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2024 MBNMS General Calendar

Twelve month calendar of Sanctuary events and meetings. Check back regularly for updates. To view calendars of other marine institutions around the sanctuary, click here.

If you know of an upcoming event of interest to the Sanctuary community, please contact the webmaster for this page so the event can be posted to this page. All postings are subject to approval by the MBNMS Superintendent.

2024

January February March April May June
July August September October November December

January

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January Natural History Events

  • Look for the blows of gray whales migrating south through Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in December and January. Pregnant females come first, swimming along the coastline and are visible from shore as they head for the warm waters off of Baja California, Mexico for calving and mating.
  • The female Northern Elephant Seal population peaks around January 24 at their breeding colonies (Año Nuevo State Reserve and Piedras Blancas beach) in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary; the number of newly–born pups peaks shortly after.
 
   

February

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Feb 16
  Sanctuary Advisory Council (AC) Hybrid Meeting
Heritage Harbor, Bldg. 100F, Monterey

For more information about the meeting and how to connect virtually, please visit the Advisory Council Meeting Agendas & Minutes page. If you have further questions, please contact Haven Parker by email.
 
 
 
Feb 28
  Ready To Do More With Your Time? Become an MBNMS Volunteer!
Please join this virtual presentation of the opportunities available to become a volunteer at MBNMS. If you have further questions, please contact Lisa Uttal by email.
 
 
 
 

February Natural History Events

  • Peak Elephant Seal pupping season in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
  • Gray whales continue journey from Alaska down to Baja Mexico, migrating through the Monterey Bay Sanctuary.
 
   

March

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Mar 8
  Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Virtual Meeting
9am–12pm – For more information or questions, contact Erica Burton by email.
 
 
 
 

March Natural History Events

  • Harbor seal pupping season. Gray Whale migration begins northward from Mexico to Alaska. Cow–calf pairs can seen nearshore throughout March.
  • By mid–march most of the adult Northern Elephant Seals have returned to sea to feed, leaving the pups behind on beaches at Año Nuevo State Reserve and Piedras Blancas to fend for themselves.
 
   

April

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Apr 13–14
  13th Annual Whalefest Monterey
Fun and informative activities and displays celebrating whales and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in the "Whale Watching Capital of the World!". For more information, please contact Amity Wood at (831) 647—4255 or by email
 
 
 
Apr 23
  Snapshot Day 2024! Santa Cruz Area Training for Volunteers
From 6pm–7pm, Sanctuary Exploration Center, 35 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA. For more information contact Lindsay Brown at (831) 583–8733 or by email.
 
 
 
Apr 24
  Snapshot Day 2024! San Mateo Area Training for Volunteers
From 5pm–6pm, San Mateo County Resource Conservation District offices, 80 Stone Pine Road #100, Half Moon Bay, CA. For more information contact Lindsay Brown at (831) 583–8733 or by email.
 
 
 
Apr 25
  Snapshot Day 2024! Southern Monterey County/San Luis Obispo Area Area Training for Volunteers
From 5pm–6pm, Coastal Discovery Center, Hearst State Beach, San Simeon. For more information contact Lindsay Brown at (831) 583–8733 or by email.
 
 
 
Apr 29
  Snapshot Day 2024! Monterey Area Training for Volunteers
From 6pm–7:30pm, REI Marina, 145 General Stillwell Drive, Marina, CA. For more information contact Lindsay Brown at (831) 583–8733 or by email.
 
 
 
Apr 30
  Snapshot Day 2024! Online/Virtual Training for volunteers
From 5pm–6pm online. For more information contact Lindsay Brown at (831) 583–8733 or by email.
 
 
 
 

April Natural History Events

  • By late April most of the weaned Northern Elephant Seal pups have gone to sea to begin feeding. These pups are a favorite prey item for Great White Sharks.
  • Elephant seals are molting
  • The Snowy Plover nesting season begins in April, and runs through August – so please watch your step on the beach!
 
   

May

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May 4
  Snapshot Day 2024!
For more information contact Pam Krone by email.
 
 
 
May 17
  Sanctuary Advisory Council (AC) Hybrid Meeting
TBD, Cambria

For more information about the meeting and how to connect virtually, please visit the Advisory Council Meeting Agendas & Minutes page. If you have further questions, please contact Haven Parker by email.
 
