SUNDAY DRIVE

What you see: Humpback whales have provided such a sure-thing spectacle out of Monterey this month that the Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center has been running up to seven trips a day. Sightings have ranged from 10 to 29 humpback whales per trip, along with opportunities for dolphins, porpoises and mola molas. Benign seas and surething trips to find the whales have made this one of the top adventures on the Pacific Coast right now.

Location: Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center is located near the end of Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey.

Humpback whales: Humpbacks ranging 40 to 50 feet long can put on spectacular shows. Most common are what some call a “tail salute” and also moments where their backs emerge and they exhale a water spout, as in “Thar she blows!” At times the giant humpbacks will launch out of the water, turn in a half pirouette, and then crash to the sea. Spyhopping, lunge feeding, swirls and dives can be common, at times, right next to the boat.

Dolphins: If you catch it right, the ocean can seem filled with dolphins, hundreds within short range, often hopping and jumping in the swells. Risso’s and Pacific white-sided dolphins are the most common. It’s a wild card: You can see none, a few or hundreds.

Mola mola: These are the giant ocean sunfish, nearly 6 feet long and 2,000 pounds, that seem to float/drift/sail on the ocean surface. To come across one is a cool sidebar to your trip. They are most commonly sighted from August to early fall.

Boats: 55-foot single-hull Point Sur Clipper, 65-foot catamaran Blackfin, 70-foot Sea Wolf II.

Cost, low to high: Evening trips (3 hours), $45; afternoon trips (3 to 4 hours), $45; morning trips (4 to 5 hours), $49; all-day (8 hours), $115; full-day (12 hours), $155. Discounts available on half-day trips for children 12 and under.

Gearing up: Wear long pants, athletic shoes and layers on top. Bring a windbreaker, a hat with lariat, sunscreen and sunglasses as well as snacks, binoculars and camera.

Seasick pills: If you are vulnerable to spatial disorientation, take half hour to one hour prior to boarding.

All aboard: Arrive 30 minutes prior to boat departure.

Contacts: Monterey Bay Whale Watch Center, 831-375-4658, www.montereybaywhalewatch.com.