[CINC] IPCO ESCI 01/25/2011 Tues

[Marty Flam]

Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011 IPCO ESCI + Ventura – Scorpion crossings 
Clear, calm, cozy. 
  
STATS 
Seen from IPCO: 11 grays in ESCI – WAI gap; 50 common dolphins in 3 groups 
Seen from ESCI’s northern bluffs: 5 grays 
  
COMMENTS & A QUESTION 
  
IPCO’s cat crew on  Tuesday’s terrific Scorpion crossings were dandy driver Dave, Dani, Joel and Andrea weaving wonderful tapestries of 11 gray cetaceans in herds heading from their Arctic kitchen to Baja breeding and nursery lagoons, enjoyed in perfect weather by 55 passengers, many from homes now in downpours (Oregon, Washington, British Columbia) and snowstorms (Adirondacks) 100 degrees colder than our national marine sanctuary and park.  Celebrity aboard was IWC’s Peter Sharpe, an icon in our hall of heroes, with his crew who continued to Prisoners for the 2011 six month season’s opening salvo, hoping to install a webcam at  a new bald’s nest, perhaps of and for the people to watch Stephen Jr. 
Great Santa Cruz Island was left glorious by Ranger Lulis, December’s mud produced by rain water now dried by warm sun creating blooms and great green mats, so much that most of the 17 most appreciative guided hikers hung long at Cavern Point for lunch before strolling to Potato Overlook, watching ~five more great grays and usual array of birds, butterflies and barking sea lions from northern bluffs.  A visitor reported a hopping hobbling Island Fox with a hind limb tucked under down the Scorpion creek bed near the ranch house.  New?  Andrea led high school hikers on the Pelican trail from Prisoners. I led guided walk to CP and Lola worked Scorpion’s Visitor Center.    :-) 
  
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