[CINC] On the Condor today.

[Scott Cuzzo]

Aboard the Condor today we were treated to 2 Minkes, 1000 or so common dolphin, and 5 lung feeding humpbacks!

I think we saw the same two minkes on the way out...and then on the way back.  After seeing the two minkes, we found a pod of common dolphin, and which lead us to 5 lunge feeding humpbacks.

It was glorious.

Probably two solid hours or more watching 5 humpbacks lunge feed at the surface in calm, clear water on a spectacular day.  The commons were present the entire time, and scads of birds were feeding as well.  The five whales would split up and come together over and over.  Sometimes in a group of 5, sometimes into two or three separate groups, then together again, etc.  I'm sure many small fish did NOT survive the ordeal.  Everyone had their fill of clearly seeing humpbacks... as only a dentist could appreciate.  I did notice that one humpback had strangely deformed baleen...plus some odd (to me) orange patches on it's chin.  Perhaps some kind of disease???  Many people thought they saw birds go into the mouths of whales.  I think I saw that too.

The whales were fairly close to shore, near Coal Oil Point.  As I drove back to Ventura, I saw spouts and lunge feeding from the freeway, just before I entered the city.  Not sure if they would be the same whales we saw on the Condor or not.  I'm guessing not.

It was so great!  I wished the boat had been full.  But everyone had a great time and lots of great conversations occurred.  

Oh, the dolphin were extremely amorous...and the water was very clear.

Hal Altman was onboard with me, Dave was captain, Dennis and Matt were there.  

With all those birds in a feeding frenzy...and halloween just around the corner...I'm popping The Birds into the DVD player right now.

Scott Cuzzo