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Writer's picture Bob Perry

Gorgeous seas and vistas with a great blend of species

Image: A common dolphin mother is seen leaping along with her very young calf. Dolphins swim continuously from the moment they are born.


2024 08–18 SB Channel


Eddy and the crew report ideal conditions for locating and watching wildlife today. It was sunny with a few small patches of low overcast. No wind was present and the ocean surface was glassy. That beautiful Santa Barbara cobalt water clarity is still around. Sightings for the day included: 3000 common dolphins, 20 California sea lions, 2 Minke whales, and 1 humpback whale. In addition, early in the trip, the crew removed one deflated, Mylar balloon from the ocean surface.


We passed through the Kelp Farm and, on our way to the Rig Line, we encountered our first part of dolphins. It was a very small pod but fun to watch in that clear water. Nearby, the crew picked up that balloon I talked about earlier.


Continuing past The Rigs, out near Platform Habitat, we encountered a few larger pods of dolphins. The first was a nursery pod, with lots of gorgeous little calves leaping all over the place next to their moms. (See today’s photograph for an example of this).


About 2 miles southeast, we spotted a second pod of the dolphins with a tall spout mixed in. The spout belonged to a small, subadult humpback whale. It was making a short dives, probably feeding subsurface. At one point the whale in advertently surfaced right next to the boat! Before we left this hotspot we got two quick looks at our first Minke whale. The area had quite a bit of bird activity with gulls, terns, pelicans, etc.


On the way home we passed another herd of dolphins and had a quick look at a second Minke.


You never know what Mother Nature has in store.


Bob Perry

Condor Express, and


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