Safety on the water
Safety is our number one priority out on the water. Keeping our passengers and wildlife safe is the most important role here at Adventure Whale Watching.
safety precautions
captains licenses
Before out captains can get out on the water they have to become certified by the US Coast Guard. To become certified by the US Coast Guard they have to pass multiple written exams, log a certain amount of sea hours, and finish a series of courses. We have our captains learn with top notch training to ensure safety out on the water!
US coast guard certified & approved
Every vessel that we operate with is US Coast Guard certified and approved. This ensures that our vessels are up to the safest protocol. Every business applicable boat out on the water has to be US Coast Guard Certified and Approved which makes San Diego Bay the safest out there!
Life jackets
Before you head out to the ocean with Adventure Whale Watching, you will always be provided a life jacket to wear. You will keep your life jacket on throughout the entire tour. Along with the life jackets each individual is wearing, there are Coast Guard certified life jackets on board. In case of emergency, extra life jackets on board are always available.
military grade vessels
Our safe, versatile, low-profile boats used to be a part of the Navy Seals! Our company actually purchases our vessels from the Navy Seals and then rebuild them to go whale watching. Fast boats made for an adventure with comfortable thick padding. This makes the experience that much more exciting and safe!
fire extinguisher
Surrounded by water is not the worst position to be when a fire starts. However, we still want to do everything we can to prevent that! On each vessel we have a fire extinguisher located at the helm with easy access in the event of a fire. Passengers are informed of the location at the beginning of each tour.
radios
Out on the water, we are in touch with every whale watching company that is based in San Diego. Having that great source of communication is awesome in the search for wildlife and it is amazing in the case of an emergency! Being able to contact the Coast Guard or surrounding vessels is a crucial safety measure to have when you are going out into the ocean!
how to keep the wildlife safe
Along with our passengers, keeping our wildlife safe is a top priority. Learn about the tactics we follow to protect our wild animals.
The perfect distance
Specifically for whales, we need to give them their space! In California, the law states that with the engine running you have to stay at least 100 yards away from the whale. Now, the whale has free reign to swim as close as they would like to us and that is perfectly okay! In those situations, we cut our engines to enjoy the wildlife close up!
be respectful
All of the animals that you see in the ocean are wild animals and deserve our respect when we are observing their habitat. If we keep our oceans clean by picking up after ourselves that is the number one way to be respectful to our wildlife. Also by respecting their space and understanding that sometimes they might not want company out on the water. Lastly, don’t touch the animals when you are out at sea. Whales and other wildlife out in the ocean are extraordinary to see so lets do our best to keep them safe out on the water!
don't cross their path
A lot of the whales we see here in San Diego are commuter whales which means they are on a mission! Of course, whales can change their path but we want to make sure we don’t get in the way. Never make a perpendicular turn in front of the whales that cuts off their path trajectory. The best way to observe them is to stay parallel with their path and watch from a distance.
Marine Mammal protection act
Check out more information about the guidelines and regulations put in place to protect the marine wildlife!
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