to agree with the negative reviews below and had a very similar experience. It was a crystal clear beautiful day, they cancel the trip through a recording on a phone line that we could not get through until we were on the way to the harbor. The phone line opens at 6:30 AM, the boat leaves at 8:00 AM "sharp". It was such a beautiful day that who would think they would cancel. Turns out 40 of us had the same issue. Some had driven in from the Peninsula and Livermore/East Bay. The boat claims not to have received the message of the cancel, but still told us he would take us out and had a naturalist on board, who also happened to be a crew member. The trip was for 1 1/2 hour less than advertised, and we didn't see a single whale, but the trips in prior weeks had seen dozens according to the trip reports posted on their website. When I called to request a partial refund, they very honestly admitted there was a customer service issue with the trip and were going to either refund or offer a credit for a future trip. Days later, they left a vm offering a 50% future credit. I responded via the email address posted on their website and never heard back. in the end, I had to file a complaint with the BBB to get a response from them. Instead of the graciousness initially expressed, they took no responsibility for the issues that came up and basically gave us the proverbial 'bird'. They were so disappointing to work with. A non-profit doing good work, but unfortunately, with an organization that is motivated only by money and greed rather than making sure customers have a great experience. I cannot recommend this place and advise anyone choosing to use them despite the poor reviews to prepare themselves for the worst if anything but a perfect trip occurs. What a disappointment this company and the trip was read more

Ok so I am trying to review what the Oceanic Society did, rather than dwelling on the fact that this is a trip in foggy, cold San Francisco, which simply cannot be helped. There were 4 of us going on the trip to the Farallon Islands this past Sunday, and I should start out by saying we had read all the fine print, dressed in LOTS of layers, taken some seasickness medication, and we are all generally quite hardy, non-complaining people. The main problem of the trip was how they had their boat, the Salty Lady, set up. As I said earlier, this is San Francisco, it is cold and foggy pretty much all the time, I really don't think we had an unusually unpleasant day. And as I also mentioned, we were all dressed quite warmly. However, the boat was set up so that only about 12 of 40 people could actually sit in the cabin. By the time we got out to the islands, two of our party were extremely chilled as we had had to stand outside the whole 3.5 hour journey (there aren't enough seats outside for everyone either). But because the space inside was so precious, people had become extremely territorial of their seats. Tensions ran high, with everyone pretty much entering Survival Mode: stay warm and do NOT consider the comfort of anyone outside your party. After some tense exchanges with some of the other patrons, we ended up having to sit on the floor just outside the two bathrooms, not exactly the most pleasant spot to spend several hours trying to warm up. I cannot even imagine how miserable it would have been had it been raining or colder, or if more people had been seasick. To the Oceanic Society: 1. Instead of the booths in the cabin of the Salty Lady, please just put some benches so more people can sit. Either that or significantly reduce the capacity of the boat. There was not even close to enough room for 40 people on that boat! 2. Please have someone with some sort of name tag or Oceanic Society hat or whatever checking people in at the dock. We had NO IDEA who was in charge and almost got on the wrong boat until we were yelled at by a very unpleasant woman. Not the best start to the day. The whales and the islands and the porpoises were fantastic. I just wish the day hadn't been so dampened by the stress of trying to fight for a spot to keep warm on an overcrowded boat. I really wish I could recommend this tour to others as I love the idea that it's a non-profit engaging with marine life research, but I'm just not sure unless you can guarantee a sunny and warm day, which is tough in this area. They need to either get a bigger boat or take fewer people out per trip, neither of which I see happening. read more

Do not consider this voyage unless you are absolutely certain that you do not get seasick on the open sea. Despite having taken every precaution, including the maximum dosage of a prescription anti-nausea drug (ondansetron), carb breakfast, ginger, gazing at horizon, etc., my husband and I both spent seven hours on our knees, curled up against the side of the boat, clinging to the railing and vomiting, shaking and grinding our teeth with the cold. That being said, our non-seasick friends saw lots of whales breaching, dolphins, and all kinds of birds on the Farallons. The naturalist was knowledgeable and interesting (and kind to us sick ones), the crew were professional, and the boat was a boat and did not sink. Not fancy, but serviceable. Parking is easy, and everything was on time. I give it four stars because my friends spoke highly of it. Having not experienced it for myself, I withhold one star. Hope that's fair. If you have ever been seasick, do not assume any medication will prevent it on this trip. Just buy the DVD, or look at friends' photos from the trip. read more

