2010 05-30 SB Channel

Northern Right Whale Dolphins (Lissodelphis borealis), Pacific Whitesided Dolphins (Lagenorhyncus obliquidens), and Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) galore! A most memorable adventure on a sunny day with glassy seas. Wow! First we got seriously "mugged" by two groups of 3 Humpbacks, with a 4th beast joining in the fun on the 2nd encounter. No whaler was left uncoated with fragrant spout spray, and ears filled with the trumpet calls from these magnificent monsters. Then we moved south towards the "mother lode" of Humpbacks....yes, that's right, we had not even been in the thick of things yet. While observing at least 50 beasts all around, as far as the eye could see, Capt Dave Beezer spotted some activity about a mile northwest of our location. It was a mixed group of several Rissos Dolphins (Grampus griseus...not photographed here) along with several hundred very friendly Pacific Whitesided Dolphins, and mixed in with the group of 3 different Odonotocetes, the rarest of all....many friendly Northern Right Whale Dolphins. Suffice it to say that the memory cards and memory centers of the brain were both filled to capacity by the time we said goodbye and headed for the "island portion of the trip." This was one of THOSE kinds of days...great to be alive and breathing the fresh air of the Santa Barbara Channel.

Humpback spy hop/chin slap.
Megaptera novaeangliae spy hop water coming mouth 2010 Channel 048
Pacific White-sided Dolphin blowing bubbles.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens bubble spout 2010 Channel 033
Lots of Pacific White-sided Dolphins riding the bow with whalers armed with cameras and cell phones watching closely.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens passengers 2010 Channel 036
Pacific White-sided Dolphin.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens slashing 2010 Channel 034
Pacific White-sided Dolphin.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens slashing 2010 Channel 028
Pacific White-sided Dolphin underwater.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens 2010 Channel 018
Four Pacific White-sided Dolphins underwater.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens 2010 Channel 024
Three Pacific White-sided Dolphins.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens 2010 Channel 017
Five Pacific White-sided Dolphins.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens 2010 Channel 025
Pacific White-sided Dolphins coming towards the whalers.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens coming passengers 2010 Channel 002
Pacific White-sided Dolphins with ripples underwater.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens ABSTRACT 2010 Channel 014
Two Pacific White-sided Dolphins zooming.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens slash 2010 Channel 038
A small armada of Pacific White-sided Dolphins coming in to take a look at the whalers.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens coming passengers 2010 Channel 044
Northern Right Whale Dolphins passing close by the whalers.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin passengers 2010 Channel 044
One Northern Right Whale Dolphin comes in for a closer look.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin passengers 2010 Channel 002
The sleek outline of a Northern Right Whale Dolphin as it lets go a bubble stream. This is the close cropped version of the next image.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin bubbling CLOSE CROP 2010 Channel 013
This is the close cropped version of the previous image.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin bubbling WIDE CROP 2010 Channel 013
More Pacific White-sided Dolphins.
Lagenorhyncus obliquidens 2010 Channel 015
Northern Right Whale Dolphin bubble stream.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin bubbling 2010 Channel 034
Two Northern Right Whale Dolphins make a close approach.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin passengers 2010 Channel 036
Here we see the sleek outline of a Northern Right Whale Dolphin and its complete lack of a dorsal fin.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin slash 2010 Channel 041
Northern Right Whale Dolphin with ocean surface ripples playing tricks with the image.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin reflection 2010 Channel 018
Two diving Northern Right Whale Dolphins.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin diving 2010 Channel 042
Northern Right Whale Dolphin underwater.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin 2010 Channel 006
Two Northern Right Whale Dolphins make a splash.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin slashing 2010 Channel 040
Three Northern Right Whale Dolphins at various stages of breathing.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin bubblin slashin 2010 Channel 029
Two Northern Right Whale Dolphins.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin 2010 Channel 024
Three Northern Right Whale Dolphins underwater.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin BEST 2010 Channel 027
Three Northern Right Whale Dolphins.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin slashing 2010 Channel 030
One Northern Right Whale Dolphin takes a dive.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin diving 2010 Channel 036
A lone Northern Right Whale Dolphin leaves a bubble trail.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin bubbling CLOSE 2010 Channel 046
It is remarkable how much a leaping Northern Right Whale Dolphin resembles a porpoising sea lion. This is a NRW Dolphin.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin LEAP 2010 Channel 001
A Northern Right Whale Dolphin Heading down.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin diving 2010 Channel 054
Northern Right Whale Dolphin torpedo - 1.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin torpedo 2010 Channel 008
Northern Right Whale Dolphin torpedo - 2.
Lissodelphis borealis Northern Right Whale Dolphin torpedo 2010 Channel 007
A very friendly Humpback Whale provides a worthy subject for the whalers with cameras.
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2010 Channel 016
Humpback Whale with rainbow spout spray.
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers rainbow spray 2010 Channel 056
Close look at the head and spout of a Humpback Whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae spout CLOSE 2010 Channel 085
Here we see the whole body of the beast as it sends spout spray all over the whalers on the Condor Express.
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2010 Channel 177
Two Humpback Whales very close.
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2010 Channel 206
Three Humpback Whales underwater, can you see them all?
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body 2010 Channel 280
Three more Humpback Whales.
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2010 Channel 016
Close look at the "hump," or dorsal fin of a Humpback Whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae dorsal fin CLOSE 2010 Channel 018
A Humpback Whale stands on its head...not really...it's just making a deeper dive.
Megaptera novaeangliae dive tail fluke 2010 Channel 291
Extreme close up view of the head and spout of a Humpback Whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae head spout CLOSE 2010 Channel 059
Head portrait - Humpback Whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae head blowholes CLOSE 2010 Channel 061
Twin spouts on a glassy, blue ocean - Humpback Whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae head spout CLOSE 2010 Channel 112
Head and spray.
Megaptera novaeangliae head spout 2010 Channel 011

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2010 05-30 SB Channel