Capt Dave's Dana Point Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari

Kristin Johnson

This was a truly amazing experience. Capt Marie and Caitlyn and Stacey made it a morning to remember when they found a huge pod of bottlenose dolphins which swam up right under the net of the boat! The underwater viewing pods were truly so unique. Since the staff are marine biologists, you know that this organization has the best in mind for the animals we go out to see. They aren’t just trying to make money off tourists who want to see dolphins. You can tell they’ve been doing this for a while yet still it’s fun and exciting for first timers. Staff is so friendly and helps everyone have the best experience on the boat. A wonderful experience- and who can forget the brownies at the end! A great time! I hope we can come back someday!

Nicole Delacruz

We had a great time on the tour. Everyone was very friendly and we enjoyed the net system they had in the front- you will get wet though to get the best views. The underwater pods could have been lower in the water for better viewing vs half submerged. Was a little disappointed about that but was also fun being able to see from them briefly. We only got to see maybe a pod of 10- dolphins but there were ones throughout. and we did get very close views. No whales despite the guides trying and communicating with other boats. Seal lions on the buoy. Spotted some tern birds also which was fun. Part of the fun was the choppy ride sitting out in the front and the boat dipping. Very safe, some artifacts. I wish the guides would have filled in the silence more with info overall. Nice photos and we did purchase one. Very considerate of special occasion and free brownies at the end. Would join again. Thanks for taking good care of us!

Sean Levine

Had a great time with my wife. We saw Grey whales $ Fin whales along with a whole group of dolphins about 500-700. It was incredible. The crew was very knowledgeable and they gave us a great photo at the end with incredible drone photos of the wildlife. Shout out to chuck, puck, and Matt

Mike Lewis

Definitely a well run organization!!! It is always a gamble searching for wild animals especially if they’re underwater for 99% of the time, but Captain Daves is the best shot to see them off the California coast. They had 5 boats out at the same time all within a couple miles of each other searching for these beautiful creatures, so if one boat saw one, they could call the rest over. We saw thousands of Dolphins at once, it was like they were having their own Coachella festival. The under water viewing glass pod was awesome for my friends and family. Best of all, the staff (especially Captain Chuck, Hannah, Stacie) were amazing. The crew are very knowledgeable (college degrees, and experience), and truly enjoyed what they do. We came across a massive Fin Whale, and while waiting between breaths (3-10 minutes for a Fin whale, which they time) they gave us fun facts about them on the spot. We already started planning our next trip before we came back on land. I strongly suggest going for your 1 in a lifetime experience. Like every highly tourism experience, they take photos to help offset costs, but theirs are better. They take photos of wildlife directly from your tour, and use it as the background of your photo.