Month: September 2014

09-22-2014 Humpback Action Continues to Amaze

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We have had some truly epic days with hours of surface lunge feeding humpbacks this past week. Add the huge schools of long-beaked common dolphins to the mix and many of the trips have been over the top great. Just when you think the whales are going to settle down, then “POW” their activity levels go off the charts again. That describes this week’s trips. Some trips are action packed and others are good looks at many whales surfacing and fluking with a few breaches for excitement. It is an ebb and flow and that’s nature. This photo by intern Emma Levy shows a group of surface feeding humpbacks. My highlight was when nine whales emerged simultaneously.

09-12-2014: Fall Conditions Coming On, Lunge-feeding / Breaching Humpbacks, Common Dolphins, Sea Lions, Common Murres and more

Moss Landing Humpback Whale
Two humpback whales off Moss Landing show us what vertical, surface lunge-feeding is. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-12-2014. www.sanctuarycruises.com

The Monterey Bay never fails to amaze me. The productivity and diverse marine life is astounding. It all seems to come down to the anchovies. That’s what most of the birds, whales and sea lions are feeding on.

Moss Landing lunge feeding humpback
The anchovies seemed like they were using our boat as cover. We could see them moving at the surface toward our boat. Not long after, this massive humpback whale surface lunges within 10-feet of our stern. Photo: Michael Sack, wwwsanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014.

 

Pretty much since late March we have had massive schools of anchovies just outside our harbor in Moss Landing. So the whales have been within minutes of the harbor.

Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
The Three Amigos feeding on some anchovies at the surface. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014.

 

And that is still the case today. We had awesome, close-up looks at vertical, surface lunge-feeding humpbacks. Quite a spectacle. Particularly when they do it within 10 feet of the boat. Spectacular.

Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
This went on for about an hour and a half. Maybe longer. And they came pretty close at one point. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014.

We’ve also been seeing a lot of breaching on all trips. There doesn’t seem to be any time of the day that is better than another.

Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
Nonstop feeding since March. All right within a few miles or closer from the Moss Landing Harbor. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014.

 

Although, in the past, it seems like we’ve seen more breaching on the afternoon trips. As fall gets closer, I’m looking forward to those calm, afternoon-evening tours with epic sunsets and colorful sky. We should start to see more orcas as we get closer to October. We’ve already a few nice encounters.

Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
They kept doing this about every 3-5 minutes when they were active. We were with two different groups. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-1014

We’ve also been seeing the long-beaked common dolphins pretty regularly over the last week.

Moss Landing Common dolphins
We had some really great looks at some bow riding common dolphins. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014
Moss Landing Common Murres
Father and chick pair of common murres. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014

And then there are the common murres. These are the single fathers of the bird world. After the chicks fledge the nest, the mother takes off and the father teaches the chick how to fish and survive in their watery world.

Common Murre
It’s all about the anchovies. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com 09-12-2014
Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
They just kept on going. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014.
Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
We even had a couple of friendlies show up. Photo: Scott Borsum, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-07-2014.
Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
And then there was the breaching. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-05-2014.
Moss landing sea otter
Moss Landing sea otter feasting on crab. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-05-2014.
Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
Here we go again. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014.
Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
Moss Landing lunge feeder. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014.
Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
The feeding frenzy was on. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com. 09-12-2014
Moss Landing Feeding Humpback Whales
Mother and calf feeding. Photo: Michael Sack, www.sanctuarycruises.com 09-12-2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

09-02-2014: Breaching Humpbacks and A Tail Slapping, Kelp Playing Young Humpback

Moss Landing Humpback Whale
This humpback breached a handful of times. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-02-2014.

The humpback whales continue feeding event just outside of Moss Landing Harbor. They’ve been coming and going within about a five mile area. We’re seeing spouts within a mile of leaving the harbor and all the way out to about 4-5 miles.

Moss Landