Image: A humpback whale is shown in calm seas with light ripples in the Santa Barbara Channel.
2024 12–14 SB Channel
Captain Eddy and the crew stayed on the north side of The Lanes today. Seas were calm, mostly glassy. Skies, on the other hand, were cloudy and we experienced both drizzle and light rain during the trip. Sightings for the day included: 2 Minke whales and 2 humpback whales.
On our way southeast, we had a brief look at a single, and very shy, Minke whale. Only a few people actually saw the animal.
We continued on our way, and very soon we found a pair of very “relaxed” young humpback whales. These juvenile whales were not exactly logging, but their movements were very slow, and they spent most of the time on the surface…perhaps in response to the weather conditions. One of them actually fluked-up and a photographer/passenger was able to identify it. We were told today was the first time it been recorded in the Santa Barbara Channel, having spent time from Northern California up to Seattle! No wonder it was resting.
The condo express moved east, and just before we got to The Kelp Farm, we located a second Minke whale. It was a very large adult, it made a few very close passes and made everybody happy.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store
Bob Perry
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