2017 04-22 SB Coast
Humpback whale feeding frenzy, gray whale calves and two different species of dolphins made todays three excursions along the Santa Barbara coast quite memorable. Total sightings for the day included: 2 bottlenose dolphins, 6 gray whales, 29 humpback whales and 600 long-beaked common dolphins.
2017 04-22 SB Coast
Humpback whale feeding frenzy, gray whale calves and two different species of dolphins made todays three excursions along the Santa Barbara coast quite memorable. Total sightings for the day included: 2 bottlenose dolphins, 6 gray whales, 29 humpback whales and 600 long-beaked common dolphins. The humpback feeding frenzy stole the show.
9am Captain Dave and his crew steered the Condor Express up the coast as far as Isla Vista to find 4 gray whales, which were 2 mother-calf pairs. As these pairs were being watched, 2 very friendly bottlenose dolphins swam up to the boat and everyone got great looks in the clear blue water. Moving about six miles offshore to study an oceanic hot spot characterized by thousands of very active and hungry sea birds, 6 humpback whales were seen surface lunge feeding on the same anchovies the birds were after. There were plenty of tail throws and other humpback behaviors too. On the way home 500 or so long-beaked common dolphins intercepted our path and, again, it was magical.
12 noon About 1 mile south of Santa Barbara harbor 100 common dolphins were watched as another gray whale mother and her calf swam by. After these species were watched, we again headed to deeper waters where 8 humpbacks were engaged in surface feeding just like the ones we watched on the morning trip.
3 pm Dave headed directly out to deep water and found the number of actively feeding humpback whales had grown to at least 15 animals, including a mother humpback whale and her calf. All were surface lunge feeding including the calf. The calf also performed a series of tail throws. Surface feeding began with 2 whales, then 4 then 6, all diving and then coming straight up through the anchovy masses together in synchrony. On the way home another, single, humpback was seen but
2017 04-22 SB Coast
Humpback whale feeding frenzy, gray whale calves and two different species of dolphins made todays three excursions along the Santa Barbara coast quite memorable. Total sightings for the day included: 2 bottlenose dolphins, 6 gray whales, 29 humpback whales and 600 long-beaked common dolphins. The humpback feeding frenzy stole the show.
9am Captain Dave and his crew steered the Condor Express up the coast as far as Isla Vista to find 4 gray whales, which were 2 mother-calf pairs. As these pairs were being watched, 2 very friendly bottlenose dolphins swam up to the boat and everyone got great looks in the clear blue water. Moving about six miles offshore to study an oceanic hot spot characterized by thousands of very active and hungry sea birds, 6 humpback whales were seen surface lunge feeding on the same anchovies the birds were after. There were plenty of tail throws and other humpback behaviors too. On the way home 500 or so long-beaked common dolphins intercepted our path and, again, it was magical.
12 noon About 1 mile south of Santa Barbara harbor 100 common dolphins were watched as another gray whale mother and her calf swam by. After these species were watched, we again headed to deeper waters where 8 humpbacks were engaged in surface feeding just like the ones we watched on the morning trip.
3 pm Dave headed directly out to deep water and found the number of actively feeding humpback whales had grown to at least 15 animals, including a mother humpback whale and her calf. All were surface lunge feeding including the calf. The calf also performed a series of tail throws. Surface feeding began with 2 whales, then 4 then 6, all diving and then coming straight up through the anchovy masses together in synchrony. On the way home another, single, humpback was seen, but the humpback feeding frenzy stole the show.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
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