Captain's Log

We began our day aboard Sanctuary under calm, glassy morning conditions just outside the harbor, where we were immediately met by a massive, highly active pod of over two thousand long-beaked common dolphins. The sheer volume of dolphins, accompanied by several humpback whales feeding nearby, created a remarkable spectacle close to shore.

During our mid-day departure, joined by students from Camp Sea Lab, we observed humpbacks engaging in energetic lunge-feeding. This behavior occurs when whales engulf large volumes of prey-laden water, using their expandable throat pleats to filter out small schooling fish. A feeding frenzy of fifty California sea lions and three Risso's dolphins was also present, capitalizing on the dense bait balls beneath the surface.

By afternoon, the northwest winds picked up to over 21 knots, creating choppy seas. While the rougher conditions shortened our final run, the change in weather coincided with a dramatic shift in behavior; we observed multiple humpback whales breaching and tail-slapping repeatedly through the swell.

Observing how these animals adapt their behaviors—from systematic feeding in the morning calm to high-energy surface displays as the afternoon wind rises—is a constant reminder of the dynamic nature of Monterey Bay.

Our morning departure aboard Sanctuary departed into exceptionally calm, glassy conditions today, which set the stage for an extraordinary encounter. Not far into the bay, we came across a group of five humpback whales. A few of these individuals began swimming directly toward us, eventually lingering right alongside our vessel in what is colloquially known as a "mugging."

When humpback whales approach a stationary vessel this closely, they are demonstrating a keen, self-directed curiosity. With the water so still, we could clearly observe their massive pectoral fins and head tubercles just beneath the surface as they slowly turned and blew right next to the boat, showing a calm awareness of our presence.

This single morning trip provided our passengers and crew with an unhurried, up-close look at these giant baleen whales in their natural habitat. Spending quiet time with these five individuals under such pristine sea conditions is a poignant reminder of the rich life that thrives just off our coast.

Operating in the stiff northwest winds that frequently sweep across the bay in July, our trips aboard Sanctuary today encountered challenging but rewarding conditions. The highlight was a single humpback whale utilizing the rough, choppy seas to its advantage, actively surfing down the faces of the large swells. This dynamic behavior is a remarkable display of these massive animals using the surface energy of the water to conserve effort while traveling.

Alongside this surfing whale, we observed a highly active multi-species gathering. Approximately 250 long-beaked common dolphins and 200 California sea lions were working the surface waters, likely targeting schools of small coastal pelagic fish. Interestingly, the historic vessel Western Flyer was also out in the bay, sharing the water with this concentrated group of feeding marine mammals.

Across our morning, mid-day, and afternoon departures, the elements remained consistently demanding. Buoy 46042 near the canyon rim recorded sustained northwest winds of 21.4 knots and a cool water temperature of 59.9°F. Navigating these rough seas required patience, but the high activity level of the five humpbacks we tracked throughout the day kept our focus sharp.

Days like today remind us that Monterey Bay is a wild, highly productive environment. Even when the wind picks up and the surface turns white with foam, the resident wildlife continues its daily routines of feeding and traveling, entirely at home in the chop.

Our afternoon run aboard Sanctuary took a compelling turn just as we were wrapping up. We received a radio call reporting killer whales near the mile buoy. Upon arrival, we encountered nine orcas from the well-known CA50 pod, including recognizable individuals Orion, Star, and Bumper, actively feeding on sea lions.

This particular matriline of transient, or mammal-eating, killer whales is known for its highly coordinated hunting strategies. Watching these apex predators work in unison in the choppy waters provides a clear look at their cooperative foraging behavior. The presence of Orion, Star, and Bumper—individuals we have documented in these waters for years—highlights the consistency of these family groups within the Monterey Bay ecosystem.

Conditions on the bay were challenging, with a stiff northwest wind blowing at 21.4 knots and rough, building seas. Earlier days trips, we also observed four humpback whales holding just offshore. These baleen whales traveled steadily through the whitecaps, keeping close to the coast to avoid the heavier swells further out.

Days like today remind us of the raw, unpredictable nature of the bay. Even when the weather turns rough, the intersection of these powerful marine predators and massive baleen whales just outside the harbor offers a humbling glimpse into the active food webs of this marine sanctuary.

On our mid-day run aboard Meridian, we bypassed our recent search areas to the north after receiving a tip from land. Just a mile off the Cement Ship, we encountered a group of eight humpback whales engaged in a highly energetic vertical surface lunge-feeding event.

Vertical lunge-feeding is a coordinated feeding strategy where whales push straight up through schooling forage fish, engulfing massive quantities of water and prey in their expandable throat grooves before filtering it through their baleen plates. Seeing this intense behavior so close to the shoreline is always a remarkable demonstration of the bay's productive nearshore ecosystem.

After watching the feeding event, we navigated into shallower waters nearby—an area known for seasonal juvenile white shark activity. Under a light chop, we successfully located two six-foot white sharks swimming slowly through the shallows, bringing our total sightings for the afternoon to ten humpback whales and two sharks.

