Group Outing: Sunset Whale Watching Cruise
Saturday, 30 July 2022 | Hike: 3:00–4:30 PM | Cruise: 5:00–8:00 PM | Dinner: 8:15–End of Evening
The group outing on Saturday, July 30th will be a whale watching excursion off the coast of Monterey Bay. Prior to the cruise, participants can meet for a short hike along the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail. Dinner at Cibo will follow the cruise, with each participant expected to pay for their meal. The hike and cruise are free of charge.
A boat chartered with Monterey Bay Whale Watch will take participants on a three-hour sunset tour to spot whales, dolphins, other marine mammals, and seabirds.
Please confirm your attendance for the cruise and dinner by sending an email to macken@gewex.org before 15 July 2022 so that we can plan accordingly. If you would only like to attend the cruise or only the dinner, please note that in your email.
If you would like to join us for the hike, please meet in the hotel lobby by the check-in desks at 3:00 pm, with everything you need for the hike, cruise, and dinner. The hike will end at the Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center on Fisherman’s Wharf.
Participants are expected to meet at 4:30 pm at the Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center for the cruise, which is located on Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey. Those going on the cruise are expected to arrange their own transportation to and from the hotel to the Whale Watch Center. After arriving at the Wharf, walk down the section lined with restaurants and shops; near the end, turn right at the Crab House Restaurant and look for a large red sign with “Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center”. This is 1.7 miles from the Hyatt, which is about a 35 minute walk or a 10 minute drive.
Monterey Bay Whale Watch advises participants to dress warmly, and in layers, despite the summer weather, as it’s always cooler on the ocean. Long pants with jacket and closed soft-sole shoes are best. They recommend hats, sunscreen, and possibly sunglasses as well. Cruise staff strongly suggest avoiding large meals before boarding the ship. Snacks are available for purchase in the ship’s galley.
Dinner will held at one of the restaurants near Fisherman’s Wharf immediately following the cruise.
Hike on the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail
The map below shows an approximate course for the hike, which will start at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel, connect to the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail, and travel along the Coastal Trail. Participants can go as far as they like along the trail while ensuring enough time to turn around and get to Fisherman’s Wharf for the whale watching cruise by 4:30 pm. If you plan on joining us for the hike, please meet in the hotel lobby by the check-in desks at 3:00 pm, with everything you might need for the hike, cruise, and dinner.
Dinner at Cibo
After the whale watching cruise, participants can gather at Cibo for dinner. Each guest is expected to pay for their own meal. A map from the Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center to Cibo can be found below.
Background image courtesy of Sergei Gussev, ‘Old fisherman’s Wharf’
