2017 06-07 SB Channel
15 humpback whales, 7 blue whales and 750 dolphins were watched by the Condor Express today in the Santa Barbara Channel. Captain Eric and his crew found all these cetaceans with calm seas and overcast skies. It was one of our most productive excursions in many months. What a day!
About 5 miles out from Santa Barbara Harbor groups of 50 or so long-beaked common dolphins were found moving and feeding along a southwesterly track. Before long a breaching humpback whale brought us to an area with 5 whales while the breaching individual remained very active, throwing its tail and rolling around near the boat. A mile further to the southwest a second group of 4 humpback whales were located and one of them also started breaching and carrying-on. All the while, the common dolphins were inter-mixed with the whales and both species were chasing northern anchovy schools. The group of 4 came very close to the boat and everyone had wonderful looks. Additional groups of 1 to 3 humpback whales were watched.
Tall spouts south of The Lanes and near the West End of Santa Cruz Island turned out to be giant blue whales. The first whale showed its huge tail on terminal dives and all of the blue whales had long surface intervals. At one point the giants surfaced after a 14 minute dive and were right next to the Condor Express.
On the way home another humpback whale was observed.
It is not often that we get to see 15 humpback whales, 7 blue whales and 750 dolphins on the same trip.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
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