Hi folks,
12 + Bottle Nose Dolphin
12 + Risso’s Dolphin
5 Gray Whales.
Running out of high end words, as another spectacular show by our local Cetacea.
A very nice ride across the mellow waters of the Santa Barbara Channel to Santa
Cruz Island produced a couple of nice viewings of a few Risso’s Dolphin, well
spread out.
Then the Bottlenose Dolphins showed up kinda inter mixed with the Risso’s.
Shortly we spotted two Gray Whales cruising south. This was much to the guest’s
delight as it was our first siting of an honest to goodness whale following the
long run across the Channel with no siting of anything, even birds. No Common
Dolphins, our usual welcoming greeters to the channel, showed up all day.
With four to five minutes down times and four or five breaths then down again,
it was steady as she goes on their way to Baja.
Breaking off we headed on to the SCI/SRI gap seeking more Grays.
THERE!! … rounding Santa Cruz Island into the gap, we sited a couple of blows
toward the middle of the gap. On approach, it turned out to be three VERY
active Grays in heavy “socializing.” The usual party was two males and on
female.
Now often in this case, on approach the whales would tend to break off and
resume the mission run to Baja.
Not these three, they we heavy into it before we arrived and continued to carry
on for a good forty to forty five minutes.
What a show, if you can call it that, as the whales were just gong about their
own “socializing” well aware we were nearby, by otherwise completely oblivious
of our presence as they just carried on and on and on with their “socializing.”
Rolling, pectoral fins waving in the air again and again, tail slaps, roster
rising up but not quite a “spy hop,” half flukes sliding through the water like
a shark fin, constant thrashing and blows (breath kind) going side ways, and
briefly, more tails rising and falling, …. all this was constant for, as
mentioned, better than forty five minutes.
Intermixed in this were three or four Bottlenose Dolphin swimming in and around
the very dynamic “socializing” Grays during the whole thing. “Front row
viewing" to be sure.
Finally one of the males decided to break off and drift away, as the “winning
Male” and the female swam on tightly together, … maybe they were headed to
Baja, … not sure if they cared at that the moment.
The Guest from LONDON, BELGIUM, SINGAPORE, CONNECTICUT, PHILADELPHIA, NUPOMO,
among others, needless to say, were in awe and delight.
With time running out, actually a bit over time, we needed to turn for port, …
the folks still looking in the direction of the fantastic event of nature they
had just witnessed.
The very happy Debbie Shelley was my partner for the day. Always a fun trip
with her on board.
Thanks to Captain Devon, Crewman Adam, and Samantha in the galley, the folks
had a great Whale Watch, one that they will long remember.
Catchya on or near the water soon,
Ken Tatro 🐋 🐬
Gentle winds, mellow seas, and always,
… a fresh breath of salty air, … to each of ya.
