[CINC] Condor 7-28

[garydel at aol.com]

?Sorry for the late report; it took me up to this moment to count all the common dolphins we saw!? But first, just the facts.? The blue whale count totals either five or six with two encounters of two each about an hour apart in the usual location.? Two or three additional blue whales were spotted at a distance at about 1015.? These were not approached as they were the subject of a small research vessel with whom Captain Dave did not want to interfere.? The blues were feeding well under the surface where they stayed for about eight minutes between shows and blows.? Surface time demonstrated three or four breathing cycles before the next dive.


Onto the Dolphins.? The first modest pod was sighted at 1030 with a larger and more scattered pod encountered 10 minutes later.? At 1107 another pod crossed our path and then, after that, we were constantly in the presence of common dolphins in small to moderate size groups.? After the first three sightings, most of the 75 passengers didn't bother to get up to look at them anymore, and Captain Dave stopped announcing their presence. Today, these popular critters truly earned their name... common.

Good conditions, a clearing sky at about noon and cheerful appreciative passengers from near and far.


Gary Delanoeye
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