2018 05-03 SB Coast A single trip left the docks at noon under clear, warm sunny skies. Total sightings for the trip included a whopping 1,600 long-beaked common dolphins and one gray whale. What a great dolphin show it was! Captain Dave ran west as far as Coal Oil Point (past Isla Vista) to locate the gray whale. He then … Read More
Six gray whales and lots of calves
2018 05-02 SB Coast Captain Dave and his crew ran two trips today with great sea conditions. The morning trip was calm and sunny. The afternoon trip was calm with a high stratus layer. Sightings for the day included: 6 gray whales, 550 long-beaked common dolphins, and 1 California sea lion (that was important to the sightings). The morning got … Read More
More gray whale calves and dolphins
2018 05-01 SB Coast A single noon departure plied the coastal waters in search of wildlife under the threat of rain. Luckily, the rain held back until we came back to the harbor and by then we had closely watched 5 gray whales and 250 long-beaked common dolphins. The gray whale calves were, once again, one of the most entertaining … Read More
More gray whale calves and dolphins
2018 04-23 SB Coast A single trip left Santa Barbara Harbor at noon under a low cloud layer. Seas were glassy and calm. Total sightings for the trip included 3 gray whales and 500 long-beaked common dolphins. About 2 miles straight out from the harbor entrance the first of two herds of dolphins located the Condor Express. Like all the … Read More
Bright sun and blue, clear water.
2018 04-22 SB Coast Earth Day was spectacular along the Santa Barbara Coast and into the northern Channel. One gray whale and 500 long-beaked common dolphins were watched closely during a single, 12 noon, excursion. The bright sun and blue, clear water enhanced all the sightings. After the customary run west (up the coast) a whale was located off Hendry’s … Read More
Loads of dolphins and a nice gray whale
2018 04-08 SB Coast A single whale watch trip resulted in one gray whale and 200 long-beaked common dolphins today. It was a bit bumpy and looked like the wind would soon crank-up…but it never did! The whale was located east of Goleta Bay and followed west to approximately UCSB/Campus Point. Here several hundred dolphins found the boat and interacted … Read More
One gray and one fin
2018 03-20 SB Coast The first day of spring brought more flat, calm seas. Skies were overcast with a few scattered showers. Total sightings for today’s single, 12-noon trip included: 1 fin whale and 1 gray whale. Captain Dave and the crew of the Condor Express found all the action about 2 miles out from Santa Barbara Harbor. The first … Read More
Perfect conditions in the Channel
2018 03-05 SB Coast – It was one of those days in the Santa Barbara Channel that was perfectly scripted for cruising for wildlife. Skies were blue, seas were flat and glassy, and, yes, there was plenty of wildlife to be seen. The vistas afforded by being on board the Condor Express ran from Boney Ridge to the east, Point … Read More
A single gray whale
2018 02-22 SB Coast – Sightings for the day were limited to one gray whale. It started out breezy as we left the harbor at noon, and then the wind picked up. We intercepted a single gray whale in the Hope Ranch area and followed it up towards Campus Point. After a good sighting, Captain Dave turned the Condor Express … Read More
Early Spring Whale Watching Trips – 3 Per Day
It’s mid February in Santa Barbara and with it come the gray whales. Which means it’s also time for us to start our, three times a day coastal, early Spring whale watching trips! Whether you are an early riser or more of an afternoon person, we have what you are looking for. Starting at 9am, noon or 3pm, we guarantee … Read More