2014 04-06 SB Channel
Two trips out of Santa Barbara Harbor today, one at 9am and another at 12 noon. Sea conditions were great in the morning and only got better in the afternoon. It was hot and sunny. If I had to find a "negative," it would be that the Spring phytoplankton bloom is upon us and the underwater visibility has diminished quite a bit from last week. 'Tis Spring! Although we did get a fleeting glimpse at 2 northbound gray whales on the 12noon trip, about a mile or so offshore, they eluded our attempts to follow them. Bear in mind that it was a hot, summer-like day and all manner of watercraft were near the Harbor ranging from a huge cruise ship on down past the sailboats and yachts and tiny laser sails to personal jet ski's. Perhaps this may explain the shyness of the two grays. But there were plenty of nice, friendly humpback whales around to keep us happy. On the way out of the Harbor this morning we followed about 8 inshore bottlenose dolphins on their way westbound along the breakwater in shallow water. Captain Eric had the Condor Express in 15 feet of water and the dolphins were well inshore of us playing in and around the little surf. Out in the land of the knobby-headed whales we closely watched 5 on the morning adventure and 6 on the 12 noon expedition. Both trips had two other things in common: there were no common dolphins around and there were plenty more humpback spouting and breaching all around us than we could ever hope to watch on either trip. Sea lions, particularly the young mobsters, were out on the grounds pestering the humpback whales. The whales were diving down to gobble the anchovy schools, which were hovering at 90 - 100 feet below the surface. The sea lions were there to join the smorgasbord. On the 12 noon trip we had two very very close approaches by a pair of humpback whales. And on a final note, we watched our humpback pal Rope on the morning trip.
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A humpback swam up alongside the Condor Express and surfaced within a few feet of the humans.
Megaptera novaeangliae close approach & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-a-009
A humpback swam up alongside the Condor Express and surfaced within a few feet of the humans.
Megaptera novaeangliae close approach & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-a-012
A humpback swam up alongside the Condor Express and surfaced within a few feet of the humans.
Megaptera novaeangliae close approach & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-a-014
A humpback swam up alongside the Condor Express and surfaced within a few feet of the humans. A fearless California sea lion gets into the act.
Megaptera novaeangliae & Zalophus close approach & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-a-024
MegapteranovaeangliaeZalophuscloseapproachpassengers2014Channel024
A humpback swam up alongside the Condor Express and surfaced within a few feet of the humans. and then showed its tail flukes.
Megaptera novaeangliae close approach & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-a-025
Two humpback whales come close to the pay a friendly visit.
Megaptera novaeangliae & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-b-007
Mirror glass conditions and a very friendly humpback whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-a-001
Photographers take advantage of 2 friendly humpback whales with very calm seas.
Megaptera novaeangliae & passengers 2014 04-06 Channel-b-004
A young California sea lions in blue water.
Zalophus californianus 2014 04-06 SB Channel-c-026
Close look at a California sea lion.
Zalophus californianus 2014 04-06 SB Channel-008
A curious California sea lion takes a look at the humans.
Zalophus californianus 2014 04-06 SB Channel-029
California sea lion.
Zalophus californianus 2014 04-06 SB Channel-011
California sea lion.
Zalophus californianus 2014 04-06 SB Channel-035
A California sea lions sends out concentric ripples on a glassy sea.
Zalophus californianus 2014 04-06 SB Channel-c-018
Hungry western grebes come close to a deep diving humpback whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae & Aechmophorus occidentalis 2014 04-06 SB Channel-002
A surfacing humpback whale sends a western grebe fleeing at top speed.
Megaptera novaeangliae & Aechmophorus occidentalis 2014 04-06 SB Channel-001
A humpback whale is seen with a mob of California sea lions following behind.
Megaptera novaeangliae & Zalophus californianus 2014 04-06 SB Channel-001
A humpback whale with the Santa Barbara coastline in back.
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 04-06 Channel-a-053
Entanglement scar that wraps around Rope's body.
Megaptera novaeangliae ROPE entanglement scar close 2014 04-06 SB Channel-e-057
MegapteranovaeangliaeROPEentanglementscarclose2014Channel057
Just because a brown pelican crashed to capture a fish doesn't necessarily mean it gets to keep it. Heermann's gulls flock around the pelican and try to steal it's food.
Pelecanus occidentalis crash & Larus heermanni attack 2014 04-06 SB Channel-021
PelecanusoccidentaliscrashLarusheermanniattack2014Channel021
