2017 08-16 SB Channel
Captain Dave and the crew of the Condor Express had a great day full of amazing sightings in the Santa Barbara Channel. Totals for the day included: 4 Minke whales, 250 offshore bottlenose dolphins, 9 humpback whales, and 1,300 long-beaked common dolphins. Skies started with a light, high stratus layer and soon turned clear, sunny and warm.
Dave set a course for the west end of Santa Cruz Island. The first stop along the course was only 5 mile south of the harbor and included 3 humpbacks, 2 Minkes and several large pods of dolphins. Dave pressed onward to the south.
Near The Lanes a couple more humpbacks and Minkes were observed. More groups of dolphins, hundreds of individuals strong, located the boat and continued their pursuit of food. The whales followed the dolphins.
Closer to the western end of Santa Cruz we encountered a very large, spread-out herd of offshore bottlenose dolphins. These large animals were highly animated and there were lots of calves in the pod.
At this point Dave did his tour of the northern sea cliffs of the Island and also brought the Condor Express into the antechamber of the world-famous Painted Cave. While at Santa Cruz Island, Dave summarized its history, geology, paleontology and recent conservation efforts.
As we headed home and crossed The Lanes, 4 additional humpbacks were watched…amidst hundreds more dolphins. The dolphin groups continued to find the boat all the way home. . Wow!
You never know what Mother Nature has in store. Bob Perry Condor Express