 
     

May Natural History Events

  • Sooty Shearwaters arriving to feed on the vast resources of the bay
  • The Snowy Plover nesting season begins – so please watch your step on the beach!
  • Harbor seals – Pupping is in full swing at the west beach of Hopkins Marine Station. Watch for them... always a rewarding experience.
  • Gray Whale moms and babies (18–20 ft., 2000+ lbs.) are still working their way up the coast during May. Look for them just outside the kelp line, and sometimes in the kelp beds themselves. See them along the Big Sur coast, off Point Lobos, along the Monterey peninsula, Marina, Aptos, Soquel, Capitola, Santa Cruz, and points north. Instead of crossing the open bay from Point Pinos to Santa Cruz, they tend to hug the coastline to protect their calves from Orcas and great white sharks.
  • Many sea birds,such as the California Mew, and Bonapartegulls; Common and Pacific Loons; Westernand Eared Grebes; Surf Scooters, Red–breasted Mergansers, and others, are changing into their breeding plumage and heading back to their nesting grounds all over the western states, Canada and Mexico.
  • Sea lions – Fisherman's Wharf and the Coast Guard breakwater jetty are normally great places to see California sea lions of all ages, but they (most adults) are leaving the area to return to their breeding grounds on islands off Southern California (Channel Islands) and Baja (Mexico). (At this time the approach to the breakwater is closed to the public for security reasons). Expect an influx of displaced juvenile (male & some female) sea lions this month; the adults (mostly males) will usually return in August and September.
  • Blue whales and Humpbacks are here already.
       

June

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Jun 8
  World Oceans Day
What are you doing to celebrate and honor the body of water which links us all?
 
 
     

June Natural History Events

The Snowy Plover nesting season is in full swing – so please watch your step on the beach!

 
   

July

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Jul 23
  Get Into Your Sanctuary Celebration
As a destination for ocean recreation, few places on the planet can compete with the diversity of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary! For more information please contact Lisa Uttal at (831) 420-3669 or by email.
 
 
     

July Natural History Events

The Snowy Plover nesting season is in full swing – so please watch your step on the beach!

       

August

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Aug 16
  Sanctuary Advisory Council (AC) Hybrid Meeting
TBD, Santa Cruz

For more information about the meeting and how to connect virtually, please visit the Advisory Council Meeting Agendas & Minutes page. If you have further questions, please contact Haven Parker by email.
 
 

September

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Sep 13
  Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Virtual Meeting
9am–12pm – For more information or questions, contact Erica Burton by email.
 
 
 
Sep 21
  40 th Annual Coastal Cleanup Day
9am–12pm. Volunteers come together annually to pick up trash and debris from California's coastal beaches and watersheds. Hosted by the California Coastal Commission. Please check their map as not all cleanups will take place on the 23rd.
 
   

October

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Oct 18
  Sanctuary Advisory Council "Retreat" (AC) Hybrid Meeting
TBD

For more information about the meeting and how to connect virtually, please visit the Advisory Council Meeting Agendas & Minutes page. If you have further questions, please contact Haven Parker by email.
 
 
       

November

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Nov 15
  Sanctuary Advisory Council (AC) Hybrid Meeting
TBD, Moss Landing

For more information about the meeting and how to connect virtually, please visit the Advisory Council Meeting Agendas & Minutes page. If you have further questions, please contact Haven Parker by email.
 
 
       

December

top
 
Dec 13
  Sanctuary Research Activity Panel (RAP) Virtual Meeting
9am–12pm – For more information or questions, contact Erica Burton by email.
 
 
     

December Natural History Events

  • Look for the blows of gray whales migrating south through Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in December and January. Pregnant females come first, swimming along the coastline and are visible from shore as they head for the warm waters off of Baja California, Mexico for calving and mating.
  • Northern elephant seals arrive at their breeding colonies (Año Nuevo State Reserve and Piedras Blancas beach) in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Two–ton adult bulls arrive first and fight among themselves for dominant positions; as pregnant females come on shore, they join harems of the highest–ranking bulls. The female population peaks around January 24; the number of pups peaks shortly after. By mid–march most of the adult females and males have returned to sea, leaving the pups behind to fend for themselves. By late April most of the weaned pups have gone to sea to begin feeding.
  • Winter water fowl migrate through, 100,000's of ducks and geese rest and feed in the lagoons and estuaries in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and northern portion of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

 


Links to other calendars around the Sanctuary



Reviewed: September 08, 2023
Web Site Owner: National Ocean Service

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