[CINC] Capt. Don's Speed Twin April 3 Noon

[Marty Flam]

Capt. Don's Speed Twin 1200 April 3 Trip : an eclectic group of about 25  passengers. Calm seas, one Gray 5 min. out of SB Harbor, 10 min later a Minke, and several minutes later two semi-comatose ballerina or ballerino behaving Humps .97 miles out and west of  the Harbor atop 80 feet of crystal clear sea water.  At first these Humps were motionless, and the pecs were a radiant turquoise under the water.  This newbie thought it had tragically been trapped on some bad blue thing and drowned.  What clear sea water can do to a light Hump's wing, turning it deep turquoise.  As Sally speculates from her CX am, perhaps the Orcas to the east forced them within sight of "home.”  I thought our vessel, later vessels, were perceived as protectors against natural predators.  Do Orcas approach Humps alongside vessels?  Our Skipper Steve and his brother, First Mate Scott thought perhaps also the rumble of our engine kept the the Humps happy, as shutting her down
 seems to lead to an early departure.  After about half-hour, DD arrived to partake of these Humps which became  roused barely enough to spy-hop, swim on their backs, circle the boats, dive under the hulls, widen their nostrils almost enough to see down their trachea into their lungs, and share their unique exhalation, almost a mineral springs at sea.  Even when  entirely under water their entire bodies were visible. Amazingly flexible, they seemed able to bend like an inverted letter U.  After an hour they swam languidly to the west.  Steve guessed they might go a quarter mile and return to slumber land or whatever in the neighborhood.  One passenger took movies, another about a hundred digital photos;, they said they'd be up on YouTube within a few days.  I used my GPS as the whale kit's couldn't reach the satellites;  I left it at CINMS SB office for evaluation.  Trip at 0300 canceled, low booking.
 
Marty Flam 
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