One of the cheaper whale watching tours operating out of Monterey, Chris's expeditions tend to employ a fairly compact boat with a single deck and limited seating. When the whales appear, you'll find yourself jostling for elbow room with your fellow passengers. And be warned it can be pretty chilly out in the bay, even in August, while some passengers can struggle with sea sickness. Yet the seasoned crew members are genuinely enthusiastic about the sea life out here and they get pretty animated when describing the habits of the whales that frequent the bountiful waters above the two mile deep Monterey Canyon. Although one of the skippers can trail off mid-sentence, they are a knowledgeable team and are in contact with other tours out in the bay. You are pretty likely to glimpse humpback whales, which are fairly common on this stretch of coastline, while some tours also encounter the massive blue whale and spot the sinister fin of a killer whale cutting through the sea. The boats have to keep a respectful distance, so bring along a pair of binoculars or a good zoom lens. The tour, which costs $39 for adults, takes about three hours and is good value by the standards of California's tourist industry. 8/10
