6 killer whales and SO much more!

2021 10-30 SB Channel

A high gray stratus layer stayed around and kept things cool all day. Seas were calm. Sightings were phenomenal: 5 humpback whales, 25 Dall’s porpoise, 200 California sea lions, 2000 long-beaked common dolphins, 1 ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and….6 killer whales (Orcinus orca).

We found 2 individual humpbacks near the NOAA East Channel Buoy. The first did one surface lunge. It was a nice feeding area with several hundred dolphins and loads of seabirds.

As we headed further south we stopped to watch a medium sized ocean sunfish (Mola mola) that never left the surface and provided wonderful looks as the gray sky kept the surface glare to a minimum.

In The Lanes we watched 2 additional individual humpbacks that, like their cousins we watched earlier, were also busy feeding. One got airborne with a monster breach.

A quick trip to the beautiful northern Santa Cruz Island sea cliffs featured a trip inside the mouth of the Painted Cave. As we entered The Lanes once again on the way home we saw 1 more humpback, and a bit later there were 25 wonderful Dall’s porpoise slashing across the surface like fat little torpedoes.

We continued our path home and, running a tad late, we thought our sighting for the trip were over. WRONG! We intercepted 6 members of the CA140B pod of killer whales in fast travel mode heading west. We followed as they led us further away from the harbor for 4 surface intervals. Each dive was approximately 10 minutes during which time their underwater swim took them ¾ mile away from the boat. Wow!

You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express, and CondorExpressPhotos.com