2017 03-29 SB Coast
Captain Eric and his crew had a different, but good, sort of day with great looks at 3 humpback whales, 1 Minke whale, and 1,500 long-beaked common dolphins. The winds that blew yesterday afternoon and night had completely subsided for today’s single trip at noon, but there was still a little bump on the surface from those winds. All this during “gray whale” season!
Eric ran the Condor Express up the coast and about 2 miles off Hendry’s Beach a very large herd of dolphins located the boat. This mass of cetaceans was very actively feeding over at least a one mile long territory. Seabirds joined the attack which was directed towards schools of northern anchovies. Soon three very large humpback whales joined the feast. A mob of California sea lions followed the humpback whales, as they often do. I don’t think the sea lions can hold their breath as long as humpback do, so it is common for us to see the mob of pinnipeds come up to the surface just prior to the whales and in the same area. Once or twice the whales swam under the boat but the water was not as clear as it has been, and they quickly disappeared from view into the depts.
NOTE: there were gray whales in the distance, but we ran out of time and could not run to their location today.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
Comments