In 1981, a large expanse of the Pacific Ocean along with nearshore tidal flats, rocky intertidal areas, wetlands, subtidal reefs, and coastal beaches were designated as the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. These Farallon Islands are 27 miles off the coast of San Francisco. This sanctuary is a haven for whales, sharks, Portuguese Man of War JellyFish and sea lions. Various San Francisco charter boats run whale trips to the Farallon Islands, from San Francisco. Charters from other nearby towns, such as Bodega Bay to the north and Half Moon Bay to the south also conduct whale watching cruises. October is the high month for whale watching here - nearly 18,000 of the 22,000 grays stay inshore of the California current to avoid predators like killer whales. The large females reach 50 feet in length and top 40 tons and can eat up to four tons of tiny shrimp-like krill each day. You may also see sea lions, sea otters, and porpoises, as well as sea birds.
There are plenty of other activities and sites to see while in San Francisco, such as the famous cable car, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Park, Gold Gate Bridge, or you can cruise on over to Alcatraz Island which was once home to the likes of Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelley, and Robert "The Birdman" Stroud. You will also see some of the most interesting lighthouses in the country including the historic one on Alcatraz Island dating back to 1854.
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