Image: a friendly offshore bottlenose dolphin.
2024 11–29 SB Channel
Captain Danny and the crew headed west and ended up about 8 – 10 miles south of Coal Oil Point, Goleta. Seas were mirror glass and there was no swell. A high stratus layer cast a gray hue on the day. Sighting included: 3 humpback whales and 200 offshore bottlenose dolphins.
All the action took place off Coal Oil Point. Our first wildlife encounter was with a single humpback whale. It made very close, almost mugging, passes and stayed for over an hour. It also rolled and turned on its side to get a better look at its fans on the Condor Express.
In the distance a commotion revealed itself as a 100-strong pod of active offshore dolphins. There was lots of jumping, especially alongside the boat. They also rode our bow wave extensively and often got airborne leaping out of it. We diverted for another mugging session during which a pair of whales played with us for 20-minutes, including spending time in our jet wash. We returned to the bottlenose dolphins afterwards.
On the way home, a SECOND pod of offshore bottlenose dolphins located the Condor. Again, there was lots of jumping, especially some very high leaps with a mid-air roll so the dolphin landed on its back in the water.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
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