Humpback Cow-Calf Pair and Seabirds Off Moss Landing

Calm surface conditions off Moss Landing set the stage for an active mid-day trip aboard Sanctuary, where we logged nine humpback whales. The highlight of the run was an encounter with a curious cow-calf pair that approached and lingered near the vessel, offering a close look at the calf's easy movements beside its mother.

Elsewhere in the area, humpbacks displayed pronounced surface activity, repeatedly executing tail throws and lifting their fifteen-foot pectoral fins clear of the water. Just beyond, thousands of gulls and pelicans formed a dense flock over a massive bait ball, actively plunge-diving on the schooling fish being concentrated from below.

We also noted a steady seasonal development on the water: common murre chicks have begun arriving on the bay with their fathers. The high-pitched locating calls between the male murres and their young chicks are growing more noticeable each day as the fledglings continue their post-colony development.

Observing these seasonal shifts alongside calm seas and active cetaceans made for a productive, grounded afternoon on the bay.