2022 09-14 SB Channel
Nothing but blue skies today with a light breeze and small chop on the surface. Sightings included 2 Minke whales, 3000 long-beaked common dolphins and 1 humpback whale. Northern anchovy schools, some covering acres of the surface, were seen everywhere. A few turned to hot spots with active dolphin, sea lion and sea bird feeding.
Dolphins were around all day and several legitimate mega pods were watched.
Captain Dave and the crew headed west, up the coast towards the Platform Holly area, to start the trip. About 3 miles south of Holly a breach in the distance turned our heads, and the Condor Express, in that direction. On our way there, we found, and spent time with, a single, juvenile humpback whale. It went about its business swimming northeast with a regular breathing cycle and showed its flukes. Dolphins were in abundance here, too.
Out in The Lanes there were more dolphins. We crossed paths with a timid Minke whale and had a few lucky looks before heading back towards the coast. About 6 miles off the beach, some large, flashy surface activity was picked up by binocular. Was it a humpback pectoral fin? Tail fluke? As we approached the area we saw a breaching Minke, our second Minke of the day. But it’s behavior AFTER the breach was breath-taking. The little baleen whale took of on a high-speed run and continued to speed along at 17 or 18 knots, for quite a long time. Dave throttled up the engines and tried to stay in visual range. Then it slowed to nearly a stop, and made a close pass by the boat, before charging off again at full speed!
You never know what Mother Nature has in store,
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and