2010 08-11 Far West SB Channel

Hordes of Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were feeding today, 42 miles from the Harbor, at the far west end of the Santa Barbara Channel. What a thrill to see these beasts all congregated together feasting on krill. On the way we saw Common Dolphins (Delphinus capensis) attacking schools of Northern Anchovies (Engraulis mordax), and also saw Risso's Dolphins (Grampus griseus). Wow! Be sure to click the "Map This" button above this message (right side) to see where we went.

Close up look a the head and spout of a giant Blue Whale.
Balaenoptera musculus spout 2010 Channel 013
A Common Dolphin leaps across the glassy morning ocean surface.
Delphinus capensis leaping 2010 Channel 032
Four Common Dolphins. Can you see where they are?
abstraction Delphinus capensis four 2010 Channel 042
A tall spout from a Blue Whale. San Miguel Island is in the back.
Balaenoptera musculus San Miguel Island 2010 Channel 015
Blue Whales everywhere!
Balaenoptera musculus fluke spout 2010 Channel 032
Blue Whale spout, close up.
Balaenoptera musculus 2010 Channel 009
A Blue Whale slides beneath the surface.
Balaenoptera musculus 2010 Channel 028
Looking down the double barrel exhaust pipes of a Blue Whale.
Balaenoptera musculus spout 2010 Channel 007
Common Dolphins feeding sends panic stricken Northern Anchovies (Engraulis mordax) leaping for their lives.
Delphinus capensis Engraulis mordax feeding 2010 Channel 050
More panic stricken Northern Anchovies (Engraulis mordax) leaping for their lives as Common Dolphins hunt them upside down.
Delphinus capensis Engraulis mordax feeding 2010 Channel 055
Common Dolphins hunt Northern Anchovies (Engraulis mordax) upside down.
Delphinus capensis Engraulis mordax feeding 2010 Channel 058
Common Dolphins hunt Northern Anchovies (Engraulis mordax) upside down.
Delphinus capensis Engraulis mordax feeding 2010 Channel 059
Common Dolphins pay a visit to the whalers on board the Condor Express.
Delphinus capensis passengers 2010 Channel 010
In the distance, a Common Dolphin takes a leap.
Delphinus capensis 2010 Channel 002
A Common Dolphin surfs a small wave.
Delphinus capensis 2010 Channel 027
A small Ocean Sunfish (Mola mola) under the water.
Delphinus capensis 2010 Channel 034
Common Dolphin leap.
Delphinus capensis leap 2010 Channel 025
Common Dolphin leaping.
Delphinus capensis leap 2010 Channel 045
Another leaping Common Dolphin.
Delphinus capensis leap 2010 Channel 020
Whalers on the Condor Express shoot a leaping Common Dolphin.
Delphinus capensis leaping passengers 2010 Channel 029
Three Common Dolphin...can you see them?
Delphinus capensis three 2010 Channel 025
Two Common Dolphins.
Delphinus capensis two 2010 Channel 007
Lots of Common Dolphins including one that is grabbing a fish hunting upside down.
Delphinus capensis upside feeding passengers 2010 Channel 017
A Risso's Dolphin gets shot by the whalers.
Grampus griseus passengers 2010 Channel 002
Risso's Dolphin.
Grampus griseus 2010 Channel 001
A Risso's Dolphin spouts.
Grampus griseus 2010 Channel 023
A Risso's Dolphin acts like a torpedo.
Grampus griseus 2010 Channel 031
Image 1 of 2: a Risso's Dolphin with curved dorsal fin.
Grampus griseus curved dorsal fin 2010 Channel 034
Image 1 of 2: a Risso's Dolphin with curved dorsal fin.
Grampus griseus curved dorsal fin 2010 Channel 035
A high speed Risso's Dolphin.
Grampus griseus speeding 2010 Channel 039
Two Risso's Dolphins.
Grampus griseus two 2010 Channel 007
Two more Risso's Dolphins.
Grampus griseus two 2010 Channel 044
A Humpback Whale scares up a flock of small pelagic birds, Red-Necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus).
Megaptera novaeangliae Phalaropus lobatus 2010 Channel 134
Twin Humpback Whale spouts close to the whalers.
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2010 Channel 005
Three Humpback Whales coming towards the whalers.
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2010 Channel 042
A surface lunge-feeding Humpback Whale. This is a view of the belly side, under the head, with the ventral groove blubber fully expanded.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge feeding Phalaropus lobatus 2010 Channel 002
One Humpback Whale spy hops, as two more spout.
Megaptera novaeangliae spyhop 2010 Channel 005
Whalers get a great view of a Humpback Whale tail fluke.
Megaptera novaeangliae tail fluke passengers 2010 Channel 034
Two Humpback Whales.
Megaptera novaeangliae tail fluke dorsal fin 2010 Channel 012
A Humpback Whale tail, under side (ventral side).
Megaptera novaeangliae tail fluke ventral 2010 Channel 045
Okay, so I was photographing this nice Humpback Whale tail fluke waterfall, and I did not know another Humpback Whale was breaching in the background...kaboom!
Megaptera novaeangliae tail fluke waterfall breach splash 2010 Channel 076
Humpback Whale tail fluke.
Megaptera novaeangliae tail flukes 2010 Channel 004
A Humpback Whale with an unusual curved and pointed dorsal fin.
Megaptera novaeangliae unusual dorsal fin 2010 Channel 033
Two Humpback Whale tail flukes, side by side.
Megaptera novaeangliae two tail flukes 2010 Channel 022
Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) fly near the whalers.
Pelecanus occidentalis passengers 2010 Channel 001
An agile California Sea Lions leaps out of the waves.
Zalophus californianus leaping 2010 Channel 020

© Robert Perry

Mr.Zalophus@gmail.com Please click on the sea lion head logo above to go to my MarineBioPhotography website.

2010 08-11 Far West SB Channel