On June 15th 2011, Keith Stemler of Monterey caught a pod of 3 Killer Whales on video in Monterey Harbor just off of the Coastguard Pier. Killer Whales are not strangers to the Monterey Bay but what’s amazing is to see them in the harbor this close to shore.

It’s possible that they were hunting Sea Lions which are quite plentiful in the harbor. The shallow waters of the harbor usually offer protection to sea lions from their predators such as Killer Whales and Sharks as they tend to stay in deeper water.

Scuba Divers and beach goers need not worry as there has never been a reported incident of a Killer Whale attack on a human.

Coupons for the Monterey Bay Aquarium are usually pretty non-existent but every now again they pop up.

So if you’re going anyways, why not save $2! That’s almost half a gallon of gas

Depending on where you’re coming from it just might pay for the commute

VisitCalifornia.com sometimes has Monterey Bay Aquarium coupons: Check here before you go: Monterey Aquarium $2 Coupon

Better yet, score Free Monterey Bay Aquarium Tickets

Update:  June 30, 2011: Highway 1 just 15 miles South of Monterey near Rocky Creek is now OPEN 24/7 so if you’re heading to Big Sur from the Monterey and Carmel area (North) then no worries.

More good news is that the landslide at Alder’s Creek just South of Gorda has been cleared so Highway 1 is clear from Monterey to San Simeon!!!

As always, it’s a good idea to check Highway 1 Road Conditions before heading out to Big Sur!

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As of March 17, 2011, Big Sur is not accessible from the Monterey Bay.  On March 16th a 40ft section of Highway 1 fell into the ocean.  Fortunately nobody was injured and reports indicate it was due to erosion.  The section of highway that fell is just South Rocky Creek Bridge.  Fifteen miles South of Monterey.

There has been a hard shutdown of Highway 1 just past Rocky Creek Bridge.  The temporary fix may not be in place for at least ONE MONTH. If you made plans to visit Big Sur while in Monterey, you’re going to have to cancel them.  I’m sorry but this happens in Big Sur from time to time.

Update 3-27-2011:  Due to more landslides, visiting Big Sur until further notice is not advised and probably impossible from both the North and South.  It is an Emergency situation there with continual closures of Highway 1.

If you’re heart is set on visiting Big Sur, you have two options.  Option one is to take Naciemiento-Ferguson road which really isn’t even an option as it is super windy and narrow and probably unstable after the winter rains.  Your only real option is to get to Big Sur from the South through Cambria.  Take Highway 101 South (From Monterey) to Highway 46 West and then hit Highway 1 North from there.

A little warning, Highway 1 from Cambria is a very windy road to put it lightly. Much moreso than the Northern part of Highway 1. There are hairpin turns that you’ll take at 15MPH while overlooking drop offs to the Pacific. No big deal, just pay attention to the road and take your time.

Please check Highway 1 Road Conditions first!

Total Bummer I know but until Highway 1 is back up, enjoy some Big Sur Videos

Sea Otters here have to be one of the main attractions here in Monterey California. You may not realize this until you actually spend some time watching these playful guys. They’ll give you a smile from ear to ear especially if you’re lucky enough to spot 2 or more playing and hunting.

Keep your eyes peeled while walking along one of many Monterey pathways and coastal trails. They can be difficult to spot at first and easy to mix up with Harbor Seals or Sea Lions since they’re often spotted some distance off the coast.

A tip though, Sea Otters swim on their backs and use their chest as a table tray for their meals. They also have thick brown to light brown fur. Harbor Seals and Sea Lions do not have fur. Matter of fact, Otters are the only Marine Mammal that have fur.

Check out this Sea Otter Video taken just off of the pathway just South of Lover’s Point in Pacific Grove on Ocean View Blvd.

Binoculars or a camera with a nice zoom lens will give you good views but for the best place to see Sea Otters in the wild check out Sea Otters Secret Hangout.

The Monterey Aquarium has a great Sea Otter exhibit as well.

Thanks for stopping by!

Check out more of my Monterey Videos

Would you like to visit and experience one of the most beautiful places in the world? Then take a day or at least half a day to explore and take in Point Lobos in Big Sur California.

There is something just so magical about Point Lobos. It inspired the classic novel Treasure Island and world famous photographer Ansel Adams frequented Point Lobos throughout his career.

Check out this China Cove Video to get just a glimpse of the magical beauty of Point Lobos.

I would recommend heading to Bird Island Trail first upon your visit to Point Lobos. This is where China Cove is as well as China Beach, Bluff Trails, and Bird Island. Sea Otters can be spotted here as well.

