Image: A friendly Minke whale mugs the Condor Express.
2024 07–23 SB Channel
Captain Dave and the crew report spectacular weather in the channel today. Skies were blue, seas were calm, and the water remains crystal clear. Sightings were both unusual and spectacular: 5 Minke whales, 3 humpback whales, 3000 common dolphins and one ocean sunfish (Mola mola).
The dolphin sightings began as we left the harbor with a small pod of about 150 animals actively feeding between the two Harbor entrance buoys. As we moved a little bit west, they were more dolphins doing the same thing. Later in the trip, when we were out in The Flats, we would see mega pods.
About 3 1/2 miles south of Hope Ranch, we had one of the most unusual sightings and encounters ever. It began when we viewed one small Minke whale. Minkes in our waters tends to be a little bit shy and elusive. But today, a few minutes later, the juvenile was joined by three adults. All four of them, especially the adults, became extremely friendly and mugged the Condor Express for about an hour. We saw them swim under the boat, roll around, swim upside down on both sides of the boat, ride the bow, and let out a couple of good bubble blasts. Of course all of this was greatly enhanced by our crystal clear Santa Barbara cobalt water clarity.
We headed east to The Flats. Here we saw the previously mentioned mega pod of dolphins. We also spotted a small humpback whale in the distance, and as we neared the area, it was joined by two more whales. The two, it turned out, were a mother and calf. Both had all black tales and had not been previously seen this week with all the rest of the cow-calves. All humpbacks were feeding subsurface.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and,
Looks great out there