[CINC] CX Sunday, Sept. 14

[Mary Bucholtz]

6 blues
800+ common dolphins
~ 25 happy passengers

A select and enthusiastic group of passengers and a crack team of 
volunteers including Alexa Mutti and Barbara LaCorte (PID) made for a 
wonderful day of viewing. Captain Dave did a great job finding the 
blues--we spent an hour and a half between the islands with two pairs of 
blues as well as two individuals. Fabulous sightings, including some racing 
behavior and one exciting tail fluke. A passenger got a beautifully clear 
photo of one whale's ventral pleats.

We rounded things off with an enjoyable visit to Painted Cave just as the 
sun was coming out, and on our way home we were greeted by a large pod of 
Dc's, with adorable football-sized calves in tow. The passengers--several 
from Ireland, Scotland, England, and Santa Barbara--were very appreciative 
of our information. One man from Ireland made a point of telling all three 
volunteers that we had made his trip and he wouldn't have understood 
anything he was seeing without our help!

Mary Bucholtz