Image: a close look at a Long-beaked common dolphin.
2023 09-10 SB Channel
Although skies were clear and sunny, and there was not much wind, the sea surface was a mess due to strong overnight winds offshore. The panoramic vistas of the western Santa Barbara coastline were fabulous. Sightings included: 2000 long-beaked common dolphins, 200 California sea lions and 3 humpback whales.
Captain Devin and the crew ran to the far west in hopes with 2 goals in mind: find marine mammals and find some shelter from the choppy seas in the lee of Point Conception. Mission accomplished!
We watched scattered dolphin pods all along our route today, starting a few miles outbound from Santa Barbara Harbor. Large pods were found, per usual, in areas near hot spots and whales. Many of the pods had a cadré of sea lions in their midst.
We closely watched 3 individual humpback whales. The first was a juvenile and, like the two that were sighed later, seemed to be in travel mode. Whale number two as a very large adult, and the third was a very small juvenile. Only the small juvenile had the courtesy of showing a nice tail fluke.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and
CondorExpressPhotos.com
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