Humpback Whale Calves and Bow-Riding Dolphins Offshore

Our mid-day trip aboard Sanctuary encountered a highly active young humpback whale calf near the edge of the Monterey Canyon. The calf put on an impressive display of surface behaviors, breaching, pectoral-slapping, tail-lobbing, and rolling over its mother's back, all while surrounded by a mixed school of Pacific white-sided and Risso's dolphins.

This energetic behavior from such a young calf is often a way to develop motor skills and strengthen muscles, though it also serves as a form of communication within the pod. The presence of Risso's and Pacific white-sided dolphins interacting in a mixed group is a common sight over the canyon, where deep-water currents bring abundant nutrients to the surface, attracting diverse marine life.

Earlier in the day, our morning run navigated through a thick fog under calm seas, where we observed five humpbacks, including another mother and calf pair offshore, and a few individuals feeding just outside the harbor. Over both trips, we logged twelve humpback whales, fifty California sea lions, and a pair of southern sea otters resting in the calmer nearshore waters.

With water temperatures holding steady at 57°F and light northwest winds, the bay remains highly productive. It is always a privilege to observe these maternal bonds and multi-species interactions in such a concentrated area.