A sunny day with great conditions for finding migratory gray whales.
- Bob Perry
- 2 minutes ago
- 1 min read
Image: a high-speed Dall’s porpoise is shown riding the bow of the Condor Express.
2026 04–04 SB Channel
Conditions were quite good throughout the 9A and the 12 N excursions. The skies were mostly blue and sunny, with no wind. Visibility was so good you could see the canyons on the north face of a beautiful Santa Rosa Island. Totals: 9 gray whales (4 individuals were seen on both trips) and 6 Dall’s porpoises.
The sightings got started near the muscle farm off of Hope Ranch where we saw 1 rather elusive gray whale. It went through the farm, as we went around it. We did not see it again. 10 miles S, our course heading coincided with a pod of 6 Dall’s porpoises. After a while they got friendly and spent some time riding our bow (See today’s photo for an example).
We were on our way home, just S of Hendry’s, when we found a friendly pod of 4 gray whales. They had relatively short dive times and long surface intervals as they migrated W at a consistent speed.
On the 12N excursion, Captain Dave took the coast and attempted to relocate the same friendly pod of 4. He found them off campus point. During this observation they were socializing, which included rolling around and sideways swimming.
You never know what mother nature has in store.
Bob Perry
