2017 05-19 SB Channel
Captain Dave reports fantastic weather and sea conditions in the Santa Barbara Channel today. Sightings included 1 fin whale, 5 humpback whales and 700 long-beaked common dolphins.
Dave headed south out of Santa Barbara Harbor heading for Santa Cruz Island and all the wildlife along the way. Our first stop was with a large pod of dolphins that located us in The Lanes. This was such a large and active group they spread out over at least a mile and a half of ocean. Not long after the dolphins found us, the crew located a giant fin whale, the second largest animal species that ever lived. This fin whale made several close passes by the Condor Express to the delight of everyone on board.
The beautiful Painted Cave was bathed in bright sun and Captain Dave took the boat into the mouth of it with great skill and dexterity. Upon leaving the Cave, he ran west towards the Santa Cruz Channel and almost immediately the crew located a single humpback whale. This was followed, as the boat moved into the Santa Cruz Channel, but sightings of two pairs of additional humpback whales. Many flocks of migrating sooty shearwaters were seen on the ocean surface today.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express