Image: a leaping California sea lion
2024 07-14 SB Channel
Captain Eddy reported an overcast sky with flat calm seas. Water clarity continues to be good. Sightings for the day included: 2000 common dolphins, 1 Minke whale, 5 humpback whales, 50 California sea lions and one (presumed) great white shark.
We slowed down to watch a small pod of common dolphins feeding just past the green Harbor entrance buoy. From there we ran over to the oil rigs. The rigs produced another small pod of dolphins, a Minke whale, and a fairly friendly juvenile humpback whale.
East of the rigs we found an another, much more active, humpback whale. It breached four times, and also did four chin slaps. Great to see!
Eddie and the crew ran along the coast up towards Hope Ranch. Here we found a megapod of dolphins. During our dolphin watching a single humpback whale came up under the boat and was very friendly two times in a row. Soon two more humpback whales came into the area. They were actively feeding, including some wonderful surface lunge feeding events.
At this point, we were seeing a leaping a California sea lion (See today’s photograph for an example). It soon became evident that the sea lion was fleeing a predatory 8 foot shark. A few people on board thought it might’ve been a great white. It was definitely a Nat Geo moment.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and
So lucky! Where can we see Shark vendors? Can’t find it from Facebook, really want to keep it, thanks!
Amazing day with lots of happy passengers!