Big Bay Whale Days February 21, 2009

North Embarcadero businesses along the Big Bay invite you to the Embarcadero for the first Big Bay Whale Days celebration February 21 and 22, 2009. The Big Bay Whale Days festival will feature free whale watching cruises for children, free return cruise vouchers for adults, discounts to admissions to the USS Midway Museum and Maritime Museum of San Diego, and money-saving coupons to stores and restaurants along North Harbor Drive. Information on special promotions and free Big Bay coupon passports will be available from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on February 21 and 22 between the Hornblower Cruises and San Diego Harbor Excursion docks and on the Big Bay website.

H&M Landing (hmlanding.com) - Several trip options are available. Choose the length trip that best fits your schedule. All trips include informative narration on whales, their migration and the other marine life and sights you will see on your cruise.

Hornblower Cruise & Events (hornblower.com) - Join San Diego Natural History whale naturalist volunteers for a 3.5-hour whale watching expedition. Museum whalers are trained by Museum staff and marine scientists to provide naturalist interpretation on the Hornblower Whale Watch cruises.

Orion Sailing (orionsailing.com) - Commissioned in 1934, Orion was a racing force for more than a decade winning the coveted Bermuda and Fire Island races. Today, Orion hosts whale watching excursions in classic style. Meet the gentle giants aboard this classic 64-foot wooden sailing yawl.

Point Loma Sportfishing (pointlomasportfishing.com) - Point Loma Sportfishing operates two- to five-hour trips daily during the season to view the Gray Whale migration. For the more adventurous, extended nature expeditions depart San Diego to explore the seldom visited offshore islands and sea coasts of Baja California.

Maritime Museum (sdmaritime.com) - This is no ordinary whale watching experience. It will be presented with an educational and historical perspective on a replica of the 139-foot yacht America that won the historic Royal Yacht Squadron's "100 Guinea Cup" race around the Isle of Wight. The trophy came to be known as the America's Cup.

Sail USA 11 (sailusa11.com) - Whale-watch like the rich and famous on an authentic America's Cup Class racing yacht. Enjoy an excursion on the Stars & Stripes, USA-11, and live the dream for yourself and feel the power of one of the fastest mono-hull sailboats in the world.

San Diego Harbor Excursions (sdhe.com) - Scripps Institute of Oceanography naturalists will be on these twice-daily cruises to point out California Gray Whales migrating to Mexico's breeding grounds. Naturalists will have gray whale biofacts to show-and-tell during the cruise and facts about other sightings that may include seals, sea lions, dolphins, migrating birds and more.

Sail San Diego (sailsandiego.com) - Sailing twice daily, Sail San Diego specializes in small and personal 3.5-hour whale-watching trips. Have a conversation with one of our naturalists about the grey whales and migration while under sail. Many changes have been made to improve our eco-friendly standards. Beer, wine, snacks and much more included.

Official Website: http://www.thebigbay.com/index.php/Big-Bay-Whale-Watching.html?from=port