2017 04-23 SB Coast
Although there was negligible wind, there was a slight bump on the surface coming from much rough conditions to the far west of Santa Barbara. Captain Eric took command today and his totals for all three trips were: 200 long-beaked common dolphins and 11 gray whales.
9 am Dolphins found the boat and ran alongside on our way up to the west. Eric followed the kelp bed superhighway and eventually located 2 gray whale mothers with their calves near Hope Ranch. The calves were seen rolling around in the seaweed and generally enjoying the sunny day. Mothers swam in and out of the kelp forest keeping tabs on their youngsters.
12 noon During this excursion, the action began near More Mesa. A mother-calf gray whale pair was located in the kelp, and much the same as on the 9 am trip, the little one was having fun rolling around and so forth. Just outside the edge of the kelp, 50 dolphins found the Condor Express.
3 pm 5 gray whales were first intercepted in the Hope Ranch kelp. There were 2 cow-calf pairs and a single juvenile whale. We had a nice long time with these whales and good looks were had by all.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express