[CINC] Condor--June 20

[Barbara Hilburn]

Hi,

4 Blue Whales
2 Humpbacks
2000 Common Dolphins
Lots of sea lions

Capt. Mat (with crew Matt and Dennis and photoman Bob) snatched "victory from the jaws of defeat" by going 15 extra miles west of San Miguel to encounter
Rope Humpback (multiple times) and one other unnamed humpback as well as 4 blue whales. Humpbacks were fluking (and nothing else), and even the blues
showed a few flukes.  All whales were intent on business, eating krill of wall-like density (to paraphrase Capt. Mat) about 300' below the surface. 

Naturalists Sally E. (PID) and Natalie S joined me, along with passengers from Holland, Austrailia, and England, as well as from various parts of the USA.
Waves of 3-5' and wind produced a number of sick passengers who, nevertheless, were delighted to finally encounter the whales.

It was a pleasure serving with the "birds".*

Barbara Hilburn

*S. Eagle and N. Swan
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.rain.org/pipermail/channel_islands_naturalist_corps/attachments/20120620/d0694661/attachment.html>