Saturday, September 19, 2026
Our afternoon departure aboard Sanctuary encountered rough, windy conditions across Monterey Bay, with northwest winds over twenty knots building a steep chop. Despite the swell, we settled into an expansive aggregation of roughly forty humpback whales actively lunge-feeding and breaching, accompanied at the surface by an estimated five hundred California sea lions.
The tone on the water changed instantly when the sea lions abruptly panicked and scattered across the surface. Moments later, three Bigg's killer whales surfaced alongside the vessel: adult male Jimmy (CA50B), accompanied by Andi and calf Astrid. The group was actively hunting. Transient killer whales rely on acoustic stealth to surprise marine mammal prey, and the sudden stampede of several hundred pinnipeds gave immediate away their presence before the dorsal fins broke the chop.
Without us needing to search, the trio stayed close alongside our heading, working the waters and effectively escorting us as we made our way back toward Moss Landing. Observing known individuals like CA50B maneuver so effortlessly through rough canyon waters is always a humbling reminder of their mastery over this environment.