Two trips with nice weather, lots of interesting whale and porpoise behaviors.
- Bob Perry
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
2025 04-20 SB Channel
Captain Eddy and the crew ran two trips: 9a and 12n. Conditions in The Channel were calm, glassy and had a thin overcast layer in the morning. The afternoon featured blue skies and a faint breeze. Total sightings for the day included: 8 humpback whales and 10 Dall’s porpoise.
Four miles south of The Farm, on the morning adventure, things got started with an encounter with 2 humpback whales. There was a very large adult, probably female, and a smaller, sub-adult, possibly male. The two spent considerable time logging on the surface while very close together. Earlier they made a few long sub-surface feeding dives that ended up close to the Condor Express. There were a total of 7 whales in the area, including the 3 we closely watched.
Nearby a single whale was found an it immediately mugged us. At one point it swam under the boat, crossing the bow, and its spout spray got a few members of its fan club damp. The initial two whales (male and female?) joined the 3rd whale in the mugging.
Captain Eddy took us 12 miles south of The Harbor to a position close to the edge of The Lanes. A pod of 10 Dall’s porpoise zooming around and diving nearby. The approached the boat at high speed on one occasion and rode our bow wave.
We also had satisfactory looks at and adult humpback that was feeding sub-surface. It had long dive times and did not follow a specific route on its dives. When it surfaced it was often at a distance. The beast did make one close pass.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry