Image: Northbound gray whale near the Santa Barbara kelp forest. © R.Perry
2024 03-15 SB Channel
It was a gorgeous day for watching wildlife. Skies were sunny all day and there was no wind. We had spectacular looks at the lush green hills and mountains around us. We ran 2 trips, 9a and 12n. Total sightings for the day: 3 gray whales, 75 long-beaked common dolphins and 6+ humpback whales.
The morning trip got started right away as we followed a pair of adult gray whales up the coast from the Yacht Club to Hendry’s Beach. They traveled close to the beach (see today’s photo for an example). Near Hendry’s a small, juvenile whale passed us as we watched the adults. The adults then stopped and started socializing and letting off bubble blasts underwater. South of the whales a few miles we watched a pod of common dolphins.
The noon trip took a different path as Captain Dave put the Condor Express on the edge of The Lanes, south of the harbor. Here we spent a lot of quality time watching 6 humpback whales. There were more in the area. The six beasts were feeding near the surface and were great to see. One of the 6, a smaller whale, did some surface, sideways lunge-feeding. A small group of 6 California sea lions followed the lunge-feeding animal.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and
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