[CINC] IPCO S. Rosa & Afternoon Return Friday 07/17/09

[klez18 at sbcglobal.net]

2 Blues
6 Humpbacks
500 Common Dolphins

I had the pleasure of Susie Williams' help on our hike to SRI's Torrey Pines where we pondered seemingly everything including "Were those Dudleyas Munchkins?" (We hadn't reached East Point, I saw no yellow brick road, but it looked like Kathy d-O's photo to me) and "When do we get to the midden?"  
 
After wet skiff loading from Becher's Bay Beach at Water Canyon back onto IPCO's Island Adventure en route to Painted Cave, hard working Captains Jimmy, Lee and crew came upon, in the bumpy sweet spot several miles north of S. Cruz Island's west end, a caetaean banquet with some of the six Humpbacks lunge feeding on afternoon high water column krill, two massive Blues feasting on the same delicacies. Others dramatic hydro and aerokinetic animals present: Common Dolphins; many fast flapping Sooty, Pink-footed and Black-vented Shearwaters; and the intra and interspecific cleptoparasitic Larus occidentalis.
 
Turning back south, we traveled what seemed further into The Painted Cave than I recall before. Just after somebody pointed out the "400 year old swallows' nest" I saw Pigeon Guillemots flying into them (any comments?).
 
What a wonderful day.  I slept well last night.
 
Marty
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