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Trip Reports

Tour #4 Isla San Jose March 16

Hello whalewatchers,
Today started with a great sunrise at Punta Colorado on Isla San Jose. We took the group on a pre-breakfast skiff ride along the shoreline for about an hour and everyone thought it was worth getting up a little early for. After breakfast the group went ashore for a couple of hours and enjoyed the walk. After a quick break back at the boat, most people went snorkelling. The visibility is good and the water is now 70 degrees, which is six degrees warmer than last trip.
We had “Chuckwagon Burgers in Paradise” as we left Punta Colorado and went out searching for whales. We found a great big herd of common dolphins, a cow and calf Bryde’s whale and some other small baleen whales in the area. We spent most of our time during sunset with the dolphins, which was spectacular.
We are headed for Isla Catalina for the night and tomorrow morning.
Capt Art

2011-03-17T08:21:48-07:00March 17th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 Humpbacks!! March 15

Hello whalewatchers,
Here’s our mid-day report from the Gorda Banks area. We had great viewing of humpback whales all morning with all the classic behaviors associated with humpbacks. We started the day with a group of five whales and there were two in particular that breached several times. We have seen cows, calves and escorts multiple times with the calves breaching and flipper flapping. There have been times where every direction we looked, there were whales. It was an incredible morning. We put the cherry on top by stopping for 15 minutes with the hydrophone over the side. We had a great audio experience with multiple sounds coming from the humpbacks.
Oh and I forgot to mention we have calm conditions and it’s sunny and warm for a change, and dare I say it no wind!
More from Bahia Los Frailes later.
Capt Art

2011-03-15T20:39:13-07:00March 15th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 Bryde’s whales March 14

Hello whalewatchers,
We had a little slow period this afternoon where we didn’t see too much, but then we came across an area of bait fish on the surface. First we noticed the shearwaters feeding,  then we had great looks at a Bryde’s whale cow and calf. The ridges on the cow’s rostrum were very evident. Then we went a little further and came across a great big blue whale that we were able to track and we had some awesome close looks with perfect lighting, Then as a finale, the whale fluked right next to the boat! It doesn’t get much better than that.
The weather is good and we are looking forward to tomorrow where the forecast looks good as well.
Capt Art

2011-03-14T20:31:51-07:00March 14th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 BLUE whales! March 14

Hello whalewatchers,
Well we have had quite a morning already. It is only 9am and we have seen breaching humpbacks, a large herd of short-beaked common dolphin and two blue whales. They are all heading northwest so we haven’t really gone anywhere thus far, but we don’t mind!
The weather is good with a large ground swell that is very far apart and a light breeze from the northwest. Good enough conditions to work in today.
More later,
Capt Art

p.s. Photo is by Charles Howell of a surfacing blue whale, looking right down the blowholes. Notice the greenish water just below the surface? That’s the part of the whale still underwater.

2011-03-14T11:33:33-07:00March 14th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 More gray whales March 13

Hello whalewatchers,
Today we got an early start in the pangas. There was a little wind from the north that made it a little chilly and wet in the pangas but there are so many whales here that I don’t think anyone noticed that much. Great whale watching with a few close encounters on the first trip, but on the second and third trips, everyone had a close encounter with a whale. The wind persisted in the afternoon but not too bad and we sent two pangas with 15 people to the beach and they had a chance to look at a dead gray whale that has washed up on the beach. It is a 45 foot male and unfortunately mortality is part of nature. The walk on the beach was great with very few footprints and lots of shells.
The few people that went out for the last whale watch had a great trip seeing all the behaviors that  gray whales do–spyhopping, breaching, mating and a close encounter all in an hour.
Another magical stay in Laguna San Ignacio.
More tomorrow,
Capt Art

p.s. I took the attached photo of a dolphin escorting us out of the lagoon this afternoon.

2011-03-14T07:33:55-07:00March 14th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 Laguna San Ignacio gray whales

Hello whalewatchers:
Tday we entered Laguna San Ignacio and were greeted by several gray whales in the entrance. There are a lot of whales here!
Today was a classic day here with a light breeze from the north that diminshed mid-morning, and then swithced to a light breeze from the west after lunch. Everyone had a close encounter with a gray whale today and mostly it was with a cow and calf. Lots of fun was had by all today in the pangas.
We finished the day with an awesome sunset that couldn’t be missed.
More tomorrow,
Capt Art

2011-03-18T07:28:09-07:00March 12th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 Isla San Benito

Hello whalewatchers;
Today was a great day at San Benito – a skiff ride to look at the Guadalupe fur seals on the way into the beach, a great hike up to the lighthouse, and some time spent with the northern elephant seals. The weather was overcast with cool temperatures — just right for hiking.
After leaving the island we headed south and we saw a fin whale right away. We had some great looks including a perfect view of the lower right jaw that is white on a fin whale.
Lots of shearwaters and Cassin’s auklets too.
More tomorow from Laguna San Ignacio,
Capt Art

2011-03-14T07:37:08-07:00March 11th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 First day wrap-up March 10

Hello whalewatchers,
Our first day was great with some good sightings and excellent weather. Most of those sightings were before noon. After noon we saw several northbound gray whales, two more fin whales and a few common dolphins. We also saw a black-footed albatross.
Our weather is good with light winds and not much swell. We are looking forward to our day at Islas San Benito today.
More then,
Capt Art

2011-03-11T06:45:51-08:00March 11th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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Tour #4 Islas Todos Santos

Hello whalewatchers;
Well we haven’t gotten very far on our first day of trip #4. We keep getting stopped by wildlife!
We left Islas Todo Santos at around 8 am and we have only gone 15 miles and it is noon. We have seen long-beaked and short-beaked common dolphin, three blue whales, one fin whale and a group of six northbound gray whales north and a few other northbound gray whales. And I almost forgot all the usual sightings at Todos Santos–Pinnipeds, oystercatchers, peregrine falcons and nesting brown pelicans with chicks on the nest.
This is a great start to the trip and the weather is great with calm seas and wind and bright sunshine. We might be a little late arriving at Islas San Benito tomorow morning.
More later,
Capt Art

2011-03-12T21:55:49-08:00March 10th, 2011|Trip Reports|
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