This transition from deep-water cetaceans to nearshore predators highlights the dynamic nature of Monterey Bay. It serves as a reminder that these animals do not follow human schedules, and our success often relies as much on community collaboration as it does on our own eyes on the water.

On our mid-day trip aboard Sanctuary, we navigated a light northwest chop to find a highly active feeding frenzy at the area locally known as the "shark park." Here, we observed twelve humpback whales aggressively lunge-feeding on a dense bait ball, their massive ventral pleats expanding as they broke the surface to engulf seawater and prey.

This energetic multi-species feeding event also drew in a pod of approximately two hundred long-beaked common dolphins. Humpbacks and common dolphins often exploit the same bait schools; the fast-moving dolphins help corral the fish near the surface, which inadvertently sets up the perfect opportunity for the whales to lunge through the concentrated bait ball.

In addition to the high-energy feeding activity, we were fortunate to get clear looks at three harbor porpoises. Harbor porpoises are among the shyest cetaceans in Monterey Bay, typically avoiding vessels and appearing only briefly as small, dark shapes that slice through the water without the dramatic surface behavior of their dolphin cousins.

With the water temperature holding at 60.1°F and clear skies overhead, today's encounter offered a perfect window into the complex food webs that make the Monterey Canyon such a productive ecosystem during the summer months.

Under remarkably calm, glassy conditions on Monterey Bay, our morning departure aboard Sanctuary was treated to a striking contrast in cetacean behavior. We observed fifteen humpback whales resting quietly at the surface alongside a highly energetic pod of approximately two hundred long-beaked common dolphins.

The humpbacks were in a state of rest often referred to as "logging," floating motionless in the 60.3°F water with only their blowholes and upper backs exposed. This slow, energy-conserving state contrasted sharply with the nearby common dolphins, which were actively feeding on schools of northern anchovies, their movements churning the flat surface as they worked together to corral the baitfish.

As we drifted quietly in the light 3.9-knot westerly breeze, a subgroup of the dolphin pod detached to ride our bow wave. This bow-riding behavior is a common social and energy-efficient activity for these smaller delphinids, utilizing the pressure wave created by Sanctuary's hull to glide effortlessly through the water.

Observing these two species side-by-side highlights the diverse ecological strategies at play in the bay. While the dolphins utilized the calm morning to hunt actively, the humpbacks chose the same quiet conditions to conserve their energy, reminding us of the balanced rhythms of life in these rich canyon waters.

Under clear skies and comfortable summer conditions, our morning and mid-day runs aboard Sanctuary were highlighted by the sight of eight humpback whales actively vertical lunge-feeding. We observed several individuals breaking the surface vertically with their mouths wide open, engulfing large volumes of water and prey.

Vertical lunge-feeding is a highly coordinated, energetic feeding strategy. Humpbacks use their expandable throat grooves, or ventral pleats, to balloon their mouths around schools of small forage fish. Seeing them propel their massive bodies straight up through the water column requires immense power and precise timing.

Conditions on the bay were favorable today, with a light west-northwest wind of 9.7 knots and a gentle 5.2-foot swell at a 9-second period. The water temperature hovered at 60.3°F. Across both the morning and mid-day departures, the combination of a light chop and clear visibility made it easy to spot the whales' tall blows and follow their feeding patterns.

Observing these large baleen whales feeding so dynamically close to the surface is a reminder of the rich productivity of the Monterey Canyon. It is always a privilege to watch these seasoned ocean travelers during their summer feeding season.

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.

Our morning departure aboard Sanctuary encountered exceptionally calm, glassy waters, providing ideal conditions for tracking a pod of nine killer whales just outside the harbor. As the first vessel on the water at 8:00 a.m., we spent nearly an hour alone with these apex predators as they hunted California sea lions. The group included the well-known adult males "Jimmy" and "Bumper," who exhibited highly coordinated predatory behavior, at one point pursuing a sea lion that attempted to use our stationary hull as shelter.

This close-quarters encounter offered a clear look at the tactical intelligence of mammal-eating killer whales. When hunting, these family groups rely on stealth and sudden, cooperative bursts of speed. Later, during our mid-day trip, we located the same pod and observed a distinct shift in their behavior. The predatory focus gave way to social and play states, with the whales engaging in repetitive breaching and tail-slapping across the flat surface of the bay.

The calm conditions persisted into the afternoon, with water temperatures holding at 59.5°F and virtually no wind. On our final run, we shifted focus to the canyon edge where we encountered six humpback whales. The whales were actively lunge-feeding on a dense bait ball of anchovies, working alongside California sea lions to corral the school near the surface.

Observing both the apex predators and the baleen whales exploiting different trophic levels in a single day highlights the immense seasonal productivity of the Monterey Submarine Canyon. It is a grounded reminder of how quickly energy moves through this temperate marine ecosystem when conditions align.