TIPS FOR PARENTS
San Francisco Whale Tours at Pier 39 ( www. sanfranciscowhaletours. com) offers tours yearround. Availability varies, but most tours begin at 8 a. m. Reserve ahead and get there at least 30 minutes before departure time. Take a five- hour trip ($ 79) into the Gulf of the Farallones, 6 to 8 miles outside the Golden Gate, or a daylong tour all the way to the Farallon Islands ($ 99). They also offer eco tours down the San Francisco coast at 3: 30 p. m. on the first Saturday of every month ($ 25). Children must be 4 or older. Clearly, the ocean is not a zoo. Whale sightings are not guaranteed. But if you don’t see any whales on your outing, your next outing with the tour company will be free. Parents need to know: It’s going to be wet, windy and much cooler than back at home. Bring sunscreen and warm, waterproof jackets. Wear closed- toe shoes that provide some grip; the decks are wet and slippery. Keep a constant eye on young children, and remain close enough to grab a handful of jacket if they get too close to the railings. If you haven’t taken children out on the rolling ocean before, consider buying some chewable Dramamine, in case they prove prone to seasickness. Nearby eats: Departure is from Pier 39, which means plenty of eating options after your cruise and multiple coffee, smoothie and pastry places that open early. There’s no food provided on the boat, so bring your own bag lunch and water. away. We’d seen a single cetacean, but nothing near the spectacular images pulling whale lovers onto the ocean.
But there’s something to be said for cooperation on the ( moderately) high seas.
During the fourth of our five- hour trip, Menigoz heard from a nearby salmon charter, reporting a tail- slapping whale in the vicinity. We changed course, had a few false starts, and began wondering if that one whale sighting would be our limit. My colleague, photographer Jane Tyska, and I fretted about witnessing enough adventure for a decent story.
Then Slap- Happy appeared and changed everything.
Rearing its rear to the east and furiously whacking the water with his tail, the whale immediately changed the onboard vibe. Jarrod Ward, the crew’s naturalist and friendly narrator, said they’d seen this humpback on- andoff over the past month. And, true to his name, he worked furiously to stun a school of shrimp or anchovies for lunch.
People crowded the rail and snapped pictures for 10 minutes. Then, our new friend took his game up a notch.
After a brief disappearance, Slap- Happy popped up directly in front of the boat and breached, causing loud oohs and aahs. He ( or she) did it again … and again … and again, nearly clearing the water with his entire body, which Ward said was about the same size as the boat. He also said humpbacks have excellent hearing and speculated that this one might be aware of our collective reaction, like a rock star being pushed by a rowdy arena.
If so, its timing was perfect — like a big encore. A really big one.
Menigoz has been a whale- watching pilot for more than 25 years — he captained the famous excursion that witnessed an orca killing a great white shark around the Farallon Islands a few years back; you probably saw the video, which went viral. Menigoz called Slap- Happy’s show a rare display. Usually, seeing a whale breaching three or four times is considered a treat.
We stopped Slap- Happy’s around 20.
The humpback slowed around the same time we had to turn back for the 30- minute ride back to Pier 39. It was like the whales and their professional watchers had collaborated to bring us an unforgettable show. Menigoz counting breaches said it wasn’t reasonable to expect the same experience every time out. But Lucy and I had a hard time believing that. It was just too good.