Captain's Log

A steady northwest breeze of fifteen knots created light chop across Monterey Bay during our mid-day trip aboard Sanctuary. Out a few miles from shore, we encountered eight humpback whales moving through the area in a loose, scattered distribution.

Rather than forming dense feeding groups, these humpbacks were spread out across open water, surfacing independently between routine dive cycles. Approximately twenty-five California sea lions were observed in the surrounding waters, while a pair of southern sea otters gave us two quiet, close looks inside the harbor before we reached the open bay.

We also investigated reports of a blue whale and traveling dolphins further out, though they stayed out of view in the afternoon wind. Tracking scattered animals across choppy seas is a standard part of working this dynamic bay, where conditions and animal distribution shift continuously from hour to hour.

Clear skies overhead and choppy surface conditions greeted us during today's mid-day run aboard Sanctuary. Out in the open waters of Monterey Bay, we encountered a widespread feeding event involving twenty-five humpback whales working in close proximity with approximately sixty California sea lions.

These mixed-species feeding aggregations are a staple of Monterey Bay's summer ecology. As sea lions dive and compress schools of baitfish from below, humpbacks take advantage of the concentrated prey near the surface. Adding to the scene was a Black-footed albatross resting nearby—a pelagic wanderer that frequently patrols the edges of these active feeding grounds to scavenge scraps.

Southwest winds near ten knots built a steady chop across the surface, but clear atmospheric conditions allowed us to spot blow patterns across long distances. Water temperatures lingering around 63°F reflect the continuing seasonal productivity that draws these baleen whales into the bay each summer.

Observing multiple species utilize the same localized food source offers a clear look at the functional health of our pelagic ecosystem. It was a grounded and rewarding afternoon of natural history on the bay.

Morning conditions brought light chop across Monterey Bay as we set out aboard Ocean Spirit. The highlight of the trip was a sustained feeding event where six to eight humpback whales engaged in simultaneous, non-stop lunge-feeding side by side for over an hour, working alongside approximately 200 California sea lions, brown pelicans, and gulls.

Lunge-feeding requires immense energy, as humpbacks engulf dense schools of forage fish near the surface using their expandable throat grooves. Seeing multiple whales surface together in such close proximity indicates a highly concentrated bait ball beneath the surface, where sea lions and diving birds help consolidate the fish from around and below.

Across our morning route, we logged a total of 13 humpback whales as well as a pod of six orcas moving through the area. Marine bird activity was equally robust, including 500 sooty shearwaters, 50 Brant’s cormorants, 20 common murres, and 10 brown pelicans capitalizing on the churned-up surface waters.

Events where multiple large whales coordinate feeding in such tight proximity offer a clear window into the rich biological productivity of the bay during the late summer.

Pushing out into pelagic waters during today's mid-day trip aboard Sanctuary, we encountered twenty-five humpback whales working along the outer edge of the Monterey Canyon. Despite persistent fog hanging over the bay, the distinct exhalations of feeding whales guided us directly to the drop-off.

The deep bathymetry of the submarine canyon creates localized upwellings that concentrate forage along its steep contours. Seeing twenty-five humpbacks actively feeding in these offshore waters demonstrates how critical these deep bathymetric edges are to sustaining localized foraging activity throughout late summer.

Conditions were characterized by a light chop, westerly winds under six knots, and air temperatures hovering around 60°F. The low visibility from the fog made for an intimate observation, where the sound of blows echoing across the swell signaled their movements before the animals surfaced from the mist.

It is always rewarding to track humpbacks along the canyon rim and observe these natural feeding dynamics firsthand. Days like today underscore the reliable ecological role that Monterey Bay's deep-water topography plays for these returning migrants.

Calm, clear waters greeted us off Moss Landing during our mid-day trip aboard Ocean Spirit. The standout encounter was a high-energy stampede of approximately 300 long-beaked common dolphins charging through the area in close coordination.

This fast-paced surface behavior is typical when pods are actively transiting or shifting focus within a feeding ground. Nearby, roughly 200 California sea lions were scattered across the area, working the water alongside localized aggregations of seabirds, including Common Murres, sooty shearwaters, California brown pelicans, and western gulls.

