Image: a humpback calf takes a leap.
2024 10-20 SB Channel
I’ll just copy my description from yesterday: Captain Dave and the crew report AMAZING conditions in our neck of The Channel today. Skies were bright and sunny all day. Seas were glassy and calm. Sightings included: 3000 common dolphins, 1 Minke whale and 5 humpback whales.
We started east but had to stop only 2 miles out for our first couple of common dolphin pods. They had located the Condor Express and rode our bow, side and stern waves. The crystal clear, “Santa Barbara cobalt” water boosted all our sightings today to the max. We’d continue to find pods with 500 or so individuals throughout the trip.
North of Platform Hogan our first whales were a mother humpback with her very special calf. After whale and boat settled in, the little calf wasted no time finding a juicy floating kelp paddy to play with. Pure joy! This kelping was interrupted suddenly when Junior got airborne with a nice breach in front of its cheering fans. During this wonderful humpback session, a curious Minke whale came to the surface and took a leisurely 4 or 5 breaths…plenty for very good looks.
We moved west across the clear, glassy water and soon found three more individual whales. All were adults and had long dive times.
The crew removed two deflated, floating, Mylar balloons from the ocean surface today.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
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