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

[Clare Fritzsche]

FYI, we don't currently have a hand-held gps unit on the Speed Twin, so 
please touch base with the captain before the trip and find out how he 
would like to work with you to take the sightings coordinates.

Thanks! Clare

Marty Flam wrote:
>
> *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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-- 

Clare Fritzsche
Volunteer Administration
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Channel Islands National Park
Schedule for week of March 31:
MON, TUE, WED: 8am-4pm, Santa Barbara: (805) 966-7107 x366
THU: 9am-3pm, Oxnard: (805) 382-6149 x105
FRI: 8am-4pm, Santa Barbara: (805) 966-7107 x366 
Please call my cell phone if need be: (805) 729-0127
FAX: (805) 568-1582

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