[CINC] July 5 CX whale watch

[Victor Cox]

About 75 hopeful whale watchers from a half-dozen states and several
European nations joined Capt. Mat, Dave and Brooke to try their luck on the
Channel. With Gary as PID and I as the only other NC member aboard we sailed
to Santa Cruz Island and back on Tuesday.

This is what we saw:
Around 500 long-beaked common dolphins;
About 120 Risso's dolphin, including at least two mother-calf pairs;
Assorted sea lions and sea birds, including a small flock of rosy-legged
shearwaters;
And no other cetaceans longer than 12 feet.

The Channel was generally calm, the weather well behaved and sea-sick kids
could be counted on the fingers of one hand. It was just one of those days
when no one found whales. And I mean no one. Gary reported that radio
contacts revealed no whales seen between Long Beach and San Luis Obispo
county line.

Better luck next time, I always  say.

Vic Cox