Monday, October 26, 2026
Dolphins Lead Sanctuary to a Comp Group
After several days of a handful of whales taking exceedingly long dives, today's midday passengers were treated to an extravaganza.
Having explored the northeast and west on the morning trip, Captain Joey plotted a southwestern course for the day's second cruise. Long-beaked common dolphins were in sight within the first half hour. Within the larger pod, were rambunctious infants bursting into the air alongside their mothers. Monterey Bay waters were incredibly clear today and we could see layers of dolphins swerving in and out, swimming beside the boat.
Moving further to the south, we spotted more dolphins breaking the water in the distance. Risso's dolphins are unusual looking for a variety of reasons. They are robust and reach thirteen feet, making them one of the largest dolphins. A rounded head and tall dorsal fin stand out. Finally, born dark grey, they lighten with age and scarring from their prey's tentacles. These Risso's remained calm, surfacing and shallow diving while we passed by, intrigued by several blows up ahead.
We approached six humpbacks that were moving aggressively. One repeatedly lifted its tubercled rostrum, slapping it back down as it jockeyed for position next to a larger whale. We heard trumpet blows as the agitated, powerful mammals appeared to be jostling, ramming and racing one another. This is comp behavior - males competing for access to a female - and can last for hours. These displays usually take place in the humpback breeding grounds of Mexico and Central America. Seeing these impressive behaviors here is rare. We stayed with this group as long as possible, but after two breaches had to depart for port.
Surprisingly, we were still to see one more species of dolphin! A couple of miles in, a jubilant display of breaching, porpoising, chin-slapping and tail-lobbing headed towards us from the north. A few minutes with this group of around two hundred Delphinus delphis, short-beaked common dolphins, demonstrated that this smaller common can be even more acrobatic than the long-beaked commons.
Today's trips underscore the time-honored whale watching adage, "no two trips are alike." As the humpback season nears its end, we look forward to more unique encounters in the amazing Monterey Bay.