2015 04-23 SB Coast

We ran one trip today departing at 12 noon. Once outside, there were scattered windrows of transparent, dead Purple Sailor jellies (Velella velella) to the west of Santa Barbara Harbor today, and only a few random non-windrow blue and live ones. Such may be the life cycle of Velella velella. The long-beaked common dolphins and gray whales were in much better shape than Velella. Off the Lighthouse we encountered 50 or so #dolphins and had a nice play session with them before proceeding westward. Further up the coast near Ellwood we found 6 gray whales traveling together, three mothers and their calves. At one point, near the Ellwood refinery beach, 4 of the gray #whales made a bee-line to the surf and we watched them ride waves, roll around, show their pectoral and tail flukes and more rarely, lift their heads, in water that must have been less than 10 feet deep. There were plenty of bubble blasts and in the photos you can see sand plumes being kicked up all around the whales. The calves seemed to be the most bold in their penetration of the breakers. It was well worth the trip to the west, that's for sure. What a show!

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Gray whales in the surf - a tail fluke slashes the water
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-232
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 232
A gray whale calf lifts its head near the kelp forest
Eschrichtius robustus calf 2015 04-23 SB Coast-007
Eschrichtius robustus calf 2015 Coast 007
Gray whales in the surf - a bubble blast plus, if you look close enough, you will see a large female just under the surface sideways in the wave. A juvenile is inside the wave towards the beach.
Eschrichtius robustus cow-calf in wave & bubble blast Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-028
Eschrichtius robustus cow calf wave bubble blast Ellwood 2015 Coast 028
Gray whales in the surf
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-287
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 287
Gray whales near the shore - Ellwood
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 04-23 SB Coast-003
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 Coast 003
Multiple gray whales head for shore
1-Eschrichtius robustus three 2015 04-23 SB Coast-002
Eschrichtius robustus three 2015 Coast 002
Gray whales in the surf - a calf spy hops
Eschrichtius robustus calf spyhop surf zone Ellwood calf spyhop 2015 04-23 SB Coast-001
Eschrichtius robustus calf spyhop surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 001
Two gray whales near the cormorant nesting posts at Ellwood
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 04-23 SB Coast-012
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 Coast 012
Gray whales in the surf - FOUR whales in very shallow water
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-037
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 037
Gray whales in the surf
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-066
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 066
Gray whales in the surf
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-071
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 071
Gray whales in the surf
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-085
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 085
Gray whales in the surf - a large female in the foreground and her calf lifts its little head inside of her
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-100
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 100
Gray whales in the surf - multiple whales in shallow water
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-182
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 182
Gray whales in the surf - tail fluke of a calf
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-117
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 117
Gray whales in the surf
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-189
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 189
Gray whales in the surf - a calf rides a wave and shows its tail as mother waits outside
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-258
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 258
Gray whales in the surf - busting through the oncomng waves
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-272
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 272
Gray whales in the surf - busting through the oncoming waves (with a spout)
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-273
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 273
Mother and calf gray whales
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR in surf zone Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-295
Eschrichtius robustus FOUR surf zone Ellwood 2015 Coast 295
Cormorant nesting posts - Ellwood
Phalocrocorax cormorant poles Ellwood 2015 04-23 SB Coast-004
Phalocrocorax cormorant poles Ellwood 2015 Coast 004
Once alive and blue, now dead and transparent husks of chitin - Purple or by the wind sailors (Velella velella)
Velella velella deceased shells 2015 04-23 SB Coast-006
velella deceased shells 2015 Coast 006
California sea lion pup resting on the harbor bait barge
Zalophus californianus on bait barge 2015 04-23 SB Coast-004
Zalophus californianus bait barge 2015 Coast 004

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2015 04-23 SB Coast

Map of today's sightings