2015 04-03 SB Coast
It was another fine day in the Santa Barbara Channel today. We ran a noon trip and a 3 pm adventure, and had good sightings on both. At noon we located two northbound gray whales up near the lighthouse. It was two juveniles and good looks were had by all. The #whales led us into a pod of 50 or so long-beaked common dolphins which, naturally played around the boat per usual. Later, to the east of the Harbor, we found a nice group of 6 coastal bottlenose #dolphins, which made three different cetacean species on the early afternoon trip.
By 3 pm there was a bit of chop and wind to the west, so Captain Dave took the Condor Express east to the Flats, and before long we were watching a mother humpback whale and her calf. At one point there was bait on the surface (as indicated by the sea lions and birds) and the whales lunge-fed into the hot spot. What a great show!
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express