We had a great 3 hour trip with Susan and Cathy as our naturalist guides. We got to see some whales spouting, one breaching (far away, sadly!), and a seal swam right by us. The weather was beautiful and the crew as fantastic. We departed in the late afternoon from the Marina Yacht Harbor in SF. I read the other reviews and feel badly for them... as I could see how things might end up not going well. Here are some key things in our favor for our trip: - the boat was not crowded; about 30 people including guides and crew - weather was very good; sunny, warm, not windy - we brought extra dramamine and I took some more during the excursion before getting proper sick; if you've ever been motion sick, you will probably get sick - everyone was friendly and looked out for each other (bring extra water!) - it was only for 3 hours, I don't think I could do much more than 4 - most importantly, we saw lots of whales! read more

Overall I was pleased with the whole trip and had a blast. I only gave 4 stars because they cancelled our original date that we booked and our friends were unable to change their plans to be able to go with us. I agree with Lis T's review, if you think you're going to take a trip on a calm, glassy lake, go paddle a rowboat around Stow Lake and float your rubber ducky beside you. You'll probably be happier. I don't recommend this trip for anybody who easily gets seasick, unless you have no qualms about tossing your cookies in the back of the boat.( Nobody cares anyway, they just want to see whales.) And see whales we did: we saw a gray whale and two blue whales that we got to follow closely for about 15-20 mins. we also were surrounded by a pod of Risso's dolphins near the islands. What a treat. The crew was friendly and our naturalist Eric was happy to answer all of our questions. I would definitely take this trip again despite the rough conditions (cold, wet, long and bumpy). But hey, where else are you going to be able to see Blue whales just chillin'? read more

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20 minutes in the tour, overdosed from gazing at the Pacific Ocean at high speed, the focus of all passengers switched from whales to survival as we sought a position that would minimize motion sickness. At that point, I would have paid to go back to the piers. And that's much said considering my interest in marine life and huge excitement about the expedition (I had even put whale watching on my wedding gift registry). We were a group of 9 with about 40 other passengers for the Half Moon Bay tour last weekend. The boat is quite small; There are no seats for all but don't rush to get one, you are better off standing up, looking at the horizon. Besides, soon enough, sick passengers will give their seats away to go bend over the edges of the boat. Yes, it is that bad! We had read the reviews, followed all recommendations sent by the Oceanic Society, we were well dressed and had taken sea-sickness medication. Still, about 10% of boat passengers were throwing up, on their knees for the entire 3 hours (poor things!!), another 80% felt sick at times or deeply uncomfortable (me), only a few people remained enthusiastic and willing to have a conversation with the crew. As far as whale watching goes, our captain told us that we had a pretty good day with "above average sightings". We saw some rare seals but honestly they didn't look different enough from the sea lions at Pier 39 to make it worth the trip. We also saw about 3 parts of grey whales: 1 tail from very far away and 2 backs. If that's above average, it is sad. Also, you would expect to gain lots of insights from an organization called the "oceanic society" but the most we learned is a gory story about how killer whales like to eat bits of baby grey whales as a ritual. Thanks. One more reason to throw up! It is not the fault of the Oceanic Society but I just wouldn't recommend the tour to anyone. It was my second outing on a boat in the Bay and it's always the same story: motion sickness for all and desperation at not being able to leave. They say that whale watching is so much better in Cabo or Canada. This tour does however make a great gift for people that you do not like. read more

Warning: you will be on a small boat, with limited cabin space and will be out on open sea. This will most likely mean that some of you will start throwing up. Read the small print when you sign up - it will help! The captain will go through this with you by the time you get on the boat, but by then let's face it, it's already too late. I had all fingers, thumbs, toes and eyes crossed that we would get lucky and see some whales. Lucky for us, even though we were at the end of the season, we caught a couple of humpback whales near the start of our journey out to the Farallon Islands. Sadly, most of the time, we only saw birds. We also just missed out on seeing a Great White attack on a seal, others in our party spotted a dorsal fin, but we only saw the aftermath of dark matter floating in the water. What an exciting moment though! And that's what makes this trip out to the Farallon so much fun - when you look back, the majority of the time for many will be spent just looking out to water, but then you have a moment... and that's the moment you are waiting for. One of the more entertaining aftereffects is trying to regain your land legs after spending 8 hours on a boat - for the whole night I was swaying and lurching from one place to another - sometimes entertaining, sometimes seriously unpleasant. Nausea that did accompany me for some of the expedition successfully remained thereafter for the rest of the day. There is a naturalist that accompanies the trip so you can ask as many questions as you want. I think this is where the trip can wane a little, as if you have nothing to do, there isn't much to occupy you and there isn't a 'tour' per se as you would get on a more touristy venture. For me, it was the return trip that made the day feel long. By then, we were tired and just wanting to be back on shore again. But otherwise, would I do it again? Hells to the yes. read more

