To the count:
1 humpback whale 2 northbound gray whales~1000 common dolphins in
multiple groups
Captain Josh headed due west to gain a respite from the unusual NE winds.
Within a mile of shore off Ventura harbor, we encountered two gray whales.
They seemed uninterested in us, staying down for seven to ten minutes between
breaths. As we continued west, we were greeted by several small pods of common
dolphins. And then, we came upon a massive feeding frenzy. A humpback was
lunge feeding and there were dolphins and sea lions galore gorging themselves.
The bait fish ball tried to "hide" under the boat leading to a cacophony of
activity all around us. Scores of pelicans were dive bombing for fish within
ten feet of the boat! It was amazing!
Another serendipity on the outing was the hundreds of migrating painted lady
butterflies that followed us west/northwards for the majority of the trip.
Folks from Germany, China, Costa Rica, Pennsylvania, Michigan ... and of
course, many locals enjoyed the trip.
Captain Josh, spotter Ryan and chef Paul did their usual fine job.
Best regards,Michael Fontaine
