REVIEWS

Monterey Bay Whale Watch makes dreams come true. The team of professional and passionate biologists care deeply about the ocean and understand the importance of connecting guests onboard with Monterey Bay and the incredible diversity of marine life that call the Bay home. The individual attention given to each guest during the expedition is as much a gift as the voyage itself. As we looked through binoculars scanning the horizon for whale spouts, sea lion aquatics, pancake- shaped sunfish and numerous pelagic birds – the crew patiently answered questions, infusing each of us with fascinating marine biology facts. The morning fog began to lift as the boat headed towards a flurry of birds, I looked beside the boat awe struck as rafts of sea lions kept pace with the boat. We’d been cruising for nearly an hour when a tall teenage boy yelled “There, there!” and pointed off the port side of the vessel. Every passenger ran to his side, looking fervently into the blue abyss while collectively holding their breath. The naturalist aboard began explaining over an intercom that humpback whales, on average, come up every 7 – 15- minutes for air. Less than a minute already felt an eternity. We needed confirmation, with our own eyes and finally, magically it emerged. What began as two glorious humpback whales turned into an unimaginable feeding frenzy of 33 whales within the hour. On the ride back to the harbor passengers, who were strangers only hours before, leaned into each other sharing photos and fish tales of the miracle they had just witnessed.

Nancy and her team were instrumental in achieving the unachievable, making TV history and finding a Blue Whale during a live broadcast to millions of viewers across the US on PBS, and across the UK on the BBC. Big Blue Live was one of the most ambitious live natural history documentaries ever attempted, carrying a vital message of hope and celebration of probably the greatest conservation success story on the planet – the protection and recovery of Monterey Bay. The ultimate (impossible) goal was to find a Blue Whale on live TV, and Monterey Bay Whale Watch achieved this not once, but twice!!! Thank you to Nancy and indeed the entire community of whale watching operators of Monterey Bay who helped make Big Blue Live a success.