What an once in a lifetime experience. We saw 31 Humpbacks, harbor seas, sea lions-and more -it was the most amazing day. The crew was wonderful-took pictures with whales in the background, answered questions, were friendly and helpful-even brought bagels and coffee to start the day. I got very sea sick so I spent the last couple hours sleeping so maybe the only suggestion would be a little shorter trip but to get out to the whales and activity it is a ways so I understand the 8 hour length. I will remember this trip always-Top 10 experiences of my life!! read more

Not a good experience with the Oceanic Society, of which I was a big fan. Customer service is not only lacking, but feels like they go out of the way to make their customers feel cheated. I bought 3 tickets, got up at 5 am and drove 30 minutes until 6 am, when we could call to check the trip status. Trip was cancelled due to rough seas, so we drove home another 30 minutes and went back to bed. Getting a refund requires a phone call during business hours, and dealing with a surly or inept volunteer. Instead of keeping records they need ALL your info again, including credit card number. Then the $2 service charge for the cancelled trip is Per Ticket, not per transaction. The volunteer agreed this didn't make sense, but charged me anyway. Why not wait to run credit cards until AFTER the trip, and not charge a fee when the trip is cancelled? Why not charge per transaction if you still feel like extorting customers when the trip is cancelled? Very disappointing interaction, and I'll be taking my business and charitable contributions elsewhere. read more

"Deal of the day promotion" desperation plus 2 1/2 star Yelp average should be a warning. I don't care if they are a nonprofit and whales are beautiful creatures, that doesn't excuse poor customer service and miscommunication. You see, when you reserve the 1/2 price promotion and take your credit card you get voucher. And when you schedule your tour you get a confirmation. Somewhere on page 6 of the confirmation letter it says there is no refund for any reason within two weeks of the cruise. That's the only notice. You can't rebook. Not for incapacitating illness, death in the family, nada. The policy itself is ridiculous but what's worse is their unhelpful attitude, poor communication, and not telling you before you buy. That's probably not legal, and against the terms of the deal website. They don't care. Really, if they want to send boats out on those terms they can send them out without you. I hope they care more about nature than they care about their patrons. read more

Absolutely loved this trip last weekend. We're trying to appreciate our surroundings during shelter-in-place and this trip on the Salty Lady with three awesome naturalists and one fabulous naturalist/photographer was a thrill and highlight. Boat capacity is limited due to city covid-restrictions so it's a VERY comfortable journey - we saw whales, puffins, harbor porpoises, seals having fun, and more birds than I've ever seen before. It was nature at its best with a company that does great work. I can't recommend it enough. It's a must-do! read more

Though I have my criticisms, I took their Farallon Islands Whale Watch excursion yesterday and enjoyed it. We saw a ton of marine life, from Sea Lions and Fur Seals, to several types of Porpoises and Dolphins, as well as three kinds of whales (Blue, Grey and Humpback) and tons of sea birds (Albatross, Tufted Puffins, Murres). Our guide (Peter) was excellent in pointing out the various wildlife we were seeing and explaining how to tell the different between, say, porpoises and dolphins and the various types of whales. Unfortunately, even though it was where we saw the most whales, we didn't spend much time around the islands. We stopped for a few minutes here and there when whales appeared, but either sped off to follow them or took off they didn't reappear immediately. Also, we couldn't get too close to the islands, so we could only view the gazillions of birds that nest on the islands using binocs or zoom lenses, and even then we were WAY too far away to see much. And the big bust of the trip, IMO, was the trip out to the edge of the continental shelf. It took us hours further out on the open seas and we saw nothing. We all fell asleep for the last two or three hours of the trip. I would consider returning in late October, when Peter said is the best chance to see Great Whites near the islands, but I may consider another company that will spend more time near the islands. read more

