The weather was unusually clear for an early morning in the Monterey Bay area. We set out on the water around 8am in search of dolphins, sea otters, and other interesting marine mammals -- if we would be so lucky. Our first stop was the sea lion buoy. It seems to be a favourite hangout area among sea lions; they seemed to enjoy our company and followed us playfully. Shortly after, we observed a humpback whale with its calf. We followed them until the mother raised her fluke high in the air and dove for a satisfying meal.
The fog was becoming thick so we took a short break on shore until the fog passed. We went out again. This time to multiple dolphin sightings. There were three schools; one in particular was quite large [6-10 dolphins]. The larger school had some quite playful dolphins. An observer at the front of the boat could see their smiles as they raced by the bow. Their eyes, skin markings, and fins all clearly visible.