Condor Express Whale Watching
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Condor Express in Santa Barbara has been creating amazing whale watching experiences since 1979 🐋 Come aboard - Your Adventure Awaits!
The Santa Barbara Channel offers some of the finest whale and dolphin watching in the world. View gray, humpback and blue whales, dolphins, orcas, seals and sea lions along the coast and at the Channel Islands. Gray whales pass along the cost during their annual migration every winter and spring. Friendly humpback and gigantic blue whales enter our Santa Barbara Channel to feed from March through fall. The channel is home to over 27 species of whales and dolphins, six types of seals and sea lions, and countless seabirds and fish throughout the year. The Condor Express is an eco-friendly, 75’, quad-jet catamaran that has an extremely stable and comfortable ride. It carries up to 127 passengers. This state-of-the-art vessel uses water jet propulsion and was specially designed for allowing ocean mammals to visit up close without endangering them with a spinning propeller. Because of it’s design and speed, we get to the wildlife quickly, sit quietly, and allow whales and other sea life to visit with us.
10/04/2026
Heating up and enjoying a stunning day on the water 🐋🌊🙌🏼
Great dolphin sightings and a couple of wonderful young humpback whales Image: a young humpback whale is seen kelping in the Santa Barbara Channel.2026 10–04 SB ChannelCaptain Dave and the crew ran W to platform Holly and had some nice sightings. It was an unseasonably hot day with clear blue skies. When we were offshore there was a light breeze that helped cool thing...
Still daydreaming about last week✨
Nothing better than a day with the CA51’s!
They were feeling extra social—hanging out, checking out the boats, and coming right over to say hello. Encounters like this never get old 🙌🏼
🎥 by Isabel Gutowski
Seeing the CA51s in the wild is something you never forget 🖤🤍
This family group of Bigg’s killer whales is known for traveling huge distances along the California coast. One day they can be in the Santa Barbara Channel, and not long after, they may be hundreds of miles away.
That’s what makes encounters like this so incredible — these are wild, wide-ranging predators, and we’re getting a rare glimpse into their world as they pass through our waters 🌊
🎥 by: Isabel Gutowski
09/27/2026
The friendly pod—CA 51’s, really put on a show for us this afternoon
Photo by Isabel Gutowski
09/27/2026
KILLER day!! Always amazing to see the CA51’s 🖤🤍
KILLER WHALES Image: two killer whales spy-hop simultaneously in the Santa Barbara Channel.2026 09–27 SB ChannelCaptain Eddy and the crew reported sunny skies with a light breeze in the afternoon. The water was clear, and there was a small swell from the W that didn’t bother anybody. We made a long trip and e...
Today, the Girls in Ocean Science Conference headed out aboard the Condor Express for a day of hands-on learning and discovery in the Santa Barbara Channel Whale Heritage Area 🌊🔬
And what an incredible connection to witness — out in the same waters, they spotted Catherine Breed swimming along the Santa Barbara coastline as she continues her extraordinary ultra swim along California 🏊♀️🌊
From young women exploring ocean science to an endurance swimmer inspiring people to see the California coast in an entirely new way — today was a beautiful reminder that the ocean connects us all.
Curiosity. Courage. Conservation. And a whole lot of blue. 💙
09/25/2026
We ventured far and wide today 🐋💙
We ended up in the far western channel with very nice conditions and good sightings. Image: a look at our track from today’s adventure. (marinetraffic.com)2026 09–24 SB ChannelThe thin, low stratus layer burned-off as we left the docks and the rest of the day was sunny. Seas were calm and flat. Captain Dave and the crew ran SW to the buoy, then made the long haul NW to end up ne...
09/21/2026
Dreamy conditions today ✨
A gorgeous day with great sightings. Image: a high-flying common dolphin in the Santa Barbara Channel.2026 09–21 SB ChannelIt was nice yesterday but you should’ve seen today. It was bright and sunny. The ocean surface was glassy until late in the trip when a light breeze wafted across the channel. The water clarity remains superb. ...
09/21/2026
Marlin, Molas, & humpbacks 🤘🏼
Seas were calm, glassy, and clear. Our sights were off the charts Image: an Ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is shown near the edge of a giant kelp (Macrocystis) paddy floating in the Santa Barbara Channel.2026 09–20 SB ChannelOther than the low gray stratus sky, sea conditions were ideal: glass and calm. The offshore waters remain absolutely crystal clear, which enhan...
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Website
Address
301 W Cabrillo Boulevard
Santa Barbara, CA
93101
Opening Hours
| Monday | 7:30am - 6pm |
| Tuesday | 7:30am - 6pm |
| Wednesday | 7:30am - 6pm |
| Thursday | 7:30am - 6pm |
| Friday | 7:30am - 6pm |
| Saturday | 7am - 6pm |
| Sunday | 7am - 6pm |
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