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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Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-033
Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-011
Juvenile humpback whale with white pectoral fins spyhopping
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-023
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
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
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
Humpback dorsal fin
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 06-26 SB Channel-b-014
Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-001
Juvenile humpback whale playing with kelp - spyhop
Megaptera novaeangliae calf in kelp Macrocystis 2014 06-26 SB Channel-027
An adult humpback lifts its tail and heads for deeper waters
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 06-26 SB Channel-b-017
