Captain's Log

Our morning departure aboard Sanctuary was met with calm, glassy seas wrapped in a thick layer of Monterey Bay fog. As we navigated the quiet waters, we were fortunate to encounter three distinct pods of killer whales, totaling roughly twenty individuals. These transient, mammal-hunting orcas were interacting directly with humpback whales, a high-energy behavior that always commands respect and close observation.

Transient orcas, or Bigg's killer whales, are apex predators that frequently travel through the Monterey Canyon. When they cross paths with adult humpbacks, the interactions can range from cautious avoidance to active, vocal skirmishes, as humpbacks are one of the few species known to actively interfere with orca hunting behavior. Following these intense dynamics, a pair of humpbacks approached our vessel, spending several quiet minutes exploring Sanctuary at close range.

Our morning run also offered sightings of fifty California sea lions, harbor seals, a sea otter, and a solitary Mola mola drifting near the surface. On our transit back to the harbor, we encountered yet another group of orcas, accompanied by our new vessel, Ocean Spirit, which is currently undergoing trials and will soon join our daily operations.

Observing multiple family groups of orcas in a single morning is a stark reminder of the rich productivity of the canyon edge. These waters remain a critical sanctuary for marine mammals, where complex interspecies dynamics unfold daily just beneath the fog.

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.

Our mid-day trip aboard Sanctuary encountered a highly active young humpback whale calf near the edge of the Monterey Canyon. The calf put on an impressive display of surface behaviors, breaching, pectoral-slapping, tail-lobbing, and rolling over its mother's back, all while surrounded by a mixed school of Pacific white-sided and Risso's dolphins.

This energetic behavior from such a young calf is often a way to develop motor skills and strengthen muscles, though it also serves as a form of communication within the pod. The presence of Risso's and Pacific white-sided dolphins interacting in a mixed group is a common sight over the canyon, where deep-water currents bring abundant nutrients to the surface, attracting diverse marine life.

Earlier in the day, our morning run navigated through a thick fog under calm seas, where we observed five humpbacks, including another mother and calf pair offshore, and a few individuals feeding just outside the harbor. Over both trips, we logged twelve humpback whales, fifty California sea lions, and a pair of southern sea otters resting in the calmer nearshore waters.

With water temperatures holding steady at 57°F and light northwest winds, the bay remains highly productive. It is always a privilege to observe these maternal bonds and multi-species interactions in such a concentrated area.

Our morning run aboard Sanctuary required some patience in the foggy, damp conditions, but we were rewarded with a close look at five humpback whales. Navigating through the wind and chop, we located the whales as they surfaced through the swell, their powerful blows visible even against the low-hanging mist.

Alongside the whales, we observed a small group of twenty-five California sea lions. In these conditions, sea lions often travel in loose rafts, utilizing the chop to conserve energy. The humpbacks appeared to be searching for bait fish, executing shallow dives that kept them near the surface and highly visible despite the challenging weather.

The weather today was undeniably challenging, with a steady southeast wind of 5.8 knots and damp, chilly air hovering around 55 degrees. Finding these animals in the heavy mist is always a test of patience, but our passengers were determined to brave the elements, and their perseverance paid off with some excellent, sustained viewing.

Days like today remind us that the bay is a wild, unpredictable environment. Watching these resilient marine mammals go about their daily routines in rough weather is a testament to their adaptability and strength.

Our mid-day run aboard Sanctuary was highlighted by a remarkable encounter with thirteen orcas. We were already heading back toward the harbor after spending time with humpbacks when a local fisherman radioed in a report of the killer whales, allowing us to redirect and locate the pod in the light chop.

Observing thirteen orcas together is a significant event in Monterey Bay. These apex predators often travel in coordinated family groups, utilizing the deep canyon edges of the bay to hunt and navigate as they pass through the region.

Earlier in the trip, we observed three humpback whales. These baleen whales were moving steadily through the bay, displaying typical travel patterns with regular surfacing intervals before we turned our attention to the orca report.

This excursion highlights the collaborative nature of our local seafaring community. The quick communication from a working fishing vessel allowed us to document these transient marine mammals during their passage through the bay.

