[CINC] IPCO Vanguard AM-PM, New Years eve, 31 Dec.,'12

[Kenneth A. Tatro]

Hi Folks,

AM
3 grays (Er) 
Small pods of Common Dolphin (Dd)
Sea Lions
Brown Pelican
Western Gull
Cormorants
Osprey, 1, (nicely perched on top of the crane at Anacapa)


PM
Medium pod of Common Dolphin (Dd) ~ 800
	Very Active and fast moving
Sea Lions
Brown Pelican
Western Gull
Cormorants


A beautiful crisp and very clear day on calm seas greeted the folks for both runs. Swell got to about 1-2 ft mid afternoon and then quieted down. Very nice.

The morning run gave us scattered small groups of Common Dolphin, basically having fun and then coming over to the boat to ride the bow and stern waves and wake. Folks enjoyed this greatly.

Later we had our first sighting of the Grays, with one moving fast paced, for a Gray, steadily heading east. We think it was a female, being it is so early in our season of the southern trek, and the quick pace it consistently set. She was quite likely pregnant and on a mission to get to the Baja Lagoons to birth out her calf.

She gave us very good looks as she surfaced and generously showed her fluke with each dive. This thrilled the folks with many a Ooooo and ahhhh in common chorus.

Visiting Anacapa up close, we were treated to the sighting of the Osprey on the very top of the Crane structure, above Landing Cove, nicely scoping it all out. 

Folks from China, Belgium were among the very full run in the morning. 

The afternoon run was less productive of cetaceans, however we did come on this very active medium size pod of Common Dolphin. Then well into our nice viewing session, they abruptly, up and took off, heading north west. We were not sure if it was for a school of fish, reported by their scouts, or perhaps Orca were nearby, and it was time to get outta here, as we had evidence of neither. Yet it gave the folks quite a show, as a grand finale of the session, with many Dd getting good air time and torrents of splashes, and rooster tails, as they tore trough the water for their distant destination.

Views of the islands were fantastic, crisp and clear, with the them greening up nicely, and the afternoon sunset gave the folks another rich taste of our beautiful Santa Barbara Channel.

Folks from Bombay, India, France and L.A. were among the full run in the afternoon. 

Sally Narkevic was my side kick Naturalist in the morning run, then it was a solo run for yours truly, on the afternoon run.

Captain Jason did is always fine job of getting us there, with Joel and Paul filling in for crew and galley tasks. 

It never gets old.

Ken Tatro

	Gentle winds, mellow seas, and always,
		     	… a fresh breath of salty air, ... to ya.

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