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.”
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
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!
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:
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:
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.