I just got back from a very short 4 day trip to Monterey with my 2 youngest kids. We spent our first day paddling at Elkhorn Slough. It is one of the most incredible sea life/bird life places I have paddled. The wind and tide current were extreme that day and the sky was dark. The next day we paddled the Monterey waterfront in sunshine. I only took a 28-135 lens and the 400mm and 500mm stayed behind. Again we saw incredible marine life and bird life and the setting was more attractive. The local tour operators got much closer to the mammals than is my habit but it did not seem to bother them so we did the same. I guess it is inevitable that they get used to people in a place that attracts thousands of tourists a day. I assume in the season it is a flotilla of plastic but off season was very nice. Pictures linked below.

http://picasaweb.google.com/scottwap/Monterey?feat=directlink