We booked the Salty Lady through the Oceanic Society for a staff outing for our organization in San Francisco. I have spent a lot of time on boats and at sea and I prepped our staff for what we might encounter. Please note that this is a trip out to sea and not simply a bay cruise. SO, please be prepared and follow their recommendations. The Salty Lady is a very comfortable boat and extremely well-maintained! The crew were excellent and the Oceanic Society an ideal tour organizer. We chartered the whole boat and it was a great chance for our staff to bond, in addition to experience the islands. You really couldn't ask for a better vessel from which to tour the Farallon Islands, fish for salmon, or whale watch and cruise. In summary, this turned out to be the perfect day. The weather was absolutely beautiful as we went in September. We saw whales on the way out, a group of rare porpoises near the islands themselves, and whales on the way back in. We also saw a lot of other sea life and birds. Nobody was seasick as conditions were ideal and staff took Dramamine as a precaution. I recommend this outing, and the Salty Lady in particular, to anyone. If weather conditions are not good, it may be problematic for some but that is just the nature of San Francisco and the ocean in general. Please enjoy this unique opportunity! read more

This review is specifically for the Oceanic Society, rather than the pros and cons of ocean trips in general if you are prone to seasickness. We booked a trip with Oceanic to the Farallon Islands, an 8-hour excursion. Unfortunately, just days before the trip date, Oceanic had to cancel due to a lack of bookings. Since they are a non-profit doing good works for the environment, I fully understand that they can't run the trip at a loss. We resigned ourselves to the disappointment of a trip that had been planned for months, only to be dropped at the last minute. However, the good folks at Oceanic realized how disappointed we were, and they went out of their way to find us an alternate tour company that was able to take us instead. They made all the arrangements, even though it meant that we took the trip with one of their competitors. A true class act! Instead of being disappointed, we had a lovely trip to the Farallones! Yes, a dozen folks got seasick, including one in our party, as seems to be the norm for all deep ocean excursions, but there isn't any ocean tour company that is going to make a difference if you decide to take a deep sea trip and you succumb to the motion of the ocean. So this review is to commend Oceanic on their customer service. They earned the "I'm a fan" status in stars for saving our weekend, even though we can't comment on their trips directly. They are conscientious, considerate, and thoughtful in their dealings with the people who book their trips. For that, they have won my customer loyalty. read more

Wow, what an amazing day! Having grown up in SF, I'd always seen the Farallon Islands from a distance (on a clear day), and it was so cool to finally experience them up close! I went on the trip with a few adult family members, and what a memorable experience we had! We saw lots of seals, a wide variety of birds, many Humpback whales, a sunfish, dolphins, and jellyfish. The boat was clean and comfortable, and I appreciated that the Oceanic Society limited the number of people to below capacity. Our naturalist, Peter, was wonderful! Peter was so knowledgeable and experienced, and I enjoyed his insight throughout the excursion. We also lucked out with really great weather and a calm sea, though I was happy to have taken Dramamine beforehand, which worked like a charm. I was able to capture some amazing photos, and will think fondly of this day for the rest of my life! Thank you, Oceanic Society! read more

This was a truly superb trip. We got to see plenty of humpback whales, dolphins, seals and birds. The naturalist Chris, did a wonderful job of explaining the different species, and threw into plenty of geography for our context. Even if I didn't get to see whales this would have been a superb trip. There is so much to learn about the Pacific coast neat northern California and the Oceanic society, is very committed to preserving out natural environment. I learnt a lot about how human activities can affect marine life and have a ripple effect up through the eco-system. This inspired me to be more conscientious about what I purchase and be more careful about the plastics we use. Just a tip: believe what they say about sea sickness and take the tablets. I've been on the sea before in bigger boats, but I got violently sick for 2 hours of this great trip. The staff on the ship and my co-passengers were super helpful and gave me a few things to alleviate sickness. read more

