2014 11-08 SB Channel
There was a moderate breeze blowing in the Santa Barbara Channel today with a little bit of chop here and there as well. It was warm and sunny and there was great above water visibility for spouting whales. El Capitan Dave steered a course for Santa Cruz Island but was side-tracked when second Captain Eric located two humpback whales off More Mesa to the west. So we followed this pair for a while as an hors d'oeuvre for the real show which was to come later near the Island. About 500 or so long beaked common dolphins were scattered throughout the area and at one point we were watching a nursery pod with lots of nice, tiny animals swimming with their mothers. Next, we were off to Santa Cruz.
Across the shipping lanes and near the Island the same mother lode of humpback #whales was located exactly where we left them yesterday. There were, once again, more spouts than anyone could keep track of strung out on a line parallel to the Island as the Condor Express ran west to east, downhill, to minimize the effects of wind and sea. A very conservative and legitimate count of humpback whales watched closely might fall into the area of 14 or so, but there were a multitude more that we could not possibly get close to within our time frame, Along the face of the Island the humpbacks were mixed in with a dispersed pod of a dozen or two Risso's dolphins. After a brief but enjoyable Island tour along the sea cliffs, we headed home.
Not long after we got on our homeward course heading the Crew located a pair of breaching humpbacks in the distance. We slowly approached and found a mother and calf pair that had been breaching, both of them, one after the other. The breaching was followed by some mighty pectoral fin slapping and all of this was marvelous to see with the breeze and blue water and sun. There were a few extra tall spouts in the distance...probably blue whales....but not confirmed.
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Image 1 of 5 in a row: A humpback whale heads for the camera pushing water and spouting
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-123
Two dorsal fins side by side - humpback whales
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-226
The whale fan club gets a friendly visit by a spouting humpback
Megaptera novaeangliae & passengers 2014 11-08 SB Channel-g-001
Natural curves - close up view
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-193
Tail flukes of a humpback whale seen close up
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-198
Humpback fans line up to get a close look at the friendly beast
Megaptera novaeangliae & passengers 2014 11-08 SB Channel-g-025
Side view of the rostrum and blow holes - humpback
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-021
Wind blown humpback spout spray
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-033
Side view - humpback tail flukes
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-039
A bright and sparkling ocean frames the large dark tail flukes of a humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-090
Strange ocean surface sighting - the right and left tips of a humpback whale's tail flukes - last part visible as the beast descends
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-052
Humpback tail flukes
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-075
A humpback pushes water as it heads into the swells. Its white pectoral fin can be seen glowing under the water
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-111
Another head-on spouting humpback
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-124
Humpback waterfall
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-178
Killer whale rake scars on the underside of this humpback whale's tail
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-187
Looking towards the knobby head
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-b-190
Interesting wave caused by the forward motion of a humpback whale's dorsal fin just below the surface
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-c-020
A mighty humpback whale busts through an oncoming swell
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-c-025
Clear water reveals the white pectoral fin of this spouting humpback
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-c-034
Another unique wave pattern caused by a moving, submerged humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae 2014 11-08 SB Channel-c-051
Submerged humpback whale with ripples near its dorsal fin
Megaptera novaeangliae UW 2014 11-08 SB Channel-c-006
