Image: complete tracks of our whale watching cruise today.
2024 06-27 SB Channel
We were under a high marine layer until reached the mid Channel area. Sees were also calm until then. Things got sunny and moderately breezy. Sightings for the day included 9+ giant blue whales, 1500+ common dolphins and 1 ocean sunfish (Mola mola).
Five miles off the beach, we slowed down and watched a friendly ocean sunfish (Mola mola). Everyone had good looks. A few miles further south, we found three large aggregations of common dolphins spread over 3/4 mile. Sometimes they formed one big pod, and sometimes they split off. Later, we would see many more dolphins in the distance as we were spending quality time with the giants.
Most of the beasts were located along and east-west line paralleling The Lanes. As we came in, approximately adjacent to the world famous Painted Cave, we watched 4 giant blue whales. Among them was a huge mother with her little calf. One of the adults had a suction cup scientific instrument on its back placed by researchers from
https://cascadiaresearch.org/ Their scientists are among the foremost world’s experts in the giant blue whales, and have been studying them in our area for many decades.
We moved about 4 miles west and found an additional 5 giants. It is always amazing to see their tall spouts and huge tail flukes.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express
301 W. Cabrillo Blvd
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 882-0088