Wildlife Watching
Commercial trips to Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary are not offered regularly. Yearly,
Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary co-sponsors a field seminar with Point Reyes National
Seashore Association's Field Institute to introduce participants to the offshore wildlife
that makes Cordell Bank so special.
Check our events calendar for dates.
Field Seminar Description:
Pelagic wildlife expeditions to the sanctuary will be led by experienced on the water
naturalists/marine biologists. As we cruise out to the bank region, we may encounter pods of
Pacific white-sided dolphins, Dall's porpoise, blue and humpback whales, California and Steller
sea lions, elephant seals and numerous seabirds such as shearwaters, albatross, skuas, jaegers,
rhinocerous auklets and/or puffins and more. We will enjoy and learn about whatever the ocean
offers that day, be it seabirds, marine mammals, blue sharks, jellies, or more! While visiting
the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, we should all have opportunities to make memorable
connections with much of the wildlife that make this sanctuary so special.
NOTE: The boat trip is a full day excursion. The boat leaves from Bodega Bay early in the morning
and we will travel almost 100 miles in 9 hours. This is an open ocean excursion and the condition
of the surface of the sea may be very rough. PERSONAL DISCRETION IS HIGHLY ADVISED!!!
Wildlife Watching Resources
Marine Mammals
of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Seabirds
of Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
View past species lists and field seminar highlights
Ocean Etiquette
Reading List for Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones Region (112 kb PDF)
Download a reading list that includes books, articles, websites to learn more about the diverse
natural history of the Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones Region
Species List for trips to Cordell Bank NMS (includes species typically seen
close to shore in transit)
(72 kb PDF)
