[CINC] CX ,WW 4/26/12

[John Kuizenga]

Fellow Naturalist!

Following is the WW Report for 4/26 from the CX:

9:00 am trip cancelled

12:00 pm
4 Gray Whales (two mom and her calf pairs traveling separately)
4 Harbor Seals on the bait barge

3:00 pm trip cancelled

Chatty group of twenty folks from all over the US, most of whom had never
seen a whale.  As has been the case with some regularity since the ER moms
and calves began their northern trek, each pair was spotted very close
(approx.100 yds) to shore. Eight minutes following our departure Captain Mat
spotted the first of the two pairs and we paralleled their course for about
45 minutes.  Neither mom or calf were very showy, mostly snorkeling, a quick
inhalation and back underwater leaving a tell tale trail of foot prints as
they continued on their way, at a steady three knots. The pair made only one
diversion, heading north for a few minutes toward the surf line, before
reverting to a more sensible course.  Just beyond Hendry¹s Beach we left the
pair, but first watched as a surfer (with mask and snorkel) slipped off his
board to take a close-up look at the pair.

>From here we travel west to Campus Point and while the wind picked-up (force
three) the wind and ground swell were minimal, so we had a comfortable ride.
Capt Dave assumed the helm and we headed south for a few minutes and then
east back toward the harbor.  Our second and final encounter with an ER mom
and calf pair was like the first, spotted right in the vicinity of the
Stearns Wharf duplicating the behaviors of their predecessors of 90 minutes
earlier.

Naturalist Cal Meuser and Pat Hart shared their knowledge of the marine
world with passengers, while I was making an attempt to take images (PID) of
these Gray Whales, that might be of interest to researchers?

Crew of Captains Mat and Dave and Matt, did their usual stellar job!

John  

    
         
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