[CINC] 3:00 PM condor trip 3-22

[Larry Driscoll]

All, I am posting this for Steffanie Wise who became out newest certified member of the Naturalist Corps. yesterday.  Please give her a warm welcome when you see her on the boats.


It was a beautiful afternoon on the Condor today March 22, 2013! 

Sightings:
5 Gray Whales
~650 Common Dolphins
3 Sea Lions

Captain Mike and crew lead a group of college students from Bakersfield College out on the water today for the afternoon outing.  We had CINC volunteers Larry Driscoll, Sally Eagle, and myself, Steffanie Wise for my certification trip.  Visibility was about 10 nautical miles with a three foot swell.  We started off the trip with a single gray whale heading up the coast where we came across 3 sea lions feeding among a group of western gulls and about 6 California Brown Pelicans.  Later we spotted another gray whale heading in the same direction.  Then a group of 4 juvenile gray whales was spotted that swam along side the boat for a good twenty minutes or so at about 100-200 yards.  The passengers were very excited to see a large pod of roughly 650 common dolphins, riding the bow waves and swimming in from the horizon.  Overall, it was a very sunny and educational trip! The students asked very insightful questions and expressed how they would love
 to come back for the Humpbacks and Blue Whales.  :)

Steffanie Wise
 
Larry Driscoll
larry.driscoll at sbcglobal.net
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