This crystal clear blue water we’ve been experiencing this Summer is sure wonderful for watching (and photographing) our humpback whales !
Close looks in crystal blue water
Captain Eric and his man on the binoculars, Augie, drained every mammal out of the northeastern Santa Barbara Channel today. The action got started right away on the inside of the rigs (C, B, A, Hillhouse) with several nice pods of long beaked common dolphins and then one great humpback whale. After going about its “business” for a while, the #whale finally surfaced twice in a row very close to the Condor Express and ran up the port side very closely. Magnificent views of the dolphin herds and this friendly whale were to be had in the crystal blue water. It is rare, as a photographer, to be able to see the whole entire humpback whale beneath the surface in one frame (albeit a wide angle lens). This first whale also fluked up for us a bunch of times.
Onward we went on a southeasterly course heading, where we saw mountainous splashes at least 6 miles ahead…that’s how great the visibility was. Upon arriving on the scene we located a very large humpback whale that had long down times, but in between logged on the surface and also was regular in kicking up its flukes high in the air. Throughout the day we had numerous Velella velella again, more so on the inside than the outside. I keep hoping to photograph one that has a predatory nudibranch Glaucus marginatus on it.
The wonderful long streak of fantastic weather and sea conditions continued today and just being out at sea on a day like this is enormously special. I’ll have the photos from today’s adventure posted up sometime tomorrow.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
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