Image: A gray whale takes a look at the Condor Express.
2024 04-18 SB Coast
Luckily the dense zero visibility fog that prevented all whale watching yesterday lifted to a high stratus layer this morning. It broke into sunny skies during the noon trip. We ran two trips, 9 AM and 12 noon. In addition to better visibility, seas were absolutely glass flat with no wind at all. Total sightings for the day included: 1000 Long-beaked common dolphins, 300 California sea lions, 1 humpback whale and 1 gray whale.
In the morning, there were lots of small birdnados from the harbor all the way up to Goleta Bay. Mixed in with the birds, we saw several hundred common dolphins spread out, and about 150 sea lions. When we were off Hope Ranch, we found a single adult humpback whale. It was feeding a sub-surface and maintained a regular pace and dive cycle. Good looks were had by all. On the way home, we found another stretch of common dolphins.
The 12 noon excursion followed the same starting pattern as the morning trip with birdnados, dolphins, and sea lions along the coast. This trip got off to a faster start with the sighting of a single adult gray whale near the red harbor entrance buoy. We followed along behind it for quite a while. During the outside loop that we take to get home there were several more densely compacted dolphin pods that amount to six or 700 additional animals.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
Condor Express, and