Throughout the excursion, we also recorded eight humpback whales foraging throughout the Moss Landing area. The glassy sea conditions provided effortless tracking of their spouts and surface intervals between deeper foraging dives.

Clear, flat days like today offer an excellent window into the subtle behavioral interactions and rich food webs that regularly assemble just off our coast.

Glassy surface conditions greeted us during this morning's trip aboard Sanctuary, setting an ideal backdrop for observation. The standout moment occurred when a massive pod of approximately one thousand long-beaked common dolphins surged through the area, surrounding a humpback whale that launched into a complete breach amidst the dolphin school.

Interspecific interactions between common dolphins and humpback whales offer valuable insight into local foraging dynamics. Long-beaked common dolphins often travel in high-density pods to herd small schooling fish like anchovies. When humpbacks feed in the same area, the sudden movement and localized noise of a dolphin pod can provoke reactive surface behavior from the larger baleen whales.

Following the breach, our morning trip yielded sightings of fourteen additional humpback whales scattered across the bay. Several individuals were actively subsurface feeding near the Monterey Canyon, taking advantage of rich forage in surface water temperatures around 62°F.

Days with calm seas and multi-species feeding aggregations highlight the ecological richness of Monterey Bay. Observing these distinct cetacean species share the same productive waters remains a steady reminder of the bay's dynamic ecosystem.

Conditions across Monterey Bay provided clear views during both our morning and mid-day trips aboard Sanctuary. The most striking encounter involved an interactive humpback cow and calf pair. The calf engaged in repeated tail throws and playful tail slaps near the vessel, while the mother surfaced directly alongside us with her mouth open, briefly exposing her baleen plates before performing slow barrel rolls near the hull.

Young calves frequently practice energetic surface behaviors like tail throwing to build muscle tone and coordination. Seeing an adult surface with open jaw structures provides a direct look at the keratinous baleen plates used to strain small schooling fish from the water column. Barrel-rolling near the surface is often observed when whales maneuver around dense prey patches or interact comfortably in calm waters.

Across both departures, we cataloged twenty-five humpback whales and a large pod of approximately six hundred long-beaked common dolphins. The dolphins worked in tight coordination around localized bait balls, creating active feeding frenzies at the surface.

After years of observing these waters, watching a curious calf play beside an adult calmly engaged in feeding behavior remains an instructive glimpse into the daily lives of Monterey Bay cetaceans.

Just outside the harbor on a glassy morning aboard Sanctuary, we encountered an expansive pod of approximately one thousand long-beaked common dolphins. As the dolphins moved through the area, a humpback whale breached suddenly directly in front of us, interacting with the surrounding pod at the surface.

Long-beaked common dolphins frequently travel in large coastal herds, often overlapping with feeding humpbacks in productive waters. Breaching behavior can serve multiple biological purposes, including social signaling or dislodging surface parasites, and seeing this dynamic unfold alongside active dolphins offers a clear look at local multi-species interactions.

During our morning trip, we recorded a total of fifteen humpback whales across Monterey Bay. While the breaching whale drew immediate attention near the dolphins, several other humpbacks were dispersed nearby, actively feeding in the calm waters.

Flat, glassy conditions like today's afford excellent visibility for tracking these subtle behavioral details. Observing how different marine mammal species share and navigate the same waters remains a consistently rewarding aspect of our work on the bay.

Leaving Moss Landing on a glassy morning aboard Sanctuary, we initially encountered several solitary humpback whales. As we pushed northwest, activity condensed into pairs and triplets working in tight coordination with a group of approximately one hundred California sea lions to feed beneath the smooth surface.

Multi-species feeding groups like these are common in Monterey Bay, where sea lions and humpbacks feast on the same schooling baitfish. Later in the morning, a small pod of five Risso's dolphins, including a juvenile, altered course to approach our vessel, spending several minutes near the hull. Risso's dolphins are deep-water specialists, and juveniles typically display a dark gray coloration that lightens with age as social scar tissue accumulates.

Our morning trip logged a total of twelve humpback whales along our track. Nearer to the harbor, we also observed four sea otters and two harbor seals, taking full advantage of the flat water to spot marine life across the surface.

Days with zero surface chop offer a clear look into the routine behaviors of Monterey Bay marine mammals.