Two trips hit the jackpot in the middle of The Channel.
- Bob Perry
- Apr 22
- 2 min read
2025 04-22 SB Channel
Skies were overcast and seas were calm all day. Captain Eddy and the crew ran 2 trips, a 9 AM and a 12 noon excursion. Both trips ran directly offshore and out towards The Lanes. Sightings for the day included: 13 Humpback whales, 2 Gray whales, 1 Minke whale, and 10 Dall’s porpoise.
Two miles south of the Harbor on the morning trip we ran into the same Minke whale that we saw yesterday. It’s been working the same area for the last several days and we are lucky that is on our route. We watched three surface intervals then went on our way. South of Habitat we found a humpback whale hotspot with at least eight beasts in the area. Among them there were two pairs and we stuck with one of those because they got friendly with the boat. These were adults with long surface intervals. In addition to making close approaches, they also did some sideways lunges and issued some trumpet vocalizations.
The noon trip got kicked off when Captain Eddy stopped at platform Charlie to describe this offshore oil and gas platform along with its history and ecological importance. We had just barely left the rigs when we encountered a pair of northbound migrating adult gray whales. They got friendly a couple of times and even swam under the bow causing their spout spray to enrich the various hairstyles their fans were wearing at the time.
Out near The Lanes the humpback hotspot had moved southwest about 1 mile. There were now at least 5 adults in the area. We stuck with 1 active member of the group, during which time it did a series of tail slaps, breached four times (close to the boat), and then spent nearly a half an hour swimming upside down and rolling around while slapping its long pectoral flippers. This was a wonderful sighting for sure.
On the way home we were just 2 miles from the harbor when a pot of high speed Dall’s porpoise located the Condor Express. They made a couple of quick visits and even rode our bow.
You never know what Mother Nature has in store.
Bob Perry
