Large number of cetaceans PLUS surface-active humpbacks.

2019 07-21 SB Channel

Captain Dave and the crew put together yet another epic day full of wild cetacean sightings and behaviors in the Santa Barbara Channel. Skies had a marine layer for the first hour of the trip, then it was blue skies all day after that. Sightings included: 9 humpback whales, 1 ocean sunfish and 1200 long-beaked common dolphins. But wait, there’s more!

The first major activity center was located about 4 miles south of Hendrys Beach. Here, a humpback mother with her calf was joined by two large additional whales. Dolphins were once again around all day. Noteworthy: the little calf breached near the boat and one of the two larger whales executed a massive surface lunge.

Further offshore we located a second hot spot due to a very active whale about a mile away. It was breaching and slapping its tail around. These surface activities stopped when we arrived on the scene, but the active whale did surface lunge-feed right off the bow of the Condor Express. There were five whales in this location after we spent some time watching. Dave also stopped the boat to observe a large ocean sunfish (Mola mola) near this location.

You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express, and CondorExpressPhotos.com