Emma's Orca Pod and Humpback Whales in the Canyon

Our morning run aboard Sanctuary took us out to the windy, choppy outer edge of the Monterey Canyon, where we encountered Emma’s pod of ten killer whales. This well-known family group consists of mammal-hunting specialists, often seen in the bay during the spring. While we tracked their movements along the canyon's north edge, a large male humpback whale unexpectedly surfaced right in front of the vessel, a dramatic contrast to the stealthy orcas.

Emma's pod specializes in hunting marine mammals, particularly gray whale calves navigating the coast. In today's rough, 54°F waters, their coordinated movements demonstrate the tight social bonds of these apex predators. Shortly after leaving the pod, we observed a humpback mother and calf, a vulnerable pair that typically keeps a low profile when mammal-eating killer whales are in the vicinity.

Our offshore transit also yielded a small pod of fifteen Risso's dolphins navigating the whitecaps, while a solitary black-footed albatross sheared through the wind. Closer to the canyon rim, we recorded forty California sea lions, a salmon shark, and a single sea otter resting near the kelp line as we neared the harbor.

Operating in a 15-knot northwest wind reminds us of the physical forces that drive this bay. The chop and swell may challenge our footing, but the upwelling it represents is the very lifeblood of the canyon.