It’s a nice easy 2 minute hike from the Parking Lot to views of China Cove but the full round about which I highly recommend is 30-40 minutes with stops.

Thanks for stopping by!

Check out more of my Monterey Videos

The Monarch Butterflies winter here in Pacific Grove, California every year from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day. This is why Pacific Grove is also known as “Butterfly Town” Well, Valentine’s Day is approaching which means there are only a few Monarch Butterflies left here at the Monarch Sanctuary.

Check out this video of Monarch Butterflies enjoying the Cherry Blossoms:

Monarch Butterflies also “cluster” in large groups to stay warm. Check them out in this Monarch Butterflies Clustering in Pacific Grove Video

Thanks for stopping by!

Check out more of my Monterey Videos

Monterey Bay is so beautiful that she often draws a crowd. Anybody who’s been to Carmel Beach on a hot weekend knows this all too well. Sometimes it’s nice to have Monterey all to yourself with a little bit of seclusion, even if it’s for just 10 minutes.

Imagine having this all to yourself. The lucky gal in the upper right in yellow did, once I left

There are a number of places that aren’t as well known where you can find some time for just you and the gorgeous Monterey Bay.  Some are way out of the way and hard to get to and others just aren’t very well known or popular. One spot that is easily accessible, within 7 minutes walking distance from easy parking with striking Bay views is located in SandCity.

One of 4 Benches to have some alone time with the Monterey Bay

Park behind Orchard Supply Hardware (800 Playa Avenue Sand City, CA, 93955) at the Edgewater Shopping Center which is located right off of Highway 1 five minutes North of Monterey.  It’s the same center that has Target and Borders.  Plainly visible from the Highway 1.

From there walk up the bike path for a good 5-7 minutes.  Don’t be tempted to walk down to the beach as you will, but keep walking until you come to a Vista Area with a Picnic Table, Benches, and great views of the Monterey Bay and Monterey State Beach.  This spot is a favorite stopping point for bicyclists riding along the bike path.

Great Views to be had at this Vista Area

Be careful though, there are signs everywhere stating that the cliffs are unstable and some of it is roped off. Also, Highway 1 isn’t too far from this Vista Area but not close enough to disturb your alone time with Monterey.

Do you know of a great secluded place to take in Monterey? Comment below or drop me a line here.

Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur California has to be one of the most beautiful Beaches in all of Monterey Bay if not California. You have to see and be there to truly understand what I’m talking about. From the moment you step onto the beach you truly get a sense of how grand and vast Big Sur is. This beautiful beach is tucked away about 2 miles off of Highway 1 but the road is slow going so it takes a good 10 minutes to drive those 2 miles from Highway 1.

The turnout, Sycamore Canyon Road is very, very easy to miss off of Highway 1 as there are no signs. It will be an ocean side turn (Right if driving South, Left if driving North). What usually works for me is if you’re driving South, you’ll pass Pfeiffer Burns State Park which indicates the turnout is just 2 minutes away. When you see the “Big Sur Station” sign then slow down as your turn out is coming up. It will be a blind Hairpin turn but you’ll know it’s the one when you see a bright Yellow sign that says “Narrow Road, No RV’s – Trailers”.

This seems like a lot of trouble just for a stroll on a beach, but trust me it is not a bother at all for what you’ll experience. Stick around for a sunset if you can, they’re gorgeous but this place often gets very windy. Have those jackets and hoodies ready.

One of my goals for 2010 was to put up a Photo Gallery of the Monterey Bay.  Well, I didn’t quite make it as Holiday fun overtook any and all efforts on this site but hey, getting up the gallery now is a great way to start of 2011!

As of now it’s just a very very minor preview of what’s to come for the Picture Gallery as well as SeizeTheDay-Monterey.com so stay tuned!  And if you would like to contribute some of your own photos to the Gallery, go here.

Check out the Gallery!

I couldn’t resist stopping off at Marina Beach yesterday while on my way to picking up my eldest from football practice. I could see the golden rays beaming through the clouds from Highway 1 and did a quick stop. Oh it was so worth it.

My youngest, my nephew, and I raced down the sandy dune to the water just to see who could get there first. I won, but barely. These kids are getting quick and usually I go a little easy on them but running down the sandy beach was just too much fun to hold back! What we saw after we caught our breaths took it back away. See below:

We were at Marina Beach for just 15 minutes but man our timing was spot on this time.  Not only did those 15 minutes allow us to see this magnificent sunset, but more importantly it allowed the three of us to share it together.  Goes to show it’s not the amount of minutes  you spend with those you love, but the quality in those minutes.

And by the way I let my boys beat me back to the car, but hey it was uphill and in the sand.  Well,  maybe I didn’t let them…