Image: A vertical, surface, lunge-feeding behavior by a humpback whale in the Santa Barbara Channel.
2024 07-07 SB Channel
Captain Danny and the crew found nearly ideal and splendid conditions in The Channel today except for the sky being a bit gray. Luckily, there was no zero visibility fog like yesterday. Sightings: 5000 common dolphins, 6 humpback whales, 1 giant blue whale, 1 Minke whale, and 11 ocean sunfish (Mola mola).
West of the Kelp Farm our first sighting was a small ocean sunfish (Mola mola). Close by, a very small pod of dolphins came over to greet us and ride our bow, side and stern waves. We continued south towards the western end of beautiful Santa Cruz Island.
North of The Lanes we were again discovered by dolphins. This time it was a megapod, and the dolphins were tightly packed. Good looks were had by all. A few miles further along we had a single surface interval/sighting of 1 giant blue whale. After the beast sounded, we never found it again.
We turned to head home and soon we were amidst 3000 or so dolphins that took up at least ½ mile of ocean. They were feeding on bait fish just below the surface of the water. As we drifted along with the dolphins, we saw multiple spouts which belonged to humpback whales. They, too, were feeding on the fish. Although most of the feeding was subsurface, we did witness one episode of surface lunging. (See today’s photo for an example).
As we motored home we went through another megapod and watched a Minke whale as it completed two breathing cycles.
The trip was finished off with a wonderful look at two groups of Ocean sunfish (Mola mola), that were very tiny, “dinner plate” size.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and