Monterey Bay
Monterey Harbor · near Monterey · Central Coast
Sailing
At a glance
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best season
- Spring–fall (afternoon sea breeze; fog common in summer mornings)
- Water temperature
- Cold (mid-50s°F) — dress warm
What is here
- Amenities
- Monterey Municipal Marina & harbor · Charter & sailing schools · Sail the marine sanctuary · Whale & wildlife under sail
- Best for
- Scenic sanctuary day-sailing & wildlife
- Features
- Sail the Monterey Bay sanctuary · Kelp forests, otters & whales · Protected harbor base · Iconic Central Coast scenery
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Cold water & frequent fog · Kelp beds (foul the keel/rudder) · Afternoon wind & bay chop · Sea life — give whales & otters room
- Good for a first timer
- No
Guides, rentals and operators
- Lessons
- Yes
Sailing detail
- Styles
- day-sail · charter · learn
- Breeze
- moderate
- Venue
- bay
- Exposure
- 3
- Sailing
- Day-sailing the famed Monterey Bay sanctuary — an afternoon sea breeze (10–20 kt) over kelp forests and marine life, with a protected harbor base
- Intl tip
- Day-sail one of Earth's great marine sanctuaries — otters, sea lions, and whales amid kelp forests, from a protected harbor base. Reliable afternoon sea breeze (10–20 kt). COLD water, frequent summer-morning fog, and kelp beds that foul keels/rudders. Charter or take lessons at the harbor. Give wildlife a wide, respectful berth. Combine with Monterey/Carmel. Scenic and wildlife-rich.
The guide
Sailing Monterey Bay means gliding across one of the richest marine sanctuaries on Earth — a deep, wildlife-filled bay where se…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Monterey Bay — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 36.6, -121.89