[CINC] IPCO Islander, 26 July 11

[Kenneth A. Tatro]

Hi folks,

What a great day on the Channel.  

Cetacaens:
 ... 18 Humpbacks, 
 ... 13 Blues, (with many spouts of both, away and all around us), 
 ... 2000 (200, 800 & 1000) Common Dolphin

Birds:
 ... Pink Footed Pigeon Gillamonts
 ... Sooty Shearwaters 
 ... Brown Pelicans
 ...Cormorants
 ... one Great Blue Heron, standing on rocks on Santa Cruz Is. 

Pinnipeds:

 ... Many Sea Lions around the Humpbacks in small tight groups
 ... One Harbor Seal out at sea, (we usually see them only up on the rocks on Anacapa).

Shot of the day:
 ... One Humpback doing a full total out of the water breach, tail fluke and all. Of course a very BIG "WHOA!!" went up by every one. What a site!!

Blues and Humpback were intermingling quite a bit. It was very cool to see this. I know others have, but I have not seen them do this since '07.

As in Rose Messina's report from the Condor Express, we too went into the fog bank, after seeing the Condor do so, it was like a thick tulle fog, very low visibility horizontally, but the sun shine was on us and blue sky above. Both Capt. Dave of the Islander and Capt. Dave of the Condor Express were in radio touch checking out the conditions, visibility, and any possible siting of whales.

We wanted this soon as the winds were to rise up to 15-25 knots with corresponding increase of the seas in the afternoon.

Just before the fog lifted, we had one Humpbacks rise up right along side of us, about a hundred yards off the starboard at 3 o'clock. Then three more rose up and joined in. They merged and we had synchronized surfacing and diving by this quartet for a good time, with many nice fluke showings for the folks. Then two huge Blues popped up behind us so we had the Humpback Blues show now in full display. Then the fog began to lift and more blows were seen all around, Humpbacks and Blues, and off in the distance was the Condor, stationary with their sitings. 

We had our choice of which ones to watch. Then the Humpbacks dove, gone so we watched the Blues until they dove and the Humpbacks came up and continued their show, a nice cycle of synchronized species diving.

This began to quiet down so we move a little further west to pick up more of our preference. We had many from which to select. These took their dives and gone, we kept creeping west and soon were with the Condor to take over their siting, as it move off to head for Painted Cave.  

Shortly after the Condor departure, what we had seen up until then, turned out to be the preview. Very soon we had spouts all over the place, both of Humpbacks and Blues with the Sea Lions interplaying with the Humpbacks. What a show, Tom. was scribbling down sitings and coordinates like crazy of the ones we declared officially. We had many more all around us of both the Blues and Humpbacks. 

Then in the middle of this, tracking a Humpback for it to surface and BOOOMM!!!!, out of the water completely, a full on adult humpback in a complete breach, tail fluke and all!! Most of the folks saw it, some missed it, but as always it was spectacular. WE continuee this show for some time, then it was time to head for Painted Cave. This wa fallowed by a nice clsoe tour of Santa Cruze Island and into Prisoners harbor to pick up some campers heading home.

That was what we did, headed out and beck to home port. A very fine day of Whale Watchig to be sure.

Pleasantly the wind and sea increase predicted did not material ise in fact they quieted down to a very nice day of it for most of the folks. We did have a small few, a bit green at the gills.

We had folks from Ireland, New York, Minnesota, Texas, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, enjoying this fine show of Cetacea display.

Captan Dave, Crew of Michael and Laurie, with new to the Corp, but not new to the Channel, Tom Boyd was my side kick for the day. All did a fine job of interpretation, especially Captain Dave's very informative narration across the day.

Gentle winds, mellow seas, and keep some fresh salt air near you, always.

Ken Tatro