2014 06-11 SB Channel
We left Santa Barbara Harbor with mirror glass sea conditions and a thick marine layer over head. About 15 minutes out the crew spotted bird and dolphin activity that would continue throughout the trip. Again we see a large number of huge northern anchovy schools in the water and the dolphins, sea lions and birds have them gathered up into balls. These bait balls were like stepping stones across the flat calm ocean in all directions. We knew all the signs were right for a humpback whale sighting and, sure enough, we soon were closely watching a mother-calf humpback pair. The young calf was particularly active as it swam close to its mother. It lifted its chin, rolled upside down. slapped its pectoral fins, threw its tail around a bit and even attempted a couple of half-hearted breaches. The high point of this encounter was when the pair surfaced within a few feet of our port side and slowly swam along with the Condor Express. Both whales had their entire bodies visible in the clear water. The overcast skies actually enhanced the experience as there was little or no glare making every tubercle on their rostrums come into sharp focus. Soon we were watching a second mother-calf humpback pair. This mother was HUGE, and her calf was not as animated as the original calf...at least at first. Before too long the 4 whales were in relative close proximity. It should be noted that the pectoral fin slapping and tail throwing from the original calf was followed, after a while, by similar behavior from its mother. The mother was completely upside down and seemed to be "giving a lesson" to junior as to how to slap a pectoral fin frontally then laterally so a big splash could be seen in both directions in her range of motion. A very large ocean sunfish (Mola mola) and several egg yolk or fried egg jellies (Phacellophora camtschatica) were also observed on the surface during this morning trip.
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Two humpback whales and twelve human beings.
Megaptera novaeangliae cow-calf & passengers 2014 06-11 SB Channel-a-069
Double pectoral fin fun: mom and her calf roll over and show their fins at the same time!
Megaptera novaeangliae cow & calf simultaneous pectoral slaps 2014 06-11 SB Channel-410
Megapteranovaeangliaecowcalfsimultaneouspectoralslaps2014Channel410
Whales watch humans watching whales. That's what it's all about on the Condor Express.
Megaptera novaeangliae cow-calf & passengers 2014 06-11 SB Channel-a-067
Extreme close up #2 - Mom waves her long white pectoral fins as her calf swims close by her on its side, showing half of its tail flukes.
Megaptera novaeangliae cow on back pectoral & calf rolling tail fluke 2014 06-11 SB Channel-419
Megapteranovaeangliaecowbackpectoralcalfrollingtailfluke2014Channel419
A friendly approach by a humpback whale.
Megaptera novaeangliae & passengers 2014 06-11 SB Channel-a-013
Egg yolk or fried egg jelly.
Phacellophora camtschatica 2014 06-11 SB Channel-060
Egg yolk or fried egg jelly.
Phacellophora camtschatica 2014 06-11 SB Channel-082
Egg yolk or fried egg jelly.
Phacellophora camtschatica 2014 06-11 SB Channel-015
