Image: The head of a friendly humpback festooned with kelp.
2024 02-26 SB Channel
A single trip departed at 12n under mostly cloudy skies with calm seas and some interludes of rain. Sightings included: 2 gray whales, 1 humpback whale, 600 long beaked common dolphins and at least 20 California sea lions.
Right at the red harbor entrance buoy we found a single, northbound adult gray whale. It had long, 8-minute, down times and was zig-zagging its way toward Leadbetter Point. Soon, a smaller whale joined the adult, it everyone was thrilled to discover it was a mother/calf pair; OUR FIRST GRAY WHALE CALF OF THE SEASON!!
About 1 mile southeast, a mega pod of dolphins located the Condor Express. There was some feeding going on, with diving pelicans and about 2 dozen sea lions in the mix.
Moving west we soon watched a sub-adult humpback whale. It did a bit of rolling around and waving its long pectoral fins. Then it took up some kelping activity and draped the seaweed over its tail, dorsal fin, and head. (See today’s photo for an example of a humpback whale kelping).
You never know what Mother Nature has in store,
Bob Perry,
Condor Express and
Comments