Twenty-Five Humpback Whales Feeding Alongside California Sea Lions

Clear skies overhead and choppy surface conditions greeted us during today's mid-day run aboard Sanctuary. Out in the open waters of Monterey Bay, we encountered a widespread feeding event involving twenty-five humpback whales working in close proximity with approximately sixty California sea lions.

These mixed-species feeding aggregations are a staple of Monterey Bay's summer ecology. As sea lions dive and compress schools of baitfish from below, humpbacks take advantage of the concentrated prey near the surface. Adding to the scene was a Black-footed albatross resting nearby—a pelagic wanderer that frequently patrols the edges of these active feeding grounds to scavenge scraps.

Southwest winds near ten knots built a steady chop across the surface, but clear atmospheric conditions allowed us to spot blow patterns across long distances. Water temperatures lingering around 63°F reflect the continuing seasonal productivity that draws these baleen whales into the bay each summer.

Observing multiple species utilize the same localized food source offers a clear look at the functional health of our pelagic ecosystem. It was a grounded and rewarding afternoon of natural history on the bay.