I booked through Zozi, at a great discounted rate. My bad, I didn't check in advance to see the dates are always Saturday or Sunday (when I work). But I happily took off a Saturday night (when I'm the closing bartender and work very late, and the boat leaves early) and the following Sunday (when I'm the opening bartender, my shift being during the time of the ride), the day of the excursion. Alas, I learned at 6 am Sunday when I phoned that the trip was cancelled due to wind. The exact same thing happened a month later, only their weather line wasn't working, so I -- and other passengers -- didn't learn of the cancellation until we got there. My friend drove in from Marin that morning for this. At this point, I'm out @$800 (between2 weekends of lost hourly wages & tips). I can't afford another lost work weekend, and i don't think I want anymore of this frustration. They refuse to refund my money ("that's just our policy, talk to Zozi"), though I never even saw their boat. I spoke at length to Brenda, and she said she'd leave a message for the director to phone me about possibly making an exception to their policy. Two days later I phoned. "Yes, the message is right here for her to phone you, she'll be in tomorrow." The enxt day someone -- I assumed it was the director -- did phone. We spent 30 minutes on the phone, basically repeating the conversation with Brenda. Finally she said "Only the director..." "Wait -- I thought you were the director, that's who I asked to phone me back." "I'm her assistant, she told me to phone you." I again asked that the director phone me. 4 days later I phoned again. This time I was told that the director refused to speak to me, that they stand firm on the no refund policy. I've never experienced such poor customer relations in my life. Save yourself the headache. There are too many other boat tour operators who are happy to have your business. PS: I asked that since they kept my money without delivering on their end, that they at least send a letter acknowledging my tax-deductible donation to their non-profit organization. read more

In every trip you always remember one thing, if not more. At this trip, I have checked off some things out of my bucket list. Learned that you need to know your homework before going to school. in this regard, the trip itself, or you will just be bringing home a "D". The Naturalist/s are experts and know what they are talking about but... didn't have the time to educate the mass. But overall, I enjoyed the trip! Saw humpback whales, tufted puffins, albatross, a fin whale and lots of sea gulls and seal lions, and the incredible islands in the middle of the ocean. Ask me if I'd go again? Definitely, but next time, Ill do my homework and bring more than one camera and make sure to really look out not to miss out of the fun!!! read more

Oceanic Society Whale Watching - Flying gull following our boat towards the farallones! - Whale Watching Tours Near Me - Ross, California

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It is great that the Oceanic Society does this, and they go beyond the islands to the continental shelf as well, where no other boats where. We saw a bunch of humpbacks and blue along the shelf, so that's great. The islands themselves were beautiful but if you want to see a lot of birds, you need to do during actual reproduction season, otherwise they are pretty bare. Our guide was well-informed and great, as were the boat crew. Make sure you give them a proper tip for the trip ($20+). Here's the thing, the boat is too small to be out that far in open water. It's smaller than the boats in Monterey Whale Watching tours, and those only go out at most 30 min out into the ocean and the waters don't have those swells. Sure, there's not much space for a full tour, but it's more about the size/heaviness of the boat to combat the Pacific swells. I'd say at least half the folks were throwing up and missed the whales. I took prescription anti-nausea pills designed for people who have cancer (I don't, but that shows how strong they are), and I still got sick. The swells are so large that you can't see the horizon most of the time and there is nothing to focus on in the distance for most of the trip. Good luck. DEFINITELY do it to go under the Golden Gate bridge and see the islands. While there's more diversity around the islands (orcas, sharks, birds, purposes, etc), if you're there to see whales, do Monterey. The trench is right off-shore. You can see the whale spouts from land, put it that way. So you either go out about 30 min, or an hour if you go up along the coastline to Moss Landing. Much, much calmer waters. Much higher chance of seeing whales (I think it's actually impossible to NOT see whales there). I saw 20-30 humpbacks that were fish lunging together and fluking, along with blue whales. They seemed much more active and playful than the ones on the SF trip, which mostly ignored us. Easy to handle so you can do it every year! This is something you'll do once, then likely say you will never do again. read more

