2014 06-26 SB Channel

Today we found no fog, no marine layer and only the bright warm sun to guide us to the whales and dolphins. There were common dolphins everywhere, perhaps as many as 2,000 as a final count. We ran west just beyond the University of California campus, and found a mother and her calf. These two were all business and had only one apparent goal: swimming east. But humpback whales will be humpback whales. And after a good solid amount of time and effort, the little one lagged behind mom and decided to put on a kelping show with a drifting paddy of Macrocystis. And what a show it was. The mini-beast spy hopped in the algae several times, slapped its pectoral fins and attempted a few feeble tail throws, which at its age were feeble but certainly seemed to foretell future such throws when it will be more developed muscularly. After there was nothing left but brown seaweed shards, the calf swam fast to the east trying to catch up with mom. Later in the trip, on the way back to Santa Barbara Harbor, we watched a third humpback whale and it came up along the port side very close. You can see this for yourself in the photograph above.

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Humpback whale with white pectorals in blue water with the Santa Ynez Mountains in back
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body CLOSE 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-004
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body CLOSE 2014 Channel 004
Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-033
Megaptera novaeangliae calf kelp Macrocystis 2014 Channel 033
A trio of common dolphins in crystal clear water
Delphinus capensis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-013
Delphinus capensis 2014 Channel 013
A whole body view of an adult humpback whale with white pectoral fins
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body CLOSE 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-005
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body CLOSE 2014 Channel 005
Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-011
Megaptera novaeangliae calf kelp Macrocystis 2014 Channel 011
A quintet of common dolphins catch a large open ocean wave
Delphinus capensis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-005
Delphinus capensis 2014 Channel 005
Whole body view of an adult humpback whale in clear blue water
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body next to boat 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-085
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body next boat 2014 Channel 085
Common dolpins cavort and ride a large open ocean swell
Delphinus capensis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-011
Delphinus capensis 2014 Channel 011
Juvenile humpback whale with white pectoral fins spyhopping
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-023
Megaptera novaeangliae calf kelp Macrocystis 2014 Channel 023
A friendly visit by an adult humpback whale with white pectoral flukes
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body CLOSE 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-002
Megaptera novaeangliae whole body CLOSE 2014 Channel 002
Giant kelp is draped across the chin of a juvenile humpback whale as it spyhops
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-005
Megaptera novaeangliae calf kelp Macrocystis 2014 Channel 005
A dorsal fin and some spout spray are the only things visible as an adult humpback whale travels behind a wave
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 06-26 SB Channel-b-007
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 Channel 007
A western gull soars across the cobalt blue water
Larus occidentalis in flight 2014 06-26 SB Channel-001
Larus occidentalis flight 2014 Channel 001
With wind and swells rising an adult humpback whale with white pectorals swims beneath the surface
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 06-26 SB Channel-b-010
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 Channel 010
Humpback dorsal fin
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 06-26 SB Channel-b-014
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 Channel 014
Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-001
Megaptera novaeangliae calf kelp Macrocystis 2014 Channel 001
Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-027
Megaptera novaeangliae calf kelp Macrocystis 2014 Channel 027
An adult humpback lifts its tail and heads for deeper waters
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 06-26 SB Channel-b-017
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 Channel 017
Mother and her calf - humpback whales
Megaptera novaeangliae cow and calf 2014 06-26 SB Channel-b-005
Megaptera novaeangliae cow and calf 2014 Channel 005
Common dolphins leaping
Delphinus capensis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-004
Delphinus capensis 2014 Channel 004
Common dolpins leaping
Delphinus capensis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-005
Delphinus capensis 2014 Channel 005
A large pod of common dolphins greets the humans
Delphinus capensis & passengers 2014 06-26 SB Channel-a-003
Delphinus capensis passengers 2014 Channel 003
Wind generated clouds and fog shroud the west end of Sta Cruz Island
wind generated clouds on west Sta Cruz Island 2014 06-26 SB Channel-001
wind generated clouds west Sta Cruz Island 2014 Channel 001

© Robert Perry

Mr.Zalophus@gmail.com Please click on the sea lion head logo above to go to my MarineBioPhotography website.

2014 06-26 SB Channel