2016 06-04 SB Channel
As we attempted our southbound heading, it was not long before we encountered our first large, wide-spread region of feeding long-beaked common dolphins. We estimated the whole area must have had at least 1,000 animals but they fed in small groups on isolated little patches of northern anchovy. The mill pond flat glass conditions were perfect for seeing these animated cetaceans as the fed upside-down and also rode the bow and stern of the Condor. Back under way, about 45 minutes later we were approached by a dozen Dall's porpoise and they spent a long time riding the bow. Later in the trip, when we were watching the larger whales, there were a few more Dall's, so our total for the excursion was probably around 20.
Although we were on a track for Santa Rosa Island, our sharp-eyed deck hand (and second captain) Eric located a lot of spouts closer to the west end of Santa Cruz. At first we saw two humpback whales, but we were quickly diverted by the presence of three blue whales closer to the boat. Several blue whale tail flukes were seen...always a special treat. I should also mention that we found very small, young purple sailors (Velella velella) all over the mill pond flat glass surface today. Why no feeding sunfish (Mola mola) ? Probably just a matter of chance. While we waited for one of the diving blue whales to surface, we spotted a large female elephant seal nearby in a vertical position with her large head out of the water and pointed up to the heavens. We had some great looks before it finally fell into the depths and "sank to the deep ocean like a falling leaf."
Later we were watching surface lunge-feeding humpback whales as they attacked krill on the surface when a very large fin whale joined the surface banquet. It was a friendly fin whale and we had great looks. On our way back across The Lanes as we headed for the harbor, we saw two more blue whales and two more humpback whales. One of the humpbacks was very small, perhaps 20 feet long, and had tiny wounds all over its skin...like the pox or something odd. Not long after leaving this little, yet very friendly, humpback whale we had our last encounter of the trip, another 1,000 or more common dolphins. This group was tightly packed and stayed in a high speed "stampede" mode from the time we first saw them in the distance. Wow!
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Image 1 of 3: On the right edge of this image there is a plume of red "spots" which are actually krill jumping out of the water as the massive jaws of a surface lunge-feeding fin whale close in on the crustaceans.
Balaenoptera physalus surface lunge feeding Thysanoessa spinifera krill 2016 06-04 SB Channel-005
BalaenopteraphysalussurfacelungefeedingThysanoessaspiniferakrill2016Channel005
Image 2 of 3: On the right edge of this image there is a plume of red "spots" which are actually krill jumping out of the water as the massive jaws of a surface lunge-feeding fin whale close in on the crustaceans.
Balaenoptera physalus surface lunge feeding Thysanoessa spinifera krill 2016 06-04 SB Channel-004
BalaenopteraphysalussurfacelungefeedingThysanoessaspiniferakrill2016Channel004
Image 3 of 3: On the right edge of this image there is a plume of red "spots" which are actually krill jumping out of the water as the massive jaws of a surface lunge-feeding fin whale close in on the crustaceans.
Balaenoptera physalus surface lunge feeding Thysanoessa spinifera krill 2016 06-04 SB Channel-006
BalaenopteraphysalussurfacelungefeedingThysanoessaspiniferakrill2016Channel006
Right flanks and fin of a big fin whale. (the other half of this beast is underwater)
Balaenoptera physalus 2016 06-04 SB Channel-108
Three elegant terns and a couple of western gulls take a little rest in the middle of the Santa Barbara Channel on a drifting giant kelp paddy.
Macrocystis pyrifera detached paddy & Larus occidentalis & Sterna elegans 2016 06-04 SB Channel-009
MacrocystispyriferadetachedpaddyLarusoccidentalisSternaelegans2016Channel009
Mr. Gull keeps a wary eye out as it rides on a drifting kelp paddy miles offshore.
Macrocystis pyrifera detached paddy & Larus occidentalis 2016 06-04 SB Channel-020
MacrocystispyriferadetachedpaddyLarusoccidentalis2016Channel020
Kodak moment, or should we say a charged coupled device moment...
Megaptera novaeangliae small CLOSE whole body & Passengers 2016 06-04 SB Channel-a-195
MegapteranovaeangliaesmallCLOSEwholebodyPassengers2016Channel195
High speed Dall's porpoise underwater.
Phocoenoides dalli 2016 06-04 SB Channel-014
Dall's porpoise under water and beneath its own spray droplets.
Phocoenoides dalli 2016 06-04 SB Channel-017
