Captain Eric left the docks with sunny skies and wonderful glassy seas. His first marine mammals came to the boat out on the 50-fathom line and it was a massive mega-pod of at least 2,000 long-beaked common dolphins. The Condor Express stayed and enjoyed this wonderful sighting for about 30 minute before pressing onward to the south. There is nothing like a big herd of these wonderful dolphins in bright sun.
By the time we reached The Lanes, however, a very thick fog bank dominated the Santa Barbara Channel. Using radar, Eric ran over to Santa Cruz Island hoping to find some additional mammals. But with near zero visibility fog, it was tough to see spouts.
Near the world famous Painted Cave, itself shrouded in dense fog, Eric found another very large aggregation of dolphins. This time is was short-beaked common dolphins and they played near the boat which was a good thing since no one could see very far. At one point the dolphins led the boat into a big mega-mob of around 200 California sea lions. These furry brown animals dove down and disappeared together, then all returned to the surface together, indicating some probably deep fish schools.
Near the sea lions a lone, small humpback whale came into view, in the midst of the fog, and everyone managed to get a look or two despite the conditions. Eric and his crew kept with this humpback for a while using sound and their ears only. What a team !
You never know with Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express
Tide calendars are now ready for holiday gift givers: