Twelve Humpback Whales Feeding in Calm Monterey Bay Waters

We experienced exceptionally calm sea conditions on the bay today, providing excellent visibility for our morning runs aboard Sanctuary. We encountered a total of twelve humpback whales actively feeding throughout the morning, with several individuals operating in close proximity.

The whales were focused on dense bait schoolings below the surface. Humpbacks in Monterey Bay during the summer months rely heavily on these nutrient-rich waters to forage on schooling fish, utilizing their baleen plates to filter massive quantities of food.

Across our morning trips, the calm water allowed us to track the animals easily by their prominent blows and the glassy surface patches left by their flukes, known as fluke prints.

Watching these twelve individuals work the bay under such quiet, glassy conditions is a reminder of how productive this marine sanctuary remains throughout the summer feeding season.