2018 07-15 SB Channel Skies were sunny today, mostly due to the fresh breeze which kept things blue. The breeze also made the ocean surface a bit bumpy, but Captain Dave and his crew employed all their navigational tricks-of-the-trade to keep the Condor Express as stable as possible while getting great looks at the mammals. The track was to the … Read More
Blue, blue and blue.
2018 06-07 SB Channel Clear skies, bright sun and clear, cobalt water near the Channel Islands made for excellent wildlife finding and viewing. Totals for the day included: 3 fin whales and 1 blue whale. Blue sky, blue water and a blue whale! The Condor Express headed southeast and found all the whales in a fertile area in the Lanes … Read More
Sunny day with lots of wildlife
2018 05-31 SB Channel It was a sunny day today and this generated a light breeze and some chop. Nevertheless, Captain Dave and his crew located 1 giant blue whale, 1 fin whale and 250 long-beaked common dolphins. It was great to have a bright sunny day with so much life. South of The Lanes a single giant blue whale … Read More
Two species of dolphins and a giant blue whale
2018 05-29 SB Channel A mill pond flat and glassy day made for wonderful cetacean sightings today. Skies had a high stratus layer except near Santa Cruz Island were patches of blue and sun were found. Sightings today included: 100 long-beaked common dolphins, 1 giant blue whale and 240 offshore bottlenose dolphins. Just outside the harbor entrance Captain Dave and … Read More
Blue skies, blue water and blue whales
2018 05-28 SB Channel Today we found blue skies, blue water and blue whales. Seas were extremely calm and sightings included: 3 giant blue whales and 75 long-beaked common dolphins. Captain Tasha and her crew ran across the Santa Barbara Channel towards Santa Cruz Island and searched the waters in between. Not far outside Santa Barbara Harbor a small group … Read More
Blue whales at Santa Cruz Island
2018 05-20 SB Channel Captain Tasha headed for Santa Cruz Island today with moderately choppy seas. Sighting included 2 giant blue whales and 200 long-beaked common dolphins. About 5 miles due south of Santa Barbara Harbor during the morning departure a herd of dolphins located the Condor Express. They rode our stern, side and bow waves. A bit of surface … Read More
Four blue whales and lots of dolphins
2018 05-19 SB Channel Four giant blue whales and at least 250 long-beaked common dolphins were seen today on our island whale watch cruise. Seas were calm, and skies had a high, thin cloud layer all day. Just outside Santa Barbara Harbor a nice herd of dolphins located the Condor Express. As we’ve had the good fortune to see these … Read More
Blue whale and lots of cool dolphins
2018 05-17 SB Channel Captain Dave and his crew crossed the Santa Barbara Channel and ran practically the entire 24-mile length of beautiful Santa Cruz Island today in search of wildlife. Sightings included: 50 offshore bottlenose dolphins, 800 long-beaked common dolphins and 1 giant blue whale. It was sunny all day. Across the Channel and heading for the west end … Read More
Island yields giant blue whale and breaching humpbacks.
2018 05-15 SB Channel Gray whale-watching season for the Condor Express ended last Sunday and today was our first “island whale watch.” It was stupendous! Sightings for the day included: 1,200 long-beaked common dolphins, 5 humpback whales and 1 blue whale. It was sunny with a light breeze out in the Santa Barbara Channel all day. As we departed Santa … Read More
Four different cetaceans and a shark!
2018 01-03 SB Channel – Captain Eric and his crew had a lucrative excursion today in terms of wild animals. The following were closely watched: gray whales = 5, blue whale = 1, offshore bottlenose dolphins = 20, long-beaked common dolphins = 2000 and 1 blue shark. On the way across the Santa Barbara Channel en route to the world … Read More