2019 08-22 SB Channel West
Having seen spouts earlier in the week, Captain Dave and the crew of the Condor Express headed to the far west Channel and found copious wildlife in the Gaviota area. Closely watched species included 9 humpback whales and 2000 long-beaked common dolphins. Once again the whales and dolphins were mixed together and feeding on northern anchovy balls.
Southwest of Holly our first whale was none other than “the Godfather of Swoop and Scoop,” Dos Equis. It was active and demonstrating its unique feeding strategy until the fog returned and this behavior ceased. Nearby was another whale, and although everyone saw it, we never got formally set up on the beast.
Dave continued to run further west ahead of the advancing fog. A few miles from Dos Equis we watched 3 additional whales mixed with dolphins. (Later, after moving much further west, we’d see these whales breaching in the distant haze).
Finally, south of El Capitan, we closely watched 4 more whales. Two of this group were large adults and almost immediately became surface active. There was lots of socializing, vocalizing, rolling around, upside-down swimming, pectoral fins in the air, etc. Some of this happened very close to the Condor Express. Epic!
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express, and CondorExpressPhotos.com
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