Today's mid-day run aboard Meridian brought us into a highly concentrated feeding frenzy just a mile outside the harbor mouth. We observed approximately twenty humpback whales feeding alongside a massive raft of over 650 California sea lions. The sheer volume of vocalizations and surface activity from the sea lions, combined with the powerful blows of the humpbacks, made for an incredible sensory experience close to home.

This multi-species feeding event was centered around dense bait balls of schooling forage fish. Humpbacks utilize various feeding strategies, and today we watched them lunging through the bait balls, often in close coordination with the sea lions. California sea lions are highly social and opportunistic feeders; by working the edges of the bait ball, they help keep the fish tightly schooled, which in turn benefits the lunging whales.

Earlier in the trip, we ventured further out into the bay where we encountered a few scattered humpbacks before crossing paths with a pod of 45 long-beaked common dolphins. The dolphins quickly approached the Meridian, riding our bow wave and showcasing their characteristic high-speed agility. Conditions on the bay shifted from calm to a light chop with a northwest wind around 10 knots, typical afternoon behavior for Monterey Bay.

Observing these complex trophic interactions so close to the harbor is a stark reminder of the bay's immense productivity. Near the harbor entrance, we also noted a southern sea otter resting quietly in the kelp canopy, a peaceful contrast to the offshore feeding frenzy.

Today aboard Sanctuary, we were treated to a memorable encounter with three orcas right here in Monterey Bay. The trio approached our vessel under calm seas and light chop, displaying a curious behavior that allowed everyone on board a clear look at these magnificent marine mammals.

As the largest members of the dolphin family, orcas are highly social and intelligent. Watching them navigate the waters near our boat offers a humbling reminder of their position as one of the ocean's most formidable predators. Their distinct black-and-white coloration was highly visible just beneath the surface as they glided alongside us.

In addition to the orcas, we spent time with five humpback whales feeding actively just outside the harbor. These baleen whales are capitalizing on the rich forage available close to shore, putting on a steady show of blows and shallow dives as they gathered nutrients.

Days like today remind us of the dynamic nature of the Monterey Bay submarine canyon, where deep-water predators and coastal feeders can be found sharing the same rich waters just miles from land.

The morning trip aboard Sanctuary found action immediately upon exiting the harbor. We encountered a massive aggregation of life, including twenty humpback whales and a raft of approximately 800 California sea lions. The animals were concentrated around several active bait balls, creating an impressive display of surface activity just a short distance from shore.

This type of multi-species feeding frenzy is a hallmark of the Monterey Bay ecosystem. As the whales feed on schools of small fish, sea lions worked the edges of the bait balls, while Brandt’s cormorants and common murres dived from the surface. This concentrated activity allows these predators to efficiently exploit the dense patches of nutrients moving through the bay.

Conditions were windy with a light chop, which can sometimes make spotting more difficult, but the sheer volume of animals made them easy to track. We left the frenzy to go find some other species off shore, but only found a few additional Humpbacks so we stopped again at the frenzy just out side of our port.

It is a reminder that some of the most profound wildlife encounters in the bay happen within sight of the jetties, provided the bait is there to support them.

The morning began with glassy conditions, allowing for a remarkable encounter with a thirty-five-foot humpback whale. This individual spent forty-five minutes circling the Sanctuary, surfacing so close that the mist from its blow necessitated the use of our windshield wipers. It was a rare opportunity to see the whale’s pectoral fins and ventral pleats as it looped beneath the hull, peering back at us from just below the surface.

This type of behavior, often called mugging, occurs when a whale initiates and maintains contact with a stationary vessel. While we always maintain a respectful distance, these curious individuals occasionally choose to approach us, reminding us that the curiosity in the bay goes both ways.

Further offshore, we encountered a pod of fifteen Risso’s dolphins, including several newborns. These calves are born orange and darker than the scarred, white-gray adults and were seen traveling closely with ten Pacific white-sided dolphins and a group of California sea lions. The mixed-species interaction provided a look into the complex social structures present over the Monterey Canyon.

As the NNW winds built toward twenty-five knots, we were grateful to have spent those quiet moments with such a massive, inquisitive animal before the weather moved in.

It is a grounded reminder of the bay's power that we could witness such gentleness just hours before a gale.