[CINC] Condor Express Sat July 20

[Susan Kline]

If I may be a bit subjective about July 20 on the Condor Express, I can best describe the day with “wow!”
Among the approximate 60 passengers from varied locales (including Sweden, England, Germany and  US states of New York, Iowa, Texas in addition to California) was an Inuit native with her family and the United Kingdom’s diplomat to Saudi Arabia with his wife. 
All had their appetite stimulated for what was to come by a smaller pod of common dolphins and then a single humpback that was on a travelling mission. That humpback teased us with “almost but not quite” tail flukes as we cruised along with it.
Captain Mat was confident that we would find more whales by heading toward the islands where sightings have been successful over the last few trips. Shortly after approaching a mega pod of common dolphins, three humpbacks were spotted…one single and a pair. To the delight of all, we caught the interest of the pair which mugged us to the max.  Beside the Condor, under the Condor, heads up in unison looking at the Condor and the humans on board.  As the pair made interesting angled turns…people scrambled to the port, starboard, bow, stern to catch their next appearance when we would be looking right down into whale blowholes.  Several times we saw interesting  lines of bubbles produced as the pair repeatedly went under us. (If you have experienced this or can even imagine it, you understand the “wow”.)
After a great time with the humpbacks, passengers got to experience entrance into the painted cave before we headed back from a dazzling trip. There was such a positive energy felt by all thanks to Captain Mat, Eric, Tasha and all involved on the Condor. It was a pleasure to represent the CINC along with naturalists… the experienced Morgan as PID and the enthusiastic Maura (who even received well-deserved written praise on a Condor comment card). 
Happily…and yes, emotionally reporting ,
Susan Kline
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