2010 07-28 SB Channel

Jellies and Whales! First section: Afternoon trip Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) abound.
Second section: Morning trip to Naples Reef and back Jellies, salps and other drifing surface objects.
A bright and sunny day, calm in the am, windy in the pm...but no swell to make it rough.

Two divers: Blue Whale and California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus).
Balaenoptera musculus Zalophus californianus 2010 Channel 029
The right side of a Blue Whale.
Balaenoptera musculus right side 2010 Channel 013
Blue Whale spouting with San Miguel Island in back.
Balaenoptera musculus spout San Miguel Island 2010 Channel 195
Big spout of a Blue Whale.
Balaenoptera musculus spout 2010 Channel 016
Tail flukes of a Blue Whale.
Balaenoptera musculus tail 2010 Channel 014
Blue Whale tail flukes waterfall.
Balaenoptera musculus tail fluke 2010 Channel 002
Blue Whale tail flukes waterfall with Santa Rosa Island in back.
Balaenoptera musculus tail fluke 2010 Channel 001
Bright sunlight on Blue Whale tail flukes waterfall.
Balaenoptera musculus tail fluke waterfall 2010 Channel 001
Blue Whale tail flukes waterfall.
Balaenoptera musculus tail fluke waterfall 2010 Channel 002
Two Blue Whales racing across the north side of San Miguel Island.
Balaenoptera musculus TWO Sta Rosa Island 2010 Channel 002
Blue Whale rostrum and spashguard around the twin blowholes, seen underwater.
Balaenoptera musculus rostrum splashguard 2010 Channel 015
Blue Whale rostrum and spashguard around the twin blowholes, seen underwater.
Balaenoptera musculus rostrum splashguard 2010 Channel 021
Blue Whale rostrum and spashguard around the twin blowholes, seen underwater.
Balaenoptera musculus rostrum splashguard 2010 Channel 031
Castle Rock, San Miguel Island, in the background and twin Blue Whale spouts in the foreground.
Castle Rock whale spouts 2010 San Miguel Island 007
The usual suspects.
Condor Express crew Mat Dave Jacques CLOSE 2010 Channel 010
John Calambokidis.
John Calambokidis inflatible vessel Sta Rosa Island 2010 Channel 004
A tail, a dorsal hump and a spout: three views of Humpback Whales at the same time.
Megaptera novaeangliae distant tail fluke 2010 Channel 168
John Calambokidis, Humpback Whale and Santa Rosa Island.
John Calambokidis inflatible vessel Megaptera novaeangliae Sta Rosa Island 2010 Channel 012
A mother Humpback brings her calf over to have a look at the whalers on board the Condor Express.
Megaptera novaeangliae cow calf passengers 2010 Channel 008
Whale ho! Ho ho ho! A Humpback passes beneath the whalers.
Megaptera novaeangliae EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 037
Right pectoral fin of a Humpback.
Megaptera novaeangliae EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 002
Whalers get blasted by a friendly Humpback.
Megaptera novaeangliae EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 011
Juvenile Humpback spouts for the whalers.
Megaptera novaeangliae EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 020
A Humpback slaps its tail around with San Miguel Island in the background.
Megaptera novaeangliae lob tail San Miguel Island WIDE 2010 Channel 001
A juvenile Humpback lunge-feeds on krill very close to the Condor Express whalers.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge feed EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 002
Baleen a-plenty can be seen in this upside down, lunge-feeding Humpback.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge feeding baleen 2010 Channel 012
Another very friendly approach by a mighty Humpback Whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge feed EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 012
A Humpback Whale spout.
Megaptera novaeangliae spout CLOSE 2010 Channel 002
A Humpback Whale kicks up its tail flukes for a deep dive, as a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) looks on.
Megaptera novaeangliae tail fluke Zalophus californianus 2010 Channel 003
An extreme view of Humpback tail flukes.
Megaptera novaeangliae tail fluke EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 069
The whole body of this Humback Whale can be seen under the green-blue water.
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body EXTREME CLOSE passengers 2010 Channel 006
A Humpback arches and prepares to dive...a lone camera lens appears along the bottom edge.
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body EXTREME CLOSE 2010 Channel 051
Two Bottlenosed Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) of the "offshore" variety.
Tursiops truncatus OFFSHORES 2010 Channel 073
Whalers watch a mother and her calf, offshore Bottlenosed Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).
Tursiops truncatus OFFSHORES passengers 2010 Channel 001
Offshore Bottlenosed Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).
Tursiops truncatus OFFSHORES 2010 Channel 074
Drifting, detached, Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) featuring the apical fronds. Small patches of bryozoans and hydroids can be seen living on the fronds.
Macrocystis pyrifera detached floating 2010 Channel 001
A single detached, drifting, frond of Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) loaded up with hydroids and bryozoans.
Macrocystis pyrifera Bryozoans Hydroids detached floating 2010 Channel 027
Drifting, detached, Giant Kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) featuring the bryozoans (Membranipora membranacea) living on the fronds.
Macrocystis pyrifera Membranipora detached floating 2010 Channel 006
A chain of salps (Pegea confoederata).
Pegea confoederata chain SALPIDAE 2010 Channel 007
A single salp (Pegea confoederata).
Pegea confoederate SALPIDAE 2010 Channel 004
The so-called Egg Yolk, or "Fried Egg" jelly (Phacellophora camtschatica).
Phacellophora camtschatica 2010 Channel 006
Side view of a Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita).
Aurelia aurita 2010 Channel 002
Another look at the Moon Jelly (Aurelia aurita).
Aurelia aurita 2010 Channel 007
Two West Coast Sea Nettles (Chrysaora fuscescens) drifing on the surface.
Chrysaora fuscescens west coast sea nettle jelly 2010 Channel 023
A West Coast Sea Nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens)
Chrysaora fuscescens west coast sea nettle jelly 2010 Channel 040
A close look at the umbrella of a West Coast Sea Nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens).
Chrysaora fuscescens west coast sea nettle jelly 2010 Channel 054
A cluster of West Coast Sea Nettles (Chrysaora fuscescens) on a glassy surface.
Chrysaora fuscescens west coast sea nettle jelly 2010 Channel 058
West Coast Sea Nettle (Chrysaora fuscescens) with methane gas bubbles all around from a natural gas seep.
Chrysaora fuscescens west coast sea nettle jelly 2010 Channel 076

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2010 07-28 SB Channel