2015 12-31 SB Channel

A gorgeous New Year's Eve in the "gap" (aka, Santa Cruz Channel...between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Island). Captain Dave steered the Condor Express directly towards the Santa Cruz Channel, although our direct path was thwarted on three occasions. The first thwart was a dozen or so Pacific white-sided dolphins just outside the Santa Barbara Harbor entrance buoy. The second and third delays were caused by our interest in two separate open ocean hot spots with long-beaked common dolphins, California sea lions, brown pelicans and other seabirds all working a large northern anchovy bait ball at each location. By the end of the sightings here we estimated approximately 150 long-beaked commons were observed.

Pressing onward on our 35+ mile course into the Santa Cruz Channel, we found very calm seas with almost no wind at all. It was sunny and you could see from Conception to Bony Ridge and all 4 Santa Barbara Channel Islands. Wow. And the gap itself did not disappoint. We closely watched 4 gray whales and saw another 3 in the area using binoculars. We also crossed paths with 2 more just off the Mesa in coastal waters, but we were running late and could not stop. The southbound parade is definitely under way. One pair of the 4 grays we watched in the gap was a large (female?) whale with a small (yearling?) whale.

The gorgeous island backdrops in the Santa Cruz Channel make this a magical place to watch the abundant gray whales that use this corridor to head south.

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Pacific white-sided dolphin
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 12-31 SB Channel-071
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 Channel 071
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens split dorsal fin 2015 12-31 SB Channel-036
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens split dorsal fin 2015 Channel 036
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens UW 2015 12-31 SB Channel-055
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 Channel 055
Pacific white-sided dolphin
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 12-31 SB Channel-024
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 Channel 024
Pacific white-sided dolphin
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 12-31 SB Channel-008
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 Channel 008
Pacific white-sided dolphin
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 12-31 SB Channel-056
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 Channel 056
Pacific white-sided dolphins
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 12-31 SB Channel-093
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 2015 Channel 093
Abstract with Pacific white-sided dolphins
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens abstract UW 2015 12-31 SB Channel-098
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens abstract 2015 Channel 098
Pacific white-sided dolphins
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens cow-calf 2015 12-31 SB Channel-094
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens cow calf 2015 Channel 094
Gray whale in Santa Cruz Channel with Santa Cruz Island in back
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 12-31 SB Channel-010
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 Channel 010
Great blue heron on bait barge - Santa Barbara Harbor
Ardea herodias on bait barge 2015 12-31 SB Channel-002
Ardea herodias bait barge 2015 Channel 002
Edge of a northern anchovy bait ball.
Engraulis mordax bait ball 2015 12-31 SB Channel-a-031
Engraulis mordax bait ball 2015 Channel 031
Gray whale in Santa Cruz Channel with Santa Cruz Island in back
Eschrichtius robustus & Sta Cruz Island in back 2015 12-31 SB Channel-a-216
Eschrichtius robustus Sta Cruz Island back 2015 Channel 216
Gray whales in Santa Cruz Channel with Santa Cruz Island in back
Eschrichtius robustus 2 Sta Cruz Island 2015 12-31 SB Channel-a-032
Eschrichtius robustus Sta Cruz Island 2015 Channel 032
Gray whale in Santa Cruz Channel with Santa Cruz Island in back
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 12-31 SB Channel-a-052
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 Channel 052
Gray whale waterfall
Eschrichtius robustus tail 2015 12-31 SB Channel-070
Eschrichtius robustus tail 2015 Channel 070
Gray whale underwater with bubble stream
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 12-31 SB Channel-c-044
Eschrichtius robustus 2015 Channel 044
Gray whale tail flukes
Eschrichtius robustus tail flukes 2015 12-31 SB Channel-c-011
Eschrichtius robustus tail flukes 2015 Channel 011
Black skimmers in flight
Nycticorax nycticoras 2015 12-31 SB Harbor-003
Nycticorax nycticoras 2015 Harbor 003
Long-beaked common dolphins
Delphinus capensis 2 UW 2015 12-31 SB Channel-a-041
Delphinus capensis 2015 Channel 041
Long-beaked common dolphin
Delphinus capensis 2015 12-31 SB Channel-006
Delphinus capensis 2015 Channel 006
Long-beaked common dolphin
Delphinus capensis 2015 12-31 SB Channel-a-010
Delphinus capensis 2015 Channel 010
Long-beaked common dolphins with calf
Delphinus capensis 2015 12-31 SB Channel-017
Delphinus capensis 2015 Channel 017

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2015 12-31 SB Channel

Location of today's photographs