Wildlife Watching on the Central Coast
- Emily Bailey
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
A day on the water with Avila Beach Ocean Safaris
The California Central Coast is full of incredible wildlife, most of it under or on the ocean. We’ve been making the most of otter and sea lion spotting opportunities and taken a few whale watching tours further north from Monterey (which is probably the best know spot in California for marine wildlife). But what if you get away from the busy spots and find a hidden gem in one of the most beautiful bays between LA and San Francisco? Which for us is an experience just one hour from home.
Avila Beach is located in San Luis Obispo County, a 10 minute detour off Highway One and you find a cute resort town. This is a great place to stop on a road trip whether heading north or south bound on a Pacific Coast Highway road trip (and a lot less busy than the Big Sur section). Slow Travel is a trend that should well and truly stay, taking an extra day or two to drive this coast you will experience hidden gems and experiences away from the crowds.
I’ve been following Avila Ocean Safaris on Instagram for while. Vincent Shay, the owner, is a Avila beach native and professional wildlife photographer. He exudes a passion for this little bay that I am sure will get everyone who hops on his RIB as excited as we were.
I booked the Harbor and Wildlife Tour as it’s not quite whale season and I wanted to see what mini Just Adventure thought of the boat before committing to the open sea. The tour is at the adventurous end of the wildlife viewing spectrum and the RIB is an open boat, low to the water, gets up some decent speed and there are no facilities on board. Just my type of trip!
As we drove an hour north to Avila the Central Coast was Central Coasting, thick fog and a chilly start. Weather does not put these Brits off! By the time we boarded at 10am the fog and my regret of wearing shorts was beginning to lift. Layers are much needed here, especially when heading out on the water - as it sunblock, hats and water.
I’d booked this as a surprise so the first mini and husband knew of this was when they went down the steps of Hartford Pier at Port San Luis and were met by Vincent and the little RIB. We donned our lifejackets, boarded and set off slowly out into the harbor.
Vincent Shay is a professional wildlife photographer and knows these waters well, he knows where the otters will be, where the sea lions are and the names of the seabirds. I’m getting to bird spotting age and enjoy being able to name more than a Pelican and a Seagull! Our first ‘stop’ was to see some otters and a harbor seal with its baby, there is an abundance of kelp in they area so otters love it. The otters starting fighting with each other - when the pro photographer guide grabs a camera you know its a good shot!
We soon realized we would be getting more than a wildlife tour as Vincent explained to us about he geology of the bay - who knew California had a state rock? It’s serpentine, which is a green rock also quite easy to spot within the cliffs. He told us about how the Chumash people used the land and the ‘pismu’ tar in the rocks was used to glue things together (actually mini answered the question correctly and amazed us!).
We continued along the cliff edge and around Smith Island and along the sea defense which is a haven for sea birds, there were pelican, black oyster catchers (which mate for life so you generally see two), pigeon guillemot’s and pelagic cormorants. We also saw a young seal hauling out as the tide was beginning to drop so there were plenty of comfy rocks for a lie down. The water was incredibly clear and we could see hundreds of fish in the bay, its been unusually warm and low wind the last few weeks so the waters are warmer than normal and life is in abundance earlier than normal. This is potentially going to a great year for whale watching in Avila!
This area of the bay was once home to a pier used for whaling and its interesting to know the history and how things change, commercial whaling no longer happens but boats still head out when they pass, but now its so us humans can marvel at these incredible creatures and protect them for the good of the planet.
We then headed out around the harbor wall for a view up the coast, it was fun going fast in a small boat, the fog obscured the views in a very atmospheric way. We passed a buoy with sea lions basking in the warmth before zipping over to White Rock and Pirates cove. We spotted a Cormorant that had surfaced from a dive, fish in beak so we circled round to see it up close. This is the beauty of a private trip on a small boat, you can be reactive with what is going on around you and not be stuck to a ‘must see’ time limited list.
At White Rock the visibility was outstanding, Vincent was equally amazed and I think we got the best of the Central Coast today. The fog was still on the higher ground but the sun was shining on the sea, we learned that the Chumash called Avila the ‘whole in the sky’ and it really is as its protected from the fog a little.
We spent time at White Rock marveling at the reefs and visibility below us, I wish we had out wetsuits as I would have jumped right in and snorkel the reefs. Instead I dangled over the edge with my GoPro with varying results of success. We then headed over to Pirates Cove, confirmed the rumors that it is a clothing optional beach and enjoyed being surrounded by sea birds. This time Brandt’s cormorants and they were literally sitting like ducks in a row!
As we made our way back towards Avila harbor we found a raft of Otters, one with a baby, chilling in the kelp. Again, a small boat is the best way to observe them, you are almost at their level, the engine can be cut off completely or very quiet in neutral.
The fog had started to come in as we headed back to the pier, spotted a few more otters and said our goodbyes. This was by far the most amazing wildlife experience we have had on the Central Coast, and I know we will be back when the whales arrive and will be taking visitors too. This even beat Monterey (am I allowed to say that out loud?).
Why Choose this trip?
This is more than a wildlife trip, this is a true local expert taking you out on the ocean, he cares about these animals and conserving the environment. Guides do make the difference between an excursion and an experience. Vincent immerses you in the marine life and history of this area and makes you feel part of the environment. He really wants to show off his home to visitors. The options include a harbor tour, Coastal and Wildlife Safari, Whale Watching Trips from June and private safaris recommended for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts.
What to take:
A sense of adventure
Layers - even on a warm day I had one 3 layers
Hat and sunblock
Water
Camera - a good lens if you have one
Binoculars
Stay Longer
This is a great overnight stop on a Pacific Coast Highway trip. There are some locally owned hotels in town and excellent food options. For good coffee and ice cream the place to stop is Kraken. My favorite in town for a quick lunch is Avila Market - great wraps. This time we ate at Mersea’s on the pier which although busy was quick, good views and a decent virgin Margarita.
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