I was at Scorpion on Wednesday. The visitors who went to Prisoners were
treated to the same show as the Condor, but we also ran into the pod on the way
back to Ventura. We followed them for quite a while and didn't see the
theatrics, but it was wonderful anyway. Also, on the way out we saw the
biggest pod of common dolphins I've ever seen. As far as the eye could see,
and very energetic too. Quite a day on the beautiful glassy luminous channel.
Happy holidays to everyone, enjoy the rain.
Judy
________________________________
From: cinc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <cinc-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> on behalf of Jami
LoVullo <legalredfox@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, December 24, 2021 1:58 AM
To: cinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <cinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [cinc] Re: WW CX Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Green with envy! What a great day! I will say the last few weeks of December
often are ripe for Orcas!
Jami LoVullo
Animal Protection Agency
818-667-0495
On Thu, Dec 23, 2021 at 5:52 PM Kenneth A. Tatro
<kensword@xxxxxxx<mailto:kensword@xxxxxxx>> wrote:
ORCA!!!, … that is all we had on this trip, … oh, and three Sea Lions to chase.
Not quite a glassy sea, an over cast sky, with little to no wind, … it was a
very smooth ride all day long.
Austin MacRea and I gave our usual intro presentation covering all that we
might see, to a very interested set of guests with good questions.
Out of the harbor, it became a good while along and still no sightings. Folks
began to question where we might find some, not so subtle hinting “Where are
the Whales??”
Shortly thereafter, and getting right next to Santa Cruz Island, a sighting, …
maybe Orca, … one, … no two, … on approach we soon discovered we had a pod of
Orca, One big male, four females and a calf. … BIGGS or Transient Orca here on
the hunt.
HUNT!! Well yes, they were after a lone Sea Lion, who, naturally, was terrified
and moving very fast, frequently grabbing a breath in and instant and outta
here in a moment in an effort to get away from the Orca.
Captan Devon, for warned the guests it might get a good bit “GRAPHIC.” as Orca
are known, once caught, to play with their prey by tossing it back and forth
between one another. But tis time it turned out to be just a game of “chase the
sea lion.” The Sea Lion was not injured.
But then the Show began, totally written, produced, choreographed, presented
and acted out by the pod. that’s right, an ORCA pod in the wild, putting on
this outstanding show, … LIVE!!!!
We had a good hour and half show of all the antics usually attributed to
Humpbacks and then some.
“Tail Slaps,” done by several often more than once across the afternoon, … one
carried on for an easy bakers doze slaps or more at one session.
"Spy Hops,” three of them rose up and gave us “THE LOOK!”
“Tail Stand,” or “Candle Stand,” (Austin and I did not know what to call it so
we made these up)… one gave us a display of part of its body and all of it tail
straight up in the air, totally still at attention for a good long time.
“The line up,” this display is where five of them including the Mom and her
Calf, fall into side by side formation facing the boat, totally still and again
at attention for a goodly long time, just looking at us. We thought maybe we
should charge them $5 each for “people watching.” They did this on three
occasions. They would just surface, fall into this formation and look at us.
“Cruising the Condor,” on their side the length and right next to it, just
under water, where we all could easily see their outline and makings. Many did
this on several occasions.
Doing the same with half their body out of the water.
“Charging the Condor” as if to T-bone it, then suddenly diving under, yet not
coming up on the other side.
“Back stroking”… ever see an orca back stroke with its pectoral fins one after
the other the length of the pool and then do a U-turn and continue on without
missing a beat? We got the show here.
Vocally “clicking” high and low notes, long and short series, often through out
the show.
“Dolphin Breaching,” coming out of the water in a high arch and diving back in.
“Humpback Breaching” coming straight up out of the water and falling back in.
Several partial and one right next to the boat, a full out of the water tail
and all breach.
Then as this started to quiet down, back to the game of chase the Sea Lions
this time it was two of them. Again, no harm, now foul.
Off in the distance we saw two more Orca, … we turned to take them in and it
turned out to be a whole ‘nether pod. Related, as per Captain Devon, the Alpha
female of the new pod was the daughter of the Alpha female of the first “show
boat pod." They were coming together, … for the holidays. Time to see family
again.
They started to interact with some breaching, but we were already over time and
needed to head for home port.
Thanks to Captain Devon and Crewman Adam for locating and narrating the show,
and to Kelley in the Galley, who did not do much cooking as there were not many
orders, the folks we all at the rails taking in this oh so fantastic show.
As we were preparing to leave, Island Packers Explore drifted in, and Captain
Devon asked the guest to give a big thank you to the Explorer as they had given
us the tip that Orca were in the area. Boat companies of the Santa Barbara
Channel do this often, and the guest gave out a great in unison THANK YOU! The
Skipper and crew of the Explore acknowledging it with a nice wave.
As mentioned, the ever knowledgable and smiling Austin MacRea was running with
me today. Always a fun trip with Austin.
Catchya on the water soon,
Ken Tatro 🐋 🐬
Gentle winds, mellow seas, and always,
… a fresh breath of salty air, … to each of ya.
