[CINC] Condor X-8/1/12

[paul jr petrich]

Ocean and Island People,
2 Blue Whales >   18 Humpbacks > 7 Risso Dolphin > 1000 Common Dolphin.
 Captain Matt, back from a well deserved vacation, guided 86 passengers, myself, and PID Shirley Johnson to a seemingly unending show put on by fluke-happy Humpbacks and Blues! We went straight out to the gap between  SCI and SRI and stayed there viewing the total of 18 Humpbacks cruising and diving as they fed on krill, until it was time to start back after a visit to the Painted Cave. Shirley did not have a break at all in recording and taking photos while near the Gap. Many Humpbacks cruised with us in our direction and came right next to the boat. The nearby tail flukes provided by the diving Humpbacks were the most visible and close by I have witnessed in seven years with the CINC. Two large Blue whales joined in the show, and also provided awesome near- by tail flukes. They, too, lalligaged in our area: For over an hour.
 Our passengers were from all over the place: Arkansas, Sweden, Russia, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, Holland, Poland, and Canada, as well as Calif. They were all awestruck. Deckhands Denise and Kelly had no worries today about any of them becoming sea-sick, as the sea and winds were very calm.
 On the way out we saw the seven Rissos, also close by, and we got entertained three times by small pods of Common Dolphin. On our way back, within 5 miles of the Painted Cave, we had our largest encounter with playful Commons. On the way back we had a lot of questions about access to our CINP, and the new CINP newsletter, The Island Guide, was a big hit!  It is now stocked in  whale kits.  Paul Petrich
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