[CINC] Whale-watch IPCO March 15

[maria ornelas]

Hello Naturalists,

AM Trip:
	Small, scattered groups of Common Dolphins
	62 Passengers (~ 25 home-schoolers) and locals.
	AM & PM trips Naturalists: Maria & Larry Driscoll
	Captain Jimmy
	Crew: Andrea, Pancho

PM Trip:
4 Gray Whales
Small, scattered pods of Common Dolphins
Birds: cormorants, Brown pelicans, Sheer-water, Gebes
102 Passengers: Utah, (47 people from Agoura Hills Senior Cr)
	
	

In the morning, we left Ventura Harbor under overcast sky and cold wind. These conditions did not deter passengers, young and old, from having a good time. Three kids were asking a lot of ocean-related questions, like, "Do birds sleep? Can they sleep while they are flying? Their enthusiasm for the ocean was gratifying. They would have loved to see the whales, but  were thrilled when we encountered the dolphins. The ocean was calm, and it turned out to be an uneventful, yet beautiful, mellow trip.

The afternoon trip was very eventful, I had never seen anything like it. We again encountered dolphins & birds, but this time, the four Grays displayed very mature, passionate behavior. They courted and mated, turned and twisted, to their huge hearts content! Unabashed. The two whale-watching boats did not exist, we were not there. This rated R behavior went on for over an hour. It was actually quite comical, seeing the elderly passengers grin from ear to ear. Another unexpected day out in the Channel :)
   
Maria G. Ornelas
maria at rasnowpeak.com

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