Image: California sea lions and common dolphins feeding together on a bait ball in the Santa Barbara Channel.
2024 05-22 SB Channel
A relatively high and dense stratus layer kept things gray again today. The sea surface was fairly calm. Sightings for the trip included: 2 humpback whales, 1000 common dolphins, 50 California sea lions, and 1 Minke whale. Captain Dave and the crew headed south east today and ended up on the east end of Santa Cruz Island.
There was a lot of activity one and a half miles off the beach, created by a small group of dolphins and a larger group of sea lions. (See today’s image for an example). They were feeding on a surface bait ball alongside loads of predatory seabirds such as brown pelicans. A small birdnado called our attention to the spot.
After a brief visit and quick tour of Platform C, our next stop would be in the Separation Zone of The Lanes, adjacent to the east end of Santa Cruz Island. At this location we watched two separate adult feeding up back Whales, had three great service intervals with a large minke whale, and saw two large pods of dolphins nearby.
Captain Dave and the crew rounded out the trip with a tour of beautiful Potato Harbor on Santa Cruz Island.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express and