Our two daughters (ages 12 and 9) had a wonderful semi- private lesson with Libby over the Labor…read moreDay weekend. The lesson ran from 10- noon which was a perfect amount of time for them. They are beginners and the waves were very decent for them to practice in Capitola. Libby was really supportive and adjusted the instruction style for each kid. They both gave the overall experience a 10/10. We appreciated the fact that the instructor and our kids had these bright yellow surf shirts on for the lesson which helped us and others to more easily see them in the water. We think the morning slot was good-- maybe picking an even earlier slot might be better as the water did get pretty crowded. Because we got into town around 9 we were able to find good parking which becomes really difficult later on and most parking spots had 3 hour limits. Neil's registration process for the lessons was really easy and he was super responsive to the follow up questions we had. We would absolutely book with him and his team again.

Neil was one of the best instructors I've ever had! I can't wait to do more lessons!read more

Had a beginner group lesson today and the entire experience exceeded my expectations! Selah was…read moreour instructor and she was fantastic. She helped us understand many aspects of beginning surfing without making it overwhelming. Our group was at Cowell's Beach and the tide/swell was perfect for a beginner day. There were others in the water with us (not from our class) but Selah was expert at helping us to pick our line. The day couldn't have gone better. For a first-time beginner, I highly recommend this school!

I have been wanting to try surfing for the longest time and finally gathered up my courage to do it…read moreyesterday. Richie was so awesome, assured me that I could do it and kept encouraging and helping me to catch the waves. I was about to give up after a few tries when I rode my first one. I didn't expect that on my first lesson, as I never swim in the ocean before so it has been a euphoric experience. Still smiling when I think about it. Thank you Richie for making my dream come true! Definitely will get a lesson from Richie again if I'm in the area again.

Richard is a great instructor. Our first lesson, he set everything up before we arrived. He…read moreprovided us with wetsuits. He taught us how to properly get up on the board and keep our balance, and gave us a few tips, and things to avoid, before he took us out in the ocean. He helped me catch my first wave ever. I actually got up on the board a few times during our second lesson! He teaches you a lot about the ocean and how to know when a good wave is coming.

Richard, is such an awesome instructor. He doesn't just teach you how to surf but goes into surf…read moreetiquette, how to read the waves and set yourself up for the best surfing experience when surfing without him. He's also very veteran friendly and volunteers to help teach our disabled service member how to surf and get more connected to the ocean. I highly recommend Richard, as an instructor. An if you fall in love with the ocean like I believe you will he'll also help you pick out the best board and gear for you.

Wow, what a trip!…read more My son and I came to Santa Cruz for a beach weekend and a little fishing off of the wharf. When we arrived on a Friday night, I got a wild hair and started looking around to see if we could hop on a chartered boat to up our chances of catching anything. I am SO GLAD I found Monterey Bay Charters!!! I was lucky to find spots on Sunday morning for the two of us, and Tom called to confirm the trip on Saturday afternoon. Tom answered all my questions via text the night before, was prompt at the meeting spot the next morning, and was an amazing captain. He was affable, fun, and awesome with my kid. We caught over 15 fish and had a blast. The boat is very comfortable, with a proper bathroom and hot water for the sink. The indoor seating was great and plentiful, and on the deck we had plenty of room to move around and fish. My son and I enjoyed the views of the different seabirds as well as sea lions who rolled around behind the boat as we left the docks. We will definitely be back, and often. Tom and Tyler were superb in their patience, courtesy and support. Thank you both for making our vacation absolutely fantastic.

Very fun My daughter landed the largest fish ever on the…read moreboat probably a 350 to 409 lb sunfish. (We released it unharmed) Caught tons of fish. Captain and crew excellent. Would go again.

