Humpback Whales and Long-Beaked Common Dolphins Off Moss Landing

During our mid-day trip aboard Sanctuary, we encountered six humpback whales working the waters directly in front of Moss Landing. Despite a light chop on the surface, conditions allowed for excellent observations as the whales surfaced regularly near the shore.

Moving amongst the humpbacks was a pod of long-beaked common dolphins. These coastal cetaceans are well-adapted to shallow nearshore waters and frequently associate with humpbacks around the head of the Monterey Submarine Canyon, where upwelled nutrients aggregate dense schools of forage fish.

Observing these two species utilizing the same productive stretch of water offers a reliable window into the functional ecology of the bay. We left the animals surfacing steadily against the backdrop of the coastline before heading back in.