2022 06-24 SB Channel
The hazy sun along the coast became a moderate overcast marine layer as we pushed offshore towards beautiful Santa Rosa Island. This gray layer got a bit thinner after noon, but never went away until we came back and were just a few miles outside Santa Barbara Harbor. Sightings were very good today. We closely watched: 200 long-beaked common dolphins, 3 giant blue whales and 2 humpback whales. We also retrieved a deflated, floating Mylar balloon from the ocean surface.
The only pod of dolphins seen today was just a few miles outside the harbor entrance. Individuals were busy feeding on random patches of surface bait. This group had plenty of very small calve with their mothers.
Much later, a few miles north of Carrington Point, Santa Rosa Island, the tall spouts came into view. It was our first of two and the best blue whale sighting of the day. This was most likely a cow-calf pair and we stayed around in the light breeze to watch the duo for nearly one hour. So nice to see, especially their tall spouts framed against the island backdrop.
A Northern fulmar adopted the Condor Express and, every time we moved location to keep up with the blue whales, the bird followed, landed close to the boat, and seemed interested.
We moved closer to the west end of Santa Rosa Island to find and watch a pair of humpback whales. The pair was “on the move,” heading west and did not do any deep diving…whales with a mission.
At the end of our island whale hot spot a third blue whale was seen spouting in the near distance.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express, and www.CondorExpressPhotos.com
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