[CINC] Condor X 8/13/10-Bonanza!

[Paul Jr. Petrich]

One Question Remains!? Were the mass of feedings spotted offSa Miguel throughout the week still going on there, too, as we recorded the feeding frenzy at the Ledge!?   Paul

From: ppetrich39 at hotmail.com
To: channel_islands_naturalist_corps at rain.org
Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:27:56 -0700
Subject: [CINC] Condor X 8/13/10-Bonanza!








Bonanza! Friday the 13th was hardly an unlucky day for the 106 passengers from all over the world that went out on the Condor X today!18 Blues; 8 Humpbacks; 2 Finbacks; 14 Dall's Porpoise; and 50 Saddleback (Common) Dolphin)! All the above, except the Common Dolphin, were spotted off the Ledge near Santa Rosa Island. Skipper Matt was concerned about not reaching the astounding sighting area off San Miguel visited yesterday, due to winds picking up in the channel after leaving the protection of Pt. Conception, so he turned southward toward the Ledge, after traversing parallel to the coast. We had seen the playful Common Dolphin about 5 miles out off Goleta. Seas were not as bad as feared, and only a few got seasick. Upon reaching the Ledge everyone was excited at the spectacle. Spouts were aplenty on the near horizon. The numbers recorded above do not include the multitude of distant spouts that continued after over an hour of viewing. All the cetaceans were very busy at feeding on the surface, as the krill were in abundance right on top for surface lunge feeding ( more like horizontal culp-feeding). Skipper Matt was often able to predict on the mike a coming "gulp" of a floating patch of krill! All passengers,including some from Spain, U.K.,Holland, Belgium,France, China, and Texas, as well as we CINC troopers (myself, Vivian, and Carolyn McCleskey) , were awestruck. Captain Matt was aided by Dave at the helm. Brook was very busy in the galley going and coming home during the 60 mile round trip. Bob Perry was very busy with his camera as was Carolyn with PID. Vivi and myself moved with dexterity up and down and side to side to inform potential viewers of the continuing new blows!  This Friday the 13th was a grand day. Paul Petrich 		 	   		  

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