Breaching Humpback Whales and Common Dolphin Super-Pods

We encountered a high concentration of humpback whales today, beginning just a mile outside the harbor. The highlight was a young male near Marina who performed a series of full-body breaches, launching his school-bus-sized frame entirely out of the water. Watching a juvenile test its strength like this offers a rare perspective on the sheer power these animals possess.

Further offshore, we located a pod of approximately 150 long-beaked common dolphins that has been frequenting the bay this week. They were engaged in a multi-species feeding event, surrounded by hundreds of diving brown pelicans and common murres. This type of surface activity often indicates a dense school of forage fish, like anchovies or sardines, being pushed toward the surface by the dolphins from below.

Our morning trip also included sightings of eight Pacific white-sided dolphins and a black-footed albatross, a pelagic bird that typically spends its life far out at sea. Despite the building northwest winds and a ten-foot swell, the visibility remained excellent, allowing us to spot white water from the dolphin pod on the horizon.

Seeing these animals interact within the complex ecosystem of the Monterey Canyon is a reminder of the bay's productivity. It was a privilege to share these sights with our guests, including a visiting bachelorette party, on such a dynamic day at sea.