A pair of picture-perfect trips to the west yielded many thousands of dolphins, 4 humpbacks and 4 gray whales.
- Bob Perry
- 2 minutes ago
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2026 03–19 SB Channel
To save retyping it, read the caption to my photograph above to get both a visual image and verbal description of the conditions today, as we prepare ourselves mentally for the vernal equinox tomorrow morning at 7:46 AM.
Captain Dave and the crew conducted 2 outstanding expeditions, 9 AM and 12 N. Total sightings: 3500 common dolphins, 4 humpback whales, 4 gray whales, and 2 Minke whales. On the morning trip, our deck hand Isabel put the gaff on 2 floating, deflated, Mylar balloons and retrieved them from the ocean surface.
In the morning we ran W and ended up a few miles S of Goleta Bay before returning home. We first encountered an almost endless supply of common dolphins, perhaps 1500 animals total. Mixed in, we watched 2 individual humpback whales separated by 1/2 mile of ocean. The first one was moving W, the second one E. Both of them appeared to be feeding subsurface and although they had an average of 8 minute dives, they swam underwater for long distances in random directions. (Just another example of the wonderfully varied behavioral repertoire of this species). Towards the end of this encounter, 2 separate Minke whales came by, one larger than the other, and we had quick/good looks.
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We went back to the same area to kick off the afternoon. Thousands of dolphins and 2 separate humpback whales were still there. About 1/2 mile away, we found a tight group of 4 gray whales, which included 3 adults and 1 sub-adult. They were traveling northbound slowly. There was some socialization that included rolling around, etc. The sighting was enhanced by the crystal clear, Santa Barbara Cobalt, water. (See today’s photograph for an example).
Capt Dave and the crew circumnavigated platform Holly and found another widespread megapod of dolphins.
You never know what mother nature has in store.
Bob Perry
NOTE: there were a few reports of Pacific White-sided dolphins in the Channel today. So keep your eyes open if you’re out there! We’ll be looking for them tomorrow.
