Ernie is an easygoing guide with an entertaining style — his natural storytelling, and boundless curiosity make every outing engaging and fun.
Meet your guide
Ernie Kovacs
I've always been drawn to wild places.
Filming wildlife has taken me around the world, but I've chosen to make Monterey my home for over 30 years.
On assignment
National Geographic · BBC · Discovery · PBS · Nova · Nature · Apple TV
"Dozens of my documentaries have been filmed here in the Monterey Bay Sanctuary. I've literally spent thousands of days filming on this coast — frequently coming face to face with…"
- Sea Otters
- Harbor Seals
- Sea Lions
- Orcas
- Blue Whales
- Humpback Whales
- Gray Whales
- Mola mola
- Jellyfish
- Nudibranchs
- Sponges
- Seabirds
- Sea Stars
- Sea Urchins
- Abalone
- Snails
- Mussels
- Anemones
- Crabs
- Mountain Lions
- Bobcats
- Condors
- Elephant Seals
- White Sharks
…Monterey is wild.
Science background
Marine Biology
UC Santa Cruz
Kelp forest ecology · intertidal ecology · marine mammals · invertebrate zoology
Geology & Environmental Science
University of Vermont
History of life on Earth · fossil record · plate tectonics
Teaching background
Outdoor Education
Marin Headlands
Leading kids on adventures in the Marin Headlands was always a blast, and a great lesson in how to hold the attention of a middle schooler.
Sea Education Association
Tall ship voyages
Teaching college students marine science while living and sailing on tall ships. Climbing up into the rigging to set sails, and pulling up trawls from the depths to find strange creatures, was beyond incredible.
To learn more about Ernie's filming, go to erniekovacsfilms.com.