2014 03-22 SB Channel
Most of the gray whales today were juveniles and pretty much went about their business of slowly migrating back to their Alaskan feeding grounds. However, on the 3pm trip one of a group of 3 gray whales breached four times near the boat and amazed everyone on board. Earlier, on the 9am and again at 12 noon, there was some surface lunge feeding on anchovies by the same two humpback whales. Anchovy schools were again very numerous and were being attacked by scattered marauding pods of common dolphins and herds of young, brash California sea lions. In fact, the same gang of sea lions stayed on a huge anchovy school and were watched alongside the humpback whales on both 9 and noon adventures. The lions were bold and scattered just at the last minute when the big knobby headed beasts broke the surface for air. More humpback spouts were seen off in the distance to the southwest.
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A humgry Heermann's gull searches for leftover anchovies in the aftermath of a surface lunge by a humpback whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 03-22 SB Channel-d-070
A humpback whale slams its mighty head against the ocean.
We are looking from the tail towards the head. The closed twin blow holes and their splashguard are visible as are the tubercles (knobs) on the rostrum.
Gray whales can be individually identified by the coloration patterns along their flanks.
Eschrichtius robustus 2014 03-22 SB Channel-022
Gray whale spouting.
Eschrichtius robustus 2014 03-22 SB Channel-052
Two spouting humpback whales.
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 03-22 SB Channel-b-001
Gulls circle overhead as a humpback whale rolls over after lunge feeding on a school of northern anchovies. The tip of the pectoral flipper of the humpback can be seen out of the water.
Megaptera novaeangliae pectoral fin & Larus 2014 03-22 SB Channel-e-040
