Image: Two humpback whales near Platform Holly.
2023 6-07 SB Channel
Skies were clear and bright until the end of the trip when the nearshore marine stratus layer started to form again. There was no wind and seas were spectacularly calm. Sightings included: 6 humpback whales, 400 long-beaked common dolphins and 30 California sea lions. The crew also removed a single, floating, Mylar balloon from the ocean surface.
All the humpback sightings came in twos, one then another. The first were spotted 1 mile south of Hendry’s Beach. There was a little hot spot and the dolphins, sea lions and whales were feeding. One of the whales did a bit of vertical lunge-feeding.
Continuing west, Captain Dave gave a brief tour of Platform Holly and the natural gas (and asphalt) seeps nearby. Without wind and with mirrorlike conditions, the surface oil sheen and petrochemical smell were wide-spread. We continued west and, on a very oily (aforementioned) sea, we found our #3 and #4 whales.
We pushed offshore 6 miles and located two more whales, before turning around and heading home. On the way, our paths crossed a nice pod of common dolphns.
You never know what mother nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and
CondorExpressPhotos.com