I had my very first experience doing some deep-sea fishing. Our six-hour excursion took us roughly…read more20 miles from the Santa Cruz yacht harbor where we started - which is located very close to the boardwalk - to Monterey Bay, with a few stops along the way to catch some rockfish (also commonly known as rock cod). You can fish for albacore and bluefin tuna, bonita, and opah if you book the twelve-hour trip and pay $600 per person. One of the first stops was to catch some live bait for the rockfish, including sand dab and mackerel. We caught plenty for bait and kept a few extras because they are both good-eating fish as well. We even saw a school of dolphins and had a sighting of humpback whales, which was very cool. Certainly seeing the largest animals on earth, even if it was from some distance, was an awe-inspiring and thrilling experience. Captain Tom Nolan was a great host, ready with a number of good stories to help pass the time, and made sure we hit all the hot spots to catch fish and quickly moved on if the fish were not biting. We hit as many spots that showed up on the boat fish finder, allowing our party of six (the required number on these charter boat trips) to each individually catch plenty of rockfish. (The ling cod were not present because they usually do their feeding just after daybreak, so we must have just missed them even though we started our boat trip around 7 A.M.). The captain said we would definitely all catch some fish and he was not kidding. Each of us caught at least five or six rockfish. Our instructions, once the boat was docked and given the captain's signal to do so, were to cast our lines in the ocean and let it drop to the bottom, which was anywhere from 340 to 350 feet deep, reel it back ten times, and wait for the line to wiggle or if we felt a nimble on the bait. Thorough instructions on how to use the equipment were provided. The odds were likely we had a fish or two take the bait. Once we knew we had caught a fish, we reeled the line all the way back up and we had the captain's deckhand or mate ready to scoop it into the net and complete the catching process by removing it from the angler, humanely cutting or slaughtering it and then put in an ice chest. All the extra work the deckhand did and the expertise of the captain in locating us fish made our part really easy and very enjoyable. Just cast and reel back in. The trip was/is $250 per person and included a $400 deposit due upon making the reservation. The remainder is due on the morning of the trip and must be in cash. A hard copy of your fishing license must be signed and presented to the captain at the yacht harbor prior to boarding the boat. Some other important notes to remember for your trip: rod, reel, bait, and tackle are included in your fare. You want to bring hats, sunglasses, and unscented sunblock. Your catch will be filleted or steaked, bagged, and ready to be put on ice for your trip home. A customary gratuity is 20-25% of the standard fare you paid. A fun way to spend a few hours with family or friends. If you want to enjoy some deep-sea fishing in Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay, go with the top fishing charter boat and one of the most experienced captains to get the best experience.

Had a great fishing experience with JT. He took six of us out and we maxed out in about 90…read moreminutes. Weather was great and the fish were biting!! Caught 56 Rock Cod and everyone was happy! Also caught one good sized ling cod. Would love to go out with him again, maybe Salmon next year.

Kayaking with Blue water ventures in Elkhorn off of Moss Landing. We saw lots of wildlife; lots…read moreof otters , Harbor seals and so many shore birds, and we even saw an octopus in the eelgrass. You will not be disappointed with Blue water adventures. I have been kayaking with them since the early 2000s and I'm so happy to be back on the water with them. Kim has a wonderful assistant Dean and he's wonderful too . Thank you, Kim. You're the best. I look forward to more adventures on the water and in wildlife.

Just did the bioluminescence paddle at Elkhorn Slough with my two teens, and we absolutely loved…read moreit! The entire experience was magical -- from the stunning sunset to spotting harbor seals and multiple pods of sea otters (some even mating!), and of course, the glowing bioluminescence. We even got a great photo of a sea slug! We learned so much about each animal we encountered and enjoyed personal stories and insights Kim shared. I woke up this morning eager to check their calendar of events because I can't wait to do more tours with BWV.

Such a blast! Took the grandkids with us and everyone was able to catch something. Captain Blair…read moretook us to the perfect spot for the kids where the fish were practically jumping into the boat. Seas were calm, not too far off coast, and kids got to reel in their own catch. We got to see dolphins, bat rays, and sea otters. Adults got to fish for halibut and ling cod. Captain Blair and Cody took care of everything. Day was a success with something for everyone! Will definitely be booking again! Thank you Waypoint!

Captain Blair did it again. He put us on some early morning limits of halibut and we finished off…read morethe afternoon with limits of lingcod. What a day.!! We really appreciate the crew's Drew and Rick's hard work getting them slabs of the hooks, swapping out baits and keeping our lines in the water. We'll see you guys again, October 3rd for some deep water action

I had a great time learning from Neil. My brother in law and I got a lesson / tour from him on the…read moreocean. It is pretty easy. It's a lot easier than regular surfing, but it doesn't give you the same rush. It's really mellow. The on land instructions only took 10 min. Our tour was roughly 2 hrs. Neil didn't rush it. You can get classes a lot of places but the difference with Neil is that you get to hang out and learn from someone who has been in Santa Cruz for 35 yrs. He has written for the newspaper and has a weekly radio show (Off the Lip, KSCO AM 1080; www.ksco.com) so he is well known by the locals. We were amazed at how many people knew him as we paddled passed surfers in the water. He also knows a lot of stories about the personalities in the area. It was really cool to be around someone so knowledgeable about the local culture of surfing and eager to share it. If you don't have a wetsuit you'll probably want to rent one since the water is about 60 degrees in the summer. We picked up ours with Neil at Freeline Surf Shop ($10). Then he took us down 38th Street where we parked. He provided the boards and paddles we needed, which seemed fine. He takes cash only. Ocean lesson was $55 and the harbor was $45. He steered us toward the ocean since it was a calm day. I probably fell in 6 times, but it was very easy to get back on the board and get back up. Anyway, I strongly recommend Neil. I didn't price shop the class so you may be able to get the lesson elsewhere for less, but I don't know if you'd get the benefit of hanging out with a character like Neil.

This was my first attempt at Stand Up Paddle Boarding, when Neil asked me what my experience level…read morewas, I asked him if there was am option below zero. he told me if I could listen, i could learn. He was right. I had an amazing experience with Neil, he coached and corrected me without making me nervous or nuts. I'm a SUP Boarder Por Vida. Thanks Neil.