Vanessa James

Vanessa James

Born in New Mexico, a landlocked state, Vanessa's passion for marine life was ignited during family vacations to San Diego. Inspired by the rich marine ecosystem, Vanessa pursued their love for the ocean, volunteering at a local aquarium and later working at a veterinarian's office during high school. Their journey into marine biology took flight when they transferred to San Diego State University, where they earned a bachelor's degree in Marine Biology. Toward the end of her academic career, Vanessa volunteered with the Museum Whalers at the San Diego Natural History Museum and served as a board member for the American Cetacean Society-San Diego chapter. She also interned at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, interning with a marine mammologist digitizing journal publications to expand the access to older scientific journal publications. In addition to her academic contributions, Vanessa collaborated with a consulting firm conducting aerial surveys for marine mammals along the Southern California Bight and in Seattle, WA. Her dedication led to a role as a Marine Mammal Observer, where she assisted with seismic oil exploration activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska, and continued their work in San Diego monitoring marine mammal populations. For nearly a decade, Vanessa has been apart of San Diego Whale Watch, working in various capacities as a Naturalist, Ticket Booth Representative, and Deckhand. Today, she is training to become a Captain, solidifying her longstanding commitment to marine education, conservation, and stewardship. With a diverse background in fieldwork, research, and public engagement, Vanessa remains dedicated to understanding and protecting marine mammals while fostering a deep appreciation for marine life in others.
April 8, 2023

April 8, 2023

Super Cetacean Saturday! We had 3 awesome trips today! The morning trip started off two cow/calf pairs of Inshore bottlenose dolphins in Quivira Basin, next to our boat! We set out to the SW and sighted two tall, columnar spouts on the horizon. We caught up with 2 Fin...

April 6, 2023

April 6, 2023

We had two fun trips today! During the afternoon tour, we set out to the west, got to the drop-off and went north. We followed the contour to a big pod of ~700 Long-beaked Common dolphins! They were in a long line that spanned a half a mile! We cruised with them to...

April 5, 2023

April 5, 2023

We had a pretty swell trip! Waves, splash and feeding frenzies! We set out to the SW and encountered bait ball after bait ball! Hundreds of birds were diving and feeding all around us. We sighted a big raft of ~15California sea lions. They were moving in and out of a...

March 26, 2023

March 26, 2023

We were rockin' and rollin' out there today! Big swell and windy seas made for a nautical time on the water. During the morning trip, it was a little quiet, but we managed to find a small pod of ~50 Common dolphins on our way back in. During the afternoon, we set out...