2021 08-29 SB Channel
There was a marine layer all day so the calm seas looked gray. Calm seas are nothing to complain about and we closely watched 9 humpback whales, 1 Minke whale and 2000 long-beaked common dolphins.
The lone Minke whale was sighted just 3 miles out from Santa Barbara Harbor. It was a very large animal and we had some nice looks as it went about its own breathing cycle.
As we moved further offshore we began to encounter common dolphins, At first the pods were small in size, but as we approached today’s hot spot, about 10 miles from home, the groups were large, the sea birds were numerous and the humpbacks were there.
Among the 9 or so humpbacks we closely watched there was a cow-calf pair along with a third whale, possibly an escort. The pair made some nice very close approaches to their Condor Express fan club. Another whale was an individual we first saw and named “Chalkboard” in 2019 was on the scene. Its name was derived from the criss cross killer whale scar patterns all over its fins and body. Yet another individual was seen doing a lot of lob-tailing in the near distance. What a day!
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express, and CondorExpressPhotos.com MarineBioPhotography.com
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