[CINC] Condor, 19May,'13

[Kenneth A. Tatro]

Hi folks,

8 Humpbacks
2000 Common Dolphin

What a day! With Winds cranking up in the outter channel, Captain Dave informed the folk about to board that it might be a bit rough, and some did decide to pass on this trip. For those that did go, we had one of the best shows of Whale behavior to date.

About two miles out we encountered our first Humpback, who gave us a few flukes but was really not too interested in entertaining, rather on a mission to get from here to there.

Yet, with a little more cruising we came on another Humpback who was feeding at at bate ball along with some of the Common Dolphins. Here is where the show began, as this one was really into it circling and shallow diving, not showing much fluke. Then it began to come to the surface in some nice lunge feeding. It did this again and again. then near by we spotted two more at another school of fish doing the same. Dolphin were all over the place, and more whale pairs were attacking fish schools all over the place.

We went from one to the other, viewing side rolls, pec slapping, racing to chase the fish, and lunge after lunge after lunge feeding all day long. For the photographers on board, plenty of opportunity to get some nice lunge feeding shots. A Mola Mola was sited near by as were some jellies, and it became a challenge to decide where to look, as you were looking at one species the other was doing something spectacular.

All along the dolphin were cavorting with the boat and feeding. Dark patches of the sea all about showed the many schools of fish all around, including around the board. They were right at the surface, you could see them frantically darting about deep into the clear waters. Swish, swoop, splash, dolphin gulping prey her there and everywhere.

The Humpbacks were in it to the full, trumpeting, spy hopping, lung after, shallow dive, after lunge after horizontal race right up against the boat, as those fish that tried to use us for protection, lost out on that bet. With that very cool brush of whale along side the starboard bow, we also got a very nice and lingering whiff of whale breath.  We visited the whales, from school to school.

We gave the the folks the full experience.

The seas were not as severe as anticipated, yet that did not mean much as what was anticipated was to be big, and we intentionally did not go to the outter channel because of it. So we did have a few folks not happy with the motion of the ocean and taking up residence on the stern.

Captain Dave di his usual fine job of finding and guiding us to the whales. Crew was Brook in the galley, Rob and Mike the engineer.

Dino Dal bon was on PID joined in with Linda Taylor, for a full set of Naturalist on this trip.

A pretty nice day of WW.

Ken Tatro