[CINC] condor X 10-7-09

[Keith Grey Hale]

It was a great trip. Only 18 passengers so it felt like a privet charter. Being that it was just a dolphin trip it felt very relaxed.

We saw 25 Pacific white sided dolphins just a few minutes out of the harbor.

Common dolphins maybe 2,000 in two pods

Risso's dolphins more then 20.
And the best for last 50 or so Dall's Porpoise they hung around for about 10 minute it was the closest look I have ever had. Not more then 10 feet from the Condor. I could see there faces I was very surprised it was very close to the drawing in my feld guide. At one point we sped up to catch them and as the Condor slowed down about ten came racing up from the stern, I really got a sense of how fast they can swim. All I can say is WOW!! I even got to hear the way they blow so much different then the rest of small cetaceans I have seen.

Then we saw one Blue whale he/she must have been hurngy the cycle was 2 blowes and down for 15 minutes. We never got a good look but Captain Dave said it looked a bit on the skinny side. It just felt good to know that they are still around.
Thanks Captain Dave and crew.
Thanks Gary D. for your support as my fellow naturalist.
I am blessed and it just gets better and better.
Keith Hale


 		 	   		  
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