Image: a friendly adult humpback whale mugs the Condor Express.
2024 09-03 SB Channel West
Captain Eddy reports glassy conditions all day with a 1-foot swell. The dense morning fog (¼ mile visibility at times) burned off as we approached the Gaviota area. Once again, the crew took the Condor Express to the far western Channel and ended up with a hot spot (and a whale) just north of Platform Hondo. Sightings included: 2000 common dolphins and 4 humpback whales (3 were closely watched).
The first small pods of dolphins located the boat in dense fog out near the Kelp Farm. Additional scattered groups also somehow found us without using their eyes. Finally, up near Hondo, as the sun broke out the dolphin pods became larger.
While looking at dolphins at the large Hondo hot spot, a nearby spout called attention to our first humpback whale. All whales today were adults. This first one was moving slowly west and came by for a quick close approach once or twice. A whale that breached 4 times in the distance led us to a pair of additional whales in the now bright sun. These were active animals! Both mugged the boat, rolled upside down, and swam from side to side as good “equal opportunity” whales. (See today’s photo for an example of us getting mugged).
As we left for our long trip back to the harbor, there was a 4th whale which was seen, but we didn’t stop. More dolphin pods were noted as well.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and
Exceptional!