Scarlet and Shorty were among the 6 humpbacks

Scarlet and Shorty were among the 6 humpbacks

This was not a public whale watch, but I’m reporting the sightings anyhow.  It was sunny all day with a light breeze and fair seas in the morning.  Later the wind did freshen up a bit and added to the overall feeling that you were definitely not on dry land (or in Kansas, Toto) anymore.  The sharpest eyes in the Santa Barbara Channel did not disappoint, ending up with a total of 6 knobby headed humpback whales.  Two of the 6 were our friends Scarlet (with the propeller scars) and her calf/companion Shorty.  We have not seen these two whales for at least a month and their return to the Channel may be a harbinger of the Fall humpbacks return to our area en masse.  Two of the other whales, both adults, breached and all of them gave us great looks.  Wow!  In addition to the big cetaceans, we also had at least 500 long beaked common #dolphins around the boat during the expedition today.  We resume our public open whale watch schedule tomorrow, Sunday September 28, but will NOT run a public trip on Tuesday, September 30.  Sign up now to get out there and smell the salt air, matey.

You never know what Mother Nature has in store.  Did you know, for example, that this week we saw two Minke whales lunge feeding horizontally at high speeds just beneath the surface? See for yourself at: https://www.condorexpressphotos.com/2014/2014-09-24-SB-Channel/

Bob Perry Condor Express Biologist and Photographer

on the web:   www.CondorExpress.com/blog