2019 10-13 SB Channel
Seas were glassy and calm. The skies were sunny except for a single, dense fog patch that lasted 15 minutes. Sightings included 1 coastal bottlenose dolphin, 1500 long-beaked common dolphins and 9 humpback whales.
The lone bottlenose was found near the harbor entrance and inside both buoys. The rest of its pod was nowhere to be seen. Common dolphins, on the other hand, were around all day starting around 5 miles out from the harbor. In past years we have gone through dolphin-less periods here and there, but (knock on aluminum) this year has featured uninterrupted sightings.
All of the whales were located within a small radius and south of The Lanes. All three sightings consisted of whale trios. During the first sighting, a single whale lunge-fed on the surface quite near the Condor Express. The second group was even more interesting. Two of the whales did some lunge-feeding and were close to the boat at times. During one lunge the feeding pair broke the surface (it was a vertical lunge) and one whale appeared to have engulfed the mouth/jaw of the second whale. The action was over in a flash, and we are requesting photos from naturalists and passengers if anyone captured this action. The crew could not believe their own eyes, and yet another apparently rare humpback behavior was witnessed this year!
The final trio included 2 adults and 1 juvenile. This group was all about the business of feeding.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry Condor Express, and CondorExpressPhotos.com
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