Long-Beaked Common Dolphins and Humpback Whales in Monterey Bay

A large aggregation of approximately 850 long-beaked common dolphins highlighted our morning departure into Monterey Bay, moving steadily through a noticeable shift in offshore conditions.

Surface water temperatures recorded at the canyon buoy hovered near 65°F, characteristic of the late-season warm water that long-beaked common dolphins frequently favor along this coastline. Herds of this size regularly coalesce over the canyon edges, using coordinated movements to monitor and corral schools of small baitfish in open water.

Conditions were markedly different from recent calm stretches, with north-northwest winds around 14 knots building a lumpy, long-period swell. Working through the chop aboard Sanctuary, we also tracked five humpback whales as they surfaced between steady feeding dives in the middle bay.

Autumn transitions along the central California coast often bring these sudden shifts in sea state. Seeing hundreds of delphinids effortlessly pace a building swell is a reliable reminder of how readily these animals navigate changing offshore environments.