2018 02-10 SB Channel – Today the fog lifted to form a high stratus layer and seas were calm. Conditions were ideal for watching wildlife. Captain Dave and his crew put together a fantastic trip and the following closely-watched animals were seen: 1 humpback whale, 1 fin whale, 400 long-beaked common dolphins and 6 gray whales.
Not too far offshore in the morning a nice sized group of dolphins located the Condor Express and we sailed alongside these wonderful cetaceans for quite a while as we moved southeast. Soon we ended up in The Flats (aka, the Ventura Flats) where a single humpback whale was watched. This was a small whale and there was bait in the water, as evidenced by the abundantly active seabirds, so we assume it was moving around feeding below the surface.
Our next sighting consisted of a single gray whale near Platform Habitat. Great looks were had by all. At Santa Cruz Island, small holes of sunshine were poking through the overcast about the same time that we found five more gray whales.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express