MANY OF OUR MOST ENTHUSIASTIC WHALE WATCHERS COME FROM THE CRUISE SHIPS THAT VISIT SANTA BARBARA.
2015 04-10 SB Coast
We ran two trips today, 9am and 12 noon. There was a light breeze with periods of glassy water all day long. The high clouds kept the air temperature moderate, and the filtered sun made it nice to view the marine mammals.
At 9am we located 3 gray whales south of Santa Barbara Harbor and they turned out to be a mother and her calf plus one additional adult whale. We followed along and got great looks. About that time we encountered a wide swath of ocean with at least 100 Pacific white-sided dolphins that came over and rode every inch of energy we put into the ocean, bow, sides, and stern. After a short while we next located a small and scattered pod of about 25 long-beaked common dolphins. Nice to see two dolphin species and three different cetaceans on a single excursion. The trip ended as we ran back towards the beach from dolphin heaven only to re-locate the same 3 gray whales we started the trip with. Life is circular at times.
The noon adventure began with about 500 long-beaked common #dolphins about a mile or so south of Shoreline Park. Fun and games did abound as these animated beasts really put on a show for our cruise ship Star Princess passengers. After a great amount of enjoyable time with these smaller cetaceans we ran east to test the waters and before long we encountered 3 gray whales. Similar to the group dynamics we found on the morning trip, this, too, was a mother gray whale and her calf plus another #whale. These three made at least two passes very close to the Condor Express as we put everything in neutral and drifted along. Wow! Fabulous sighting.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
Get these reports via email: www.CondorExpress.com/blog See today’s photos online : www.CondorExpressPhotos.com (photos may take until Sunday to process…sorry)
Comments