[CINC] CX, WW - 5/3/12

[John Kuizenga]

Here are the numbers:

500 Commons (many babies)
4 Orca  (one large male, three females, one juvenile) Also, 4 other Orca
several miles away
2 Humpbacks (mom and calf)
2 Gray Whale Cow/Calf Pairs

Small (20) but enthusiastic and engaging group from all over the country and
at least one foreign country (Germany). As we departed the slip and headed
into the harbor channel had good looks at three Harbor Seal and one rather
emaciated (protruding ribs) Sea Lion, resting on the  wire mesh over the
bait barge tanks.  

The plan was to head for the Painted Cave Area looking for Humpbacks,
however at mid-channel Capt. Mat received a call from Capt. Anthony
(Islander) notifying him of Orca in his area, so we immediately head east
about twenty miles to an area just north of the Northbound Shipping Lane. In
route we encountered a large group of commons moving rapidly to the West.
At this point we are about six miles off (north of) Middle and West Anacapa
where we encountered the four Orca, while Anthony was several miles north of
us, following four others. The group we followed consisted of one large male
and three females, one a juvenile with cream colored eye and saddle patches.
At first we thought they were playing and then realized they were feeding
(perhaps some training taking place?) on either a Sea Lion or judging from
the speed of the Commons vacating the area, it could have been one of them?
We did note the eviscerated intestines of the prey floating near the CX.
Was able to capture over a hundred images of this group, which will
hopefully be of value to researchers.

During our journey south we noted FLIP the Scripps Oceanographic Institute's
oceanographic ³vessels² being towed south just off the east end of SCI, at
San Pedro Point. Before heading back to SB Harbor, Mat headed Southwest
close to SCI, giving the passengers a close up of SCI  between Little
Scorpion Anchorage and Coche Pt.(near Chinese Harbor), even entering Potato
Harbor for a few moments. From here we started across the channel with a
pretty good breeze at our port beam, when we encountered a Humpback mom and
calf, feeding in tandem turning in multiple directions as they fed.  Nice
fluking by mom, but I¹m still waiting for a good fluke shot of a MN calf.

While it was a bit breezy there was little swell and only a few people seem
to be a little queasy.  After four days of gloomy weather the sun was
welcome by all!  

Our last cetacean encounter of the day was 2 pair of mom/calf Grays heading
West, right at the harbor entrance.  We watched for a few minutes then
ducked into the harbor, which concluded a very productive day, with many
happy passengers.  

Capt¹s Mat and Dave, along with crew of Matt, did there usual capable job
and Naturalist Rae Emmett and myself represented the Naturalist Corps.

John       


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