2017 04-16 SB Coast
Captain Eric reports that three trips left the docks in Santa Barbara harbor and worked the coastline up to the west. Totals for the day included: 12 gray whales and 5 bottlenose dolphins. There was great weather and good fun.
9 am The first gray whale was a single, shy whale that kept back-tracking and kept Eric and his crew on their toes. Luckily, by the time the Condor Express was at the far edge of Hope Ranch a nice mother-calf gray whale pair was located. Brilliant views were obtained before we headed back in.
12 noon As we left the harbor and headed west 5 coastal bottlenose dolphins left the kelp beds and greeted the boat. They played around us for a while until we continued our westerly track. Along the cliffs, near the Boathouse restaurant, another mother-calf gray whale pair were watched.
3 pm At Leadbetter Beach two small gray whale juveniles were spotted and proved hard to watch due to their random swimming pattern. We continued west and located a much nicer pair of the great Isla Vista kelp forest. This pair was another mother-calf duo and provided fantastic looks. Good fun was had by all.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
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