2015 08-05 SB Channel

As we departed Santa Barbara at 1015 am there was more than medium chop, winds that formed white caps, and bright sunny skies. This did not deter the keen eyes of deckhand Tasha from locating the first of 4 spouts in this initial region of the Santa Barbara Channel, about 9 miles out. Each of the 4 humpback whales Tasha and Dave located in this region were separated by at least ¼-mile and in some cases 2 miles or more. They were all trending uphill, against the seas and winds during this morning sighting. After a while Dave moved further west in hopes of increasing our chances for additional #whales. At least 1,300 long-beaked common dolphins also played around in this region, broken into pods of 100 or so individuals. By 1145 am Dave had found 2 more humpback whales and these were heading east.

The winds aloft started to blow the alto cirrus clouds into an array of interesting Rorschach - like patterns. Just after noon the winds started to back off and we located another group of 4 humpback whales that were traveling around individually and showed little interest in each other. Soon a "hot spot" developed with at least 500 #dolphins, California sea lions, black-vented shearwaters, with crashing pelicans and elegant terns. It times one could make out the dark mass of the anchovy bait ball on the surface. All 4 whales changed directions and headed for this feed bag, and several vertical and horizontal surface lunges were witnessed. This was spectacular stuff.

At 1230 the bait ball had dissipated or descended into the depths and all of the life started moving downhill, to the east, with the diminishing seas. This course took us back through almost all of the whales we had seen on our earlier westerly route...but we do not count the same whales twice so I shall not give more details except to say there was no more surface feeding or other special humpback behaviors. We also passed by at least 1,000 additional dolphins with no way of knowing if we counted the same ones twice.

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Interesting cloud patterns overhead today.
clouds alto cirrus 2015 08-05 SB Channel-025
clouds alto cirrus 2015 Channel 025
Two humpback whales lunge sideways as they attack a school of anchovies. Shearwaters and brown pelicans join the feast.
Megaptera novaeangliae 2 lunging 2015 08-05 SB Channel-b-001
Megaptera novaeangliae lunging 2015 Channel 001
Interesting cloud patterns overhead today.
clouds alto cirrus 2015 08-05 SB Channel-038
clouds alto cirrus 2015 Channel 038
Two humpback whales lunge sideways as they attack a school of anchovies. Shearwaters and brown pelicans join the feast.
Megaptera novaeangliae 2 lunging 2015 08-05 SB Channel-b-003
Megaptera novaeangliae lunging 2015 Channel 003
Interesting cloud patterns overhead today.
clouds alto cirrus 2015 08-05 SB Channel-043
clouds alto cirrus 2015 Channel 043
A friendly humpback whale in cobalt blue water.
Megaptera novaeangliae & passengers 2015 08-05 SB Channel-a-002
Megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2015 Channel 002
Interesting cloud patterns overhead today.
clouds alto cirrus 2015 08-05 SB Channel-034
clouds alto cirrus 2015 Channel 034
Shearwaters and a humpback whale on a hot spot.
Megaptera novaeangliae 2015 08-05 SB Channel-011
Megaptera novaeangliae 2015 Channel 011
Interesting cloud patterns overhead today.
clouds alto cirrus 2015 08-05 SB Channel-027
clouds alto cirrus 2015 Channel 027
An extremely friendly humpback whale shows its knobby head and splashguard.
Megaptera novaeangliae close 2015 08-05 SB Channel-019
Megaptera novaeangliae close 2015 Channel 019
A massive feeding frenzy with a sideways humpback whale, long-beaked common dolphins, shearwaters and brown pelicans.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 08-05 SB Channel-b-004
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 Channel 004
A surface, sideways lunge-feeding humpback whale shows the ventral side (under side) of its chin and the long grooves in its blubber that are expanded with fish and water.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 08-05 SB Channel-b-002
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 Channel 002
Image 1 of 2 in a row: A surface, vertical lunge by a feeding humpback whale. Baleen in the upper jaw and numerous leaping anchovies can also be seen. A common dolphin is in the foreground.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 08-05 SB Channel-y-017
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 Channel 017
Image 2 of 2 in a row: A surface, vertical lunge by a feeding humpback whale. Baleen in the upper jaw is visible.
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 08-05 SB Channel-y-020
Megaptera novaeangliae lunge 2015 Channel 020
Image 1 of 2 in a row: a different perspective - looking from tail towards the head at a feeding humpack whale. The whale is on its side, mouth open, baleen visible. Its huge gular pouch with expanded ventral blubber grooves is seen on the left side.
Megaptera novaeangliae sideways lunge 2015 08-05 SB Channel-y-002
Megaptera novaeangliae sideways lunge 2015 Channel 002
Image 2 of 2 in a row: a different perspective - looking from tail towards the head at a feeding humpack whale. The whale is on its side, mouth open, baleen visible. Its huge gular pouch with expanded ventral blubber grooves is seen on the left side.
Megaptera novaeangliae sideways lunge 2015 08-05 SB Channel-y-003
Megaptera novaeangliae sideways lunge 2015 Channel 003
After feeding, a humpback rolls over and shows us its long pectoral fin.
Megaptera novaeangliae sideways lunge 2015 08-05 SB Channel-y-008
Megaptera novaeangliae sideways lunge 2015 Channel 008
A vertical lunge with gular pouch fully distended and a little baleen in the mouth visible.
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge feeding 2015 08-05 SB Channel-002
Megaptera novaeangliae surface lunge feeding 2015 Channel 002
An elegan tern flies above the action looking for an anchovy.
Sterna elegans in flight 2015 08-05 SB Channel-003
Sterna elegans flight 2015 Channel 003
A full-body, close up look at a friendly California sea lion.
Zalophus californianus 2015 08-05 SB Channel-005
Zalophus californianus 2015 Channel 005

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2015 08-05 SB Channel

Location of today's photographs from camera GPS