[CINC] Condor Express 1/22/2011

[Kevin Bailey]

5 Gray Whales close by

Including 2 very close 

and another 10 off in the near and far distance 

150-200 Risso's spread out over a large area of maybe a square mile and a
half

Sea lions all day long

 

in addition to the usual birds: Pelicans, DC Cormorants, W Gulls, H Gulls,
we saw several

Cassin's Auklets

Rhinoceros Auklets

Common Murres

Pelagic Cormorant

2 Black Oystercatchers

 

Today the water was glassy as Barbara La Corte, my wife Toni Bailey and I
set sail with 25 people from Holland, New Zealand, and Scotland, some with
local friends.

The action today was all in the Potato Patch area.

We saw spouts ahead and when we arrived, there were Risso's all around us
and stayed with us the entire time we were there.

We saw 2 Grays, then another but then the real action was 2 more that
rolled, showed us pecs, tails and all sides of a whale as they rolled around
in what seemed to be a playful encounter with the Risso's.

When the sea lions came to this immediate party the rolling and playing
stopped.

These 2 whales played for quite a while and looked to have a bit of Humpback
blood in them with their showiness

 

Kevin Bailey

 

 

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