Saturday, September 3, 2016 – It was a cool, foggy day with a light breeze and good sea conditions. Captain Dave was in charge and put the Condor Express in position to have the following marine mammals see the boat and their fans on board: 7 humpback whales, 2,000 long-beaked common dolphins, a sea lion mob (at least 250 in one group).
A small group of dolphins found the boat just a few miles south of Santa Barbara at the start of the excursion. It is always a good omen to have these little cetaceans greet us right away, and sets the tone. Dave continued on his south-southwesterly heading.
A single small humpback whale was encountered just north of The Lanes. It had 6 minute down times and was around the boat when it surfaced. South of The Lanes and west of The Cave another “mother lode” of California sea lions that looked like a mega-pod of dolphins at a distance, was found rafting and straining their long necks to see the boat in their area. This was also the place where the majority of the humpback whales were congregating, and at least 6 took a good look at us.
Dave put the boat into the mouth of the world-famous Painted Cave as a fitting crescendo to his oral discourse on the history, geology and wonderful restoration successes by conservationists at Santa Cruz Island. All this and a special sea lion mob too.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
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