[CINC] IPCO 8/19

[garydel at aol.com]

Just the facts....

Humpbacks..........? Lots
Blues ..................? Lots divided by 3
Commons ...........? Lots times 20


As the PID guy, exhausted from the plethora of sightings yesterday and the logging thereof, I must say that I have NEVER seen so many whales in one place at one time. Position was maybe a mile or two north of the east end of San Miguel. Hump spy-hops and muggings off the bow; Hump and Blue flukings; triads of 2 males and 1 female Hump with males bellowing; a charming Blue mother and calf; some pec slapping; distant full breaches; an impressive field of whale poo (exceeded on the gross meter only by close encounters of the whale-breath kind)? ... etc. Oh yeah... four common dolphin pods? (the only thing modest this day...) with both feeding and nursery groups.

Shifting into naturalist mode... I asked the approx. 60 passengers, " So, how many whales do you think we saw altogether? "? Answers seemed to converge around 50 with a consensus that there were more Humps than Blues. 

Cathy Van Slyke made sure all passengers got the rundown on what they were seeing and Capt. Anthony and crew facilitated this very calm but overcast day with expert navigation, narrative and galley services.? No one got sick... all expectations exceeded as evidenced by one passenger's comment..."I took over 600 photos!"? As the PID guy I took only 90 shots.

Yes.... A great day indeed!

Gary Delanoeye
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