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WHALES!
These are pics of a Humpback whale and her calf taken in May 2006 on the SW side of Santa Cruz Island, about 1.5 miles SW of Forney's Cove.
Just Missed the WhaleI've taken tons of these whale pictures. More precisely "just-missed-the-whale pictures" But this lady gave me chance after chance as she effortlessly - or so it would appear - launched herself skyward. Nevertheless, half the digital roll is nothing more than cascades of water.
One-whale BalletShe put on a one-whale ballet that lasted 30 minutes and included at least 20 spectacular leaps. Her first leap was about half a mile from us. She seemed to be on a parallel course. We closed to about a quarter mile and steadied up parallel to her. She frolicked for quite awhile, moving out and then back in. She'd disappear for a couple of minutes in a dive sequence, then leap clear of the water. We were struggling upwind, making 5 knots or so and she just danced around us.
Below, she's seen swimming with her calf. That's all we saw of the calf - just an occasional fluke when momma decided to stop flying.
How often do we see this?Not very. But on this particular long-weekend, we saw whales each day and each day they logged a good bit of time airborne. At the north end of the Santa Cruz Channel we turned east and she kept heading northwest. She hadn't seen too interested in us,
Other Marine MammalsWe see Common Pacific Dolphins and Striped Dolphins almost every cruise to the islands and usually see the much larger Rizzo's Dolphins as well. And there has never been a time when we haven't encountered fleets of cavorting sea lions and seals lounging on the beaches.
Whale Travel Schedule
May to September Channel WhalesBlue Whale wiki;
more pics
Dec to AprilGray Whale wiki; photos Dec to Jan, they're southbound, typically near the islands as they pass our home. Feb to Apr, they're northbound, mothers and calves most likely near shore in April. İCapt Dan 2006-08
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