[CINC] Condor Express Sun Aug 14, 2011

[Kevin Bailey]

Today was another one of those amazing WOW days 

Even after 5 years I still feel like a kid in a candy store with big wide
eyes 

We had a full boat for 146 people from literally everywhere

 

15 Humpback whales all within 100 yards

Total Humpbacks easily 20-25

A breach seen by some in distance

A few tail throws and rolls

Tons of fluking

2 groups of 6 Humpbacks in tight area close to boat with whales surrounding
us both times – truly unbelievable

Lots of trumpeting and speculator close encounters 

I couldn’t help but think as amazed as I was 
 what people think when this
is the FIRST time they have ever seen a whale; people were mesmerized as I
continue to be on days like today

I got 21 individual ID shots but some might have been the same whale with
lots of fluking. The humpbacks were in great unison where you could take 1
tail, 2 tail 3 tails all in a row.

It was Humpback soup and Humpback Ballet!

 

3000 Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins, Dolphins and Dolphins 
 those many days
when we went with no dolphins were made up for today (and yesterday) when
there were sooooo many it to was truly unbelievable!

We first started seeing them about ½ hour out and there were dolphins in
groups of several hundred to over 1000 pretty much the rest of the way the
SCI. And lots of little ones.

 

4 Blue Whales – 2 Cow / Calf pairs way out west

These were most likely 1st year calves as they seemed quite small (for a
blue whale)

As our finale, the last momma blue waved bye with a great dive, great looks
and photo opps  of the fluke and back 1/3 of the whale.

 

By now it was after 2pm but I think everyone could have stayed till dark! We
got to the dock at 3:30pm and many commented at how amazing it was today.

 

Kevin Bailey on PID

Toni Bailey

Mary Bucholtz

 

With Capt David Beezer, Matt and Dennis

 

 

PS: Did I mention we saw a couple dolphins 


 

 

 

 

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