My wife and I had always talked about going whale watching and so last year we did, last spring to be exact. They have boats that leave from both the city and Half Moon Bay so we picked the latter and decided to take a 3 hour tour on the "Salty Lady." I rarely go out on the open ocean and know next to nothing about boating or sailing but I still wasn't prepared for the misery of the trip. It was the day after a big storm blew through and we were experiencing 10-12 foot seas. The boat was cramped and there were only a few seats (I suppose why would there be when you're standing up to see whales right?) so I ws standing and holding onto the rails. 3 hours of rough seas is a helluva ride and I think every single muscle hurt. Then there was the other fun. I have an iron stomach and not much gets to me. Not so for the rest of the passengers. I'd say maybe 65% of the people on the boat were sick, throwing up over the sides into the water, or on the deck if they couldn't make it. I once had people on either side spilling the contents of their stomachs around me simultaneously. It was sort of infectious as some folks got sick seeing others get sick, and so on. And while that was bad, things like that happen on the water I suppose. What was more disturbing was that we got only a brief discussion of safety, no life jacket demonstration, and no real clue as to where such things were on the ship as opposed to a casual remark of them being "over there." It seems that in rough seas with inexperienceD people on board (some of whom may not be good at swimming in such conditions) that life jackets would be mandatory or that the crew would be more present in showing us what to do in case something went wrong. Needless to say, I am not doing that again (to be fair, the crew warned us about the rough seas beforehand, guess I had to experience them for myself). How were the whales? Beats me, didn't see one, maybe it was all the puke. read more

My husband bought a whale tour for us and a friend as my birthday gift. We showed up for the tour and it had been cancelled. No phone call or email. Apparently, we were supposed to call them to find out if the trip we paid for was still happening. Anyway, my husband was working nights at the time and we could never reschedule at a convenient time. More than a year later, I emailed them to see if we could rebook our tour and was told that they would not allow us to rebook since the money we paid was only good for that calendar year. So, they kept the money for three tours and never actually provided any service. Then they sent us an email saying they hoped we booked another tour with them! No thanks. read more

Whale watching out of Sausalito w/ the Oceanic Society, aboard the 'Salty Lady.' My high rating is honest - and it is well deserved by the crew, the Oceanic Society, the gorgeous ocean & the fabulous cast of the ocean. Honestly, I think those who give low stars here do NOT know how to read, or think that all the careful notes and "warnings" that the Oceanic Society gives must not be for their very special unicorn selves. They note it is a long day, they note is can be rough seas as it's the real Pacific people - not some sunset cruise in Cabo. So why be surprised when it is a long day with some real ocean action? The society very clearly states on its pages that it will be cold, it will be windy, it will be wet (hey, oceannnnnn peoplllllleeeeeee). So why do people show up in leggings and a sweatshirt???? They note please take seasickness meds and read the info and take as instructed. We sailed on a Sunday, and on Sundays you can only leave from Sausalito at the Clipper Yacht Club Harbor. Easy to find - just park in the main "back" parking area, don't park by the office/ restaurants, etc. The 'Salty Lady' is in the "1" area of the Harbor- so just a tiny bit to the right of where you pull in & park. You must be there by/ before the check in time. The Oceanic Society naturalist we had (who was epic) had everyone huddle round the pier to sign in, and then about 10 minutes or so later gave a bit of the "what to expect" talk. He was a marine biologist - and was friendly, fun, but also really honest on what to expect and what we may or may not see ( the ocean is a fickle queen). Then you get to walk down & load onto the boat. Very nice crew, great captain who has been sailing since the 70's I believe. The really gave us a good experience and watched safety at the same time. This is a fishing boat - not a pleasure cruiser so please know (and be considerate about): 1. This isn't meant to be a SEATED pleasure cruise. There are not enough sitting areas for all if the tour has the normal capacity (boat won't be crowded, it's just its a fishing boat, not the Love Boat). 2. Rotate! Have some manners & grace and do try to rotate out the seats so people can take breaks from their feet. (There were people who parked there basically 7 out of 8 hours of the tour - so not sure why they went on it as they wouldn't of seen anything from the seats. Nada). Now that I've scared you - DON'T BE. IT WAS A-MAZ-ING. Dressed warmly (just b/c it's June doesn't mean warm ---- think 8 hours of feeling with winds like it's about 35-40F) . We took seasick meds (BONINE) 2 hours beforehand.Had scopamine patches & ginger candies w/ us as well as the site-recommended crackers/drinks + snacks. We wore (in June) jeans with waterproof wind resistant pants over them - you can find them affordably at places like LL Bean, REI,etc. Wore layered t shirts w thick fleece jackets and then weather/ water/ wind proof shells over that. Plus baseball caps and/ or stocking caps (wind = ears) and brought gloves we were glad we took. Sunglasses are a must (and wipes to clean them off of all the salt) + a LOT of sunscreen. That said - we were super happy. It takes about 2 hours to get out to the Farallon Islands - more if the captain or anyone spots anything great along the way. We stopped along the way for a whale sighting. The naturalist came around all the time answering questions, pointing out sea birds, talking about what kind of sea life was expected in each area, and some history of the upcoming islands. Once we got around the island - WOW. We had 8 confirmed Humpaback whale sightings - both smaller/ young whales and larger whales. Also saw Mora Moro aka the Sunfish - that was stellar in color. LOTS of "egg yolk" jellyfish, lots of sea lions/ seals in about 5 different species - including the rarer, golden "Steller's Sea Lion" and the (hunted almost to extinction) Fur Sea Lion. Lots of cool birds, including Puffins, Comorants and more. Saw more on the way back. Note - about at least 1/2 the boat was sick - so heed the warnings & be prepared! Definitely will be back & will go on the Half Moon Bay tour too! The experience of seeing whales in person = priceless. read more

Unlike many of the other reviewers - I had a great experience and overall am very pleased with my trip to the Farallons. I think we were lucky as far as the weather, we had clear skies, light wind and swells no more than 7 or 8 feet. I do think part of the reason my husband and I had such a good time is I carefully read everything they emailed me in the order confirmation packet and I combed the website for info on what to expect and what to bring. The trip is 8 hours and to be sick, cold, wet, hungry, thirsty or any combination of those could be miserable. Neither of us gets seasick but I have a long history of getting carsick. So, I bought the meds and took them when instructed. Ate what they said to eat for breakfast and didn't drink the night before the trip. I also took great pains to not look anywhere but the water and the horizon. Had I wavered on any of those, I know I would have gotten sick. The Salty Lady is all about function - not comfort. Seating is limited so when you are standing, you are bracing yourself to not fall or stumble. You will get wet from the sea spray unless you are in one of 4 seats tucked behind the glass or if you are in the cabin. For me, going in the cabin made me feel queasy so I didn't spend much time in there. Several reviewers complain that on a clear day, their trip was cancelled. My guess is that the weather & waves at the Farallons can be very different than in SF. Make sure you call the number the morning of your trip. Parking was a bit confusing. If you are getting on Pier 40 - you park in the lot at the Pier. It says PERMIT ONLY everywhere you look so you will think - 'we can't park here!' Go ahead and park and once you check in for the trip, the guide will give you a permit. The view through the bay, under the bridge and out to the Farallons is beautiful. We saw grey and humpback whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions and all kinds of birds. We were hoping to see a white shark but didn't. On our boat of approx. 40 people I saw 3 people get sick. We went with another couple and one of our friends is one of the ones who was sick. I know he took the meds, ate the right breakfast and didn't booze it up the night before. I think either people get seasick or they don't. I did see a few people will some sort of patch behind their ear - that might work better than the OTC meds we had. read more

Last year I went on the Farallon whale watch trip. They told us that it was a freakishly calm day, so my experience was probably atypical. There were no waves and no one got sick. Once we got the the Farallons, they cut the motor and we floated around, while maybe a dozen humpback whales fed all around us. They came right up to boat, and we could see all the way into their pink mouths. Completely amazing, totally unbelievable experience! read more

I think a lot of people have an unrealistic expectation of what a whale watching trip into the Pacific entails. It isn't like going to Sea World, and it isn't like taking a ferry around the Bay. Those people who actually bother to read the website and brochure know that without proper precautions, you will be wet, cold, seasick, and generally miserable. So I wore layers, waterproof pants and boots, a warm hat, rain jacket, and my Sea-Bands. I took two Bonine beforehand and kept some candied ginger handy, in case my tummy gave me problems. And I had one of the most amazing experiences of my life. By the end of the trip, we had seen a gray, four humpbacks, and two blue whales. Seeing these giant creatures in the wild is a humbling and powerful experience. At one point, dozens of dolphins swam alongside the boat, and we also saw all kinds of birds--puffins, murres, and even the elusive albatross. Our captain and deckhand were fantastic, and the naturalist knew everything there was to know about sea life in the Pacific. All in all, it was an incredible trip, and one that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. read more

One of the best times of my life!!! Could not have asked for more. Lots of Birds Whales Dolphin you name it. Great job Oceanic Society for providing such an awsome experience! read more