2012 06-28 SB Channel

Long-beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus capensis) love to leap!

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Giant Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) don't fluke up very often. We've seen this individual for the past few weeks and it's identifyable characteristic is this "right handed" deep dive.

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Giant Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) don't fluke up very often. It's hard to imagine that the world's largest beast is under the water here.

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A very very close look at the rostrum (head) of a Giant Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) swimming just beneath the surface.

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For comparison purposes, here's a shot of the flanks and dorsal fin of a giant Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The next image is a Humpback Whale.

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For comparison purposes, here's a shot of the flanks and dorsal fin of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The previous image was a Blue Whale.

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Long-beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus capensis) love to leap!

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A giant Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) sends up a column of smoke.

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Another look at a giant Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) spouting.

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A giant Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) in the distance, with Santa Cruz Island in back.

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An extreme close up shot of a giant Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) spouting.

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Long-beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus capensis) love to leap!

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Long-beaked Common Dolphins (Delphinus capensis) love to leap!

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A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) raises its pectoral fin in the air, then slaps the water.

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Here comes the knobby-headed beast! A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) heads directly at the camera.

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A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) tail fluke waterfall.

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Another "pec slap," where a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) slaps its huge pectoral fin on the water.

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A curious California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) takes a look at the Condor Express.

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Pacific Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) sleep on a rocky islet off Santa Cruz Island.

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A young Heermann's Gull (Larus heermanni) circles the Condor Express.

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Coastal erosion - a sink hole along the coast of Santa Cruz Island.

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An arch rock formation on the coast of Santa Cruz Island.

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