Three Sleeping Humpback Whales in Glassy Waters

On this quiet July morning, the bay was exceptionally still, with glassy, near-windless conditions and water temperatures holding at 59.5°F. Just off Aptos, we encountered three humpback whales resting at the surface, a behavior often referred to as "logging" due to how motionless the whales appear.

Unlike humans, cetaceans are voluntary breathers and must remain conscious to breathe. When resting, they shut down one hemisphere of their brain at a time while keeping the other alert enough to control breathing and monitor their surroundings. These three individuals floated quietly, their dark backs breaking the surface occasionally as they exhaled in soft, low blows.

Operating on our morning trip aboard Sanctuary, the lack of wind—measured at just 1.9 knots at the canyon buoy—made it easy to track the whales without disturbing them. We kept a respectful distance, drifting with the engines in neutral, allowing our passengers to hear the slow, rhythmic respirations echoing across the flat water.

Observing whales in this state is a reminder of the quiet, daily rhythms of marine life that occur just beyond the surf line. It is a privilege to witness these large mammals in such a vulnerable, peaceful state before they resume their active feeding cycles.