2013 07-01 SB Channel
Before too long, the keen eyes of second captain and deck man, Eric, thought he had a humpback whale spout about two miles west of the boat. Sure enough, when we got to the location it was a single adult humpback whale. Within a few breathing cycles the humpback found the large drifting paddy of giant kelp that I was shooting (because it had a very vocal sea lion relaxing in its midst). The whale proceeded to roll around, flap its flippers, kick up its flukes and scare the daylights out of the little sea lions. Whale watchers call this behavior "kelping." The show continued for almost a half hour....and it was all right smack dab next to the Condor Express.
After a while the humpback whale had totally destroyed the kelp paddy and lost interest in the vegetation. It got back on its easterly migration path and looked for all the world like a whale on a mission. So Captain Dave then took us all to the western end of beautiful Santa Cruz Island and the world famous Painted Cave. However, en route to the island we encountered two large ocean sunfish (or Mola mola, to use their scientific name). One was an absolute beast and we all got great looks as it stayed about 10 feet off our port beam, on the surface, enjoying the bright sunshine.
Be sure to click on "Map This" to find the locations of these photos.
Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaeplayskelpMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel550
Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel003
Sideways head shot - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel006
Flying the flags - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel016
Flying the flags - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel017
Pectoral and tail fins, whale on its right side - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel022
Pectoral and tail fins - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel025
Whale upside down, head view - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel056
Tail fluke - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel073
Dorsal fin - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel082
Thrashing the salad - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel076
Whale on right side, head first - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel096
Whale's rostrum and chin - leaning on left side - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel119
Head - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel159
Head and blowholes - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel168
Rolling around - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel192
Dorsal surface - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel226
Pectoral flipper - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel245
Pectoral flipper - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel252
Crown of kelp - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel349
Ring of kelp - Kelping behavior - a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) plays around in a large drifting, detached paddy of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera).
MegapteranovaeangliaekelppaddyMacrocystispyrifera2013Channel363