2016 07-18 SB Channel
DAY FULL OF BLUE WHALES !!
It was a 1 pm departure for the Condor Express after serving a special summer program from UCSB in the morning slot. The good news about an afternoon departure is that the sun was bright and warm. There was not much of a swell, and there was a light chop from the southwest wind that was blowing. Totals for the day included at least 1,300 long-beaked common dolphins and 3 giant blue whales. Here are the details.
By 135pm Captain Dave had us 3 miles southwest of Santa Barbara harbor with our first cetaceans: a few hundred very cordial dolphins. They were feeding on scattered schools of sardines and smelt (perhaps grunion) and were seen speeding around upside-down just under the water surface. We continued on our southwesterly heading.
An hour or so later we were coming up on The Ledge adjacent to the eastern end of Santa Rosa Island. Here we located the blue whales which were probably the same individuals that we watched yesterday. There were two large whales, one of which was massive, and a third blue whale that was smaller, but not a calf. Two of the blue whales had tags attached which were placed by scientists in the Channel, as regular readers will recall. The largest animal fluked-up on practically every terminal dive.
As we cruised home, a much larger assemblage of dolphins found us and provided a nice closure to our whale watching today.
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Offshore oil Platform Holly surrounded by the less dense fraction of liquids put into the environment through dozens of natural seeps on the ocean floor.
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Offshore oil Platform Holly surrounded by the less dense fraction of liquids put into the environment through dozens of natural seeps on the ocean floor.
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Photo of a giant blue whales' right flanks representing just over 1/3rd of the entire animal's length.
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-008
Spout in the breeze
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-057
Top of rostrum (right) and spout
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-161
A blue whale rolls into the oncoming waves
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-254
An arch of the back leads to a terminal dive.
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-152
Blue whale body reflecting bright blue underwater
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-322
Spouting in the wind
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-288
Busting through on-coming seas
Balaenoptera musculus 2016 07-18 SB Channel-478
Suction cup research tag on the left, Remora on the right.
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack & Remoras 2016 07-18 SB Channel-e-001
BalaenopteramusculustaggedwithinstrumentpackRemoras2016Channel001
Research tag
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack 2016 07-18 SB Channel-004
Research tag
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack 2016 07-18 SB Channel-432
Research tag
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack 2016 07-18 SB Channel-c-003
Research tag
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack 2016 07-18 SB Channel-d-002
Research tag
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack 2016 07-18 SB Channel-g-003-CLOSE
Balaenopteramusculustaggedwithinstrumentpack2016Channel003CLOSE
Whole animal view and enlargement of research tag on a blue whales back.
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack 2016 07-18 SB Channel-g-003-MONTAGE
Balaenopteramusculustaggedwithinstrumentpack2016Channel003MONTAGE
Research tag - wide view
Balaenoptera musculus tagged with instrument pack 2016 07-18 SB Channel-g-003-WIDE
Balaenopteramusculustaggedwithinstrumentpack2016Channel003WIDE
