Simultaneous Humpback Lunge-Feeding and Orcas in Monterey Bay

Morning conditions brought light chop across Monterey Bay as we set out aboard Ocean Spirit. The highlight of the trip was a sustained feeding event where six to eight humpback whales engaged in simultaneous, non-stop lunge-feeding side by side for over an hour, working alongside approximately 200 California sea lions, brown pelicans, and gulls.

Lunge-feeding requires immense energy, as humpbacks engulf dense schools of forage fish near the surface using their expandable throat grooves. Seeing multiple whales surface together in such close proximity indicates a highly concentrated bait ball beneath the surface, where sea lions and diving birds help consolidate the fish from around and below.

Across our morning route, we logged a total of 13 humpback whales as well as a pod of six orcas moving through the area. Marine bird activity was equally robust, including 500 sooty shearwaters, 50 Brant’s cormorants, 20 common murres, and 10 brown pelicans capitalizing on the churned-up surface waters.

Events where multiple large whales coordinate feeding in such tight proximity offer a clear window into the rich biological productivity of the bay during the late summer.