Meet The Owners!

John Mayer and Mat Arcoleo came together to buy the historic Randy’s Fishing Trips in 2017 and transformed the company into what it is today. They both share a passion for working out on the water and this has been a lifelong dream for them both. They are also both licensed Captains and frequently run whale watching trips.

Name: John Mayer

Years on the ocean: 23 years

Hometown: Pacific Grove CA

Specialty: Captain & Co-owner

Favorite Hobby: Motocross

Name: Mathew Arcoleo

Years on the ocean: 30 years

Hometown: Monterey CA

Specialty: Captain & Co-owner

Favorite Hobby: “If I’m not fishing – I’m golfing.”

Experienced Captains

Our whale watch captains have been working in the Monterey whale watching industry for years. They know the features of the bay and are able to anticipate the most likely locations for whale sightings. They are committed to ensuring passenger safety on board and strive to make the trip as comfortable as possible as well. We know that getting good views of whales and lining up the boat for photography are essential to having a good trip. Our captains love what they do and it shows!

Name: JJ Rasler

Years on the ocean: 15+ years

Hometown: Seaside, CA

Specialty: Captain

Favorite Hobby: Fishing

Name: Danny Frank

Years on the ocean: 25+ years

Hometown: Pacific Grove, CA

Specialty: Naturalist & Captain

Favorite Hobby: “I like raising baby goats and practicing my archery, but not at the same time.”

Name: Rod Stoltz

Years on the ocean: His whole life

Hometown: Martinez, CA

Specialty: Captain

Favorite Hobby: SCUBA & free diving and playing the drums

Knowledgeable Marine Biologists and Naturalists

Our marine biologists and naturalists are passionate about the oceans and marine life. They will teach you about our local ecosystem in Monterey Bay while out on our daily whale watch trips. Our marine biologists and naturalists either have a degree in marine biology, marine science, and/or have a true passion for the ocean and it’s inhabitants. We strive to inspire the next wave of ocean enthusiast while out on our trips. You will learn about marine life and experience hands-on demonstrations and have an opportunity to interact with your crew one on one. Feel free to ask questions and expand your knowledge about our wonderful marine life with our crew! Our marine biologists and naturalists are also dedicated to marine research; they will be collecting research data while out on the trips for our collaborators on the west coast.

Name: Eric Austin Yee

Years on the ocean: 30 years

Hometown: Redondo Beach, CA

Specialty: Marine Biology

Favorite Hobby: “I look for whales – even on my days off!”

Name: Pete Naik

Years working on the ocean: 2 years

Hometown: Wellington, New Zealand

Specialty: Naturalist/Scientific Communications Administrator

Favorite Hobby: Birdwatching

Name: Isaiah Foulks

Years working on the ocean: 7 years

Hometown: Mariposa, CA

Specialty: Naturalist

Favorite Hobby:

We have a very versatile crew here at Discovery. You may notice that some crew members have multiple specialties in their bio.

Check out all the staff members throughout the page to see all the roles we each fill on the team!

Enthusiastic Deckhands

Our deckhands are a crucial part of our team onboard, during our whale watch trips. They are your go-to crew member on board throughout the trip. They are happy to help you in any way they can during the trip, by answering your questions and by helping point out the wildlife to you. Our deckhands are ocean enthusiasts and love to share their excitement about Monterey Bay!

Name: Britt Simon

Years on the ocean: 6.5 years

Hometown: Los Angeles CA

Specialty: Deckhand, Naturalist & Fleet Manager

Favorite Hobby: “Watching Hockey – Go Kings Go”

Name: Andrew Boushka

Years working on the ocean:

Hometown:

Specialty: Deck Hand and Naturalist

Favorite Hobby:

Name: Caila Devlin

Years working on the ocean: 7

Hometown: Alameda, CA

Specialty: Deck Hand

Favorite Hobby: Crabbing & Sailing

Name: Alfredo Chiappini

Years on the ocean: 4 years

Hometown: Westerly, RI

Specialty: Lead Deck Hand & Naturalist

Favorite Hobby: Free Diving

Name: George Zavitsanos

Years working on the ocean: 3

Hometown: Pacific Grove, CA

Specialty: Deck Hand

Favorite Hobby: Surf, Skateboard, or Spend Time in Nature

Name: Andrew Zazeski

Years on the ocean: 10 years

Hometown: Bremerton, WA

Specialty: Deck Hand & Naturalist

Favorite Hobby: Fishing

Name: Daniel Gross

Years on the ocean: 10 years

Hometown:

Specialty: Deck Hand

Favorite Hobby:

Welcoming Office Staff

Our office staff is there to welcome you from the very start! If you call, email, or walk-in, our team is happy to answer your questions and help you sign up for a whale watch trip. We are dedicated to customer service and very knowledgeable about whale watching in Monterey Bay.

Name: Caila Devlin

Years in the industry: 2 years

Hometown:

Specialty:  Deckhand & Senior office staff

Favorite

Name: Briana Garcia

Years in the industry: 1 year

Hometown:

Specialty: Assistant Manager

Favorite Hobby:

Name: Amanda Urena

Years in the industry:

Hometown:

Specialty: Guest Experience/Office Operations, Photographer, Naturalist, Social Media Guru

Favorite Hobby:

Name: Marisa Lovos

Years in the industry:

Hometown:

Specialty: Guest Experience & Office Operations

Favorite Hobby:

Name: Helaina Lindsey

Years in the industry:

Hometown:

Specialty: Guest Experience & Office Operations

Favorite Hobby:

Professional Photographer

Our photographers are experts in photographing whales and other marine life. We will have several photographers on board throughout the week to document our trips and capture those memorable moments with wildlife.