[CINC] Trip on the Islander 3-15

[Larry Driscoll]

I am posting this for Mike Siminski.  He and Maura Jacobs both passed their certification yesterday!  Please give them a warm welcome when you see them on the boats!


Whale Watch Report


Trip Date: March 15, 2013 (two whale watching trips)
Trip Time 9:30am

Island Packers Ventura
Vessel: Islander
Boat Crew: Captain Dave, Luke, Lisa

CINMS Volunteer Corp.: Mentor Larry Driscoll, Maura Jacobs (certifying AM trip), Mike Siminski (shadow trip)

The boat was close, if not full to capacity with  passengers (included were 60 elementary school students and 10 challenged high school students, both groups on a field trip)


The trip started with a viewing of a large number of California Sea Lions hauled out on a dock near the Island Packers departure dock. Our next sighting was two large Steller Sea Lions haled out on a buoy just outside the harbor entrance. We came across a micro pod of Common Dolphin out in deeper waters. Later that trip we found three slow moving Gray Whales within a ¾ mile area. They were all moving erratically, and we weren’t quite sure where they would pop up next.   


-Second trip of the day:

Trip time 1:30pm
Island Packers Ventura
Vessel: Islander
Boat Crew: Captain Dave, Luke, Lisa

CINMS Volunteer Corp.: Mentor Larry Driscoll, Mike Siminski (certifying PM trip) 

The boat had approximately 60-70 passengers (included were 35-40 UCSB Graduate student/teachers studying Marine Science) 

While talking to some of the students, we found out that the students were given a choice, to have an exam, or to go on a whale watching trip. (Easy choice I would think)

Again we sighted two Steller Sea Lions on the same buoy just outside the harbor entrance. Then we came across a group of Common Dolphin.  Later that trip Captain Dave found the Ranger 85 vessel stopped viewing a threesome of Grey Whales. We approached and observed the whales for several hours as they were engaged in the act of mating.  One student asked me about the “pink organ” she had witnessed.

Both trips were very exciting. I look forward to experiencing more trips like this in the future.   

 
Larry Driscoll
larry.driscoll at sbcglobal.net
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