For some of the best whale watching opportunities in the world, look no further than the waters off your port city of Santa Barbara. Step aboard a state-of-the-art, high speed catamaran for a full-day, guided whale-watching expedition. Watch from within the luxurious, teak-paneled cabin equipped with large tinted windows perfect for optimal wildlife viewing. Or take your place on a viewing platform on the bow or top deck, basking in the sun and brisk sea breeze. Cruise along the breathtaking Channel Islands, a small archipelago islands teeming with wildlife including cormorants, gulls, pelicans, sea lions, harbor seals and dolphins. Time or weather-permitting, visit the Painted Cave, one of the largest and deepest sea caves in the world. And of course keep a keen eye out for magnificent whales (California Gray, Blue, Humpback and even Orcas) that spout and breach in the glistening waters of this migratory corridor of the Pacific Ocean.