[CINC] Condor, Friday, Oct. 26

[Scott Cuzzo]

5 blues
two groups of commons
a jellyfish

 >>>>>>>>>>

A beautiful day on the Condor with Marty Flam, Marilyn Dannehower  
(Photo ID) and Scott Cuzzo found 5 blues and two groups of commons.   
Out near the gap, we first found one smaller blue that we had passed  
and turned around to go back for.  After some nice views, we moved  
ahead towards other spouts in the distance.  We came upon our second  
blue whale, which was lighter in color and larger in size.  We got  
even closer views this time.  After viewing this second whale a bit,  
the first whale came charging up to this second whale in hot  
pursuit.  The first whale was probably a male, the second one a  
female.  When the first whale got near the second whale the head  
mostly came out of the water, giving us a better than typical view of  
the usual feeding or traveling blue whale.  Probably, or possibly,  
these two whales mated as they swirled and rolled around at the  
surface.  Nothing graphic to report though.  :(

After this, we found two blues together, and then a fifth and final  
whale, solo.  The final whale gave us a pretty good jolt of  
excitement, as it surfaced about 10-15 yards from the bow of the  
boat.  Quite spectacular to see this big beauty surface so close to  
the boat.

All in all everyone got lots and lots of great views of blue whales  
today, and two encounters with groups of commons, which never, ever  
cease to delight.

On the way home I observed a lot of bottlenose dolphin all along the  
coast from Carp. to Ventura.  When nearing Ventura I did notice a  
very distinct "current flow" paralleling the shore, in fairly close  
which seemed to be the "freeway" the dolphins were following.  I  
haven't seen many bottlenose near the shore for a while, and then  
today the whole coast seemed to be lined with them, plus this  
distinct current.  Worth noting, I thought.

Happy sightings!

Scott Cuzzo

Krill factiod: A large group of krill is called a "plague".