2022 11-06 SB Channel
Captain Devin and the crew report less than ideal conditions in the Channel today. It was a bit breezy; seas were bumpy; it was partly overcast and cold. By contrast, the cetaceans were “hot.” Sighting included 10+ humpback whales and 2000 long-beaked common dolphins.
A small pod of dolphins got the sightings started just a mile outside the harbor entrance. The rest of the dolphins were mixed in with the whales in the hot spots we visited near the NOAA Mid-Channel Buoy.
The whale observations began with a pair “on a mission.” The were moving due west and into the oncoming seas. A third whale swam by, and we did not follow it. Captain Devin kept the boat with the pair for a while, but then moved to a larger aggregation nearby.
Among the 7 whales in the zone, one did a fleeting sideways surface feeding lunge which was so quick it was probably missed by many. We took up following a trio that was moving east, away from the wind and seas. One of the pair moved off alone and the remaining pair proceeded to mug the Condor Express for over an hour. We watched these whales rub against our twin hulls, roll around, do some tail swoops, and a then a few head stands.
A few additional spouts were in binocular range as we headed home.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and
CondorExpressPhotos.com