2021 08-21 SB Channel
Mirror flat glass seas provided a wonderful canvas for all of our cetacean sightings today. We closely watched over 8,008 animals during our 4½ hour excursion. That figure includes humpback whales (8) and a whole lotta dolphins. What’s not to like?
The dolphin action began about 5 miles southwest of UCSB and never stopped. This zone also provided great looks at 2 whales, one juvenile and one young adult. The adult was identified as “Snowflake,” and has a characteristic all-white tail. Snowflake did a bit of kelping on the mill pond flat surface…a “spa break?”
Captain Dave and the crew moved the Condor Express further offshore to the edge of the northbound shipping lanes. Here we encountered 5 more whale surrounded by huge pods of dolphins. There were 4 adults and 1 juvenile in this area and great tail flukes were shown.
On the way home, as we traveled through, and alongside, more dolphins, we stopped to watch our 8th whale. It was a juvenile and, you guessed it, it was preoccupied kelping.
If you’ve never jumped off an boat or taken as swim off the beach to float around in the kelp canopy, you must try it. If you want to have a humpback experience though, you should take care not to become entangled. Best to swim clean without a lot of doo-dads and bling.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express, and CondorExpressPhotos.com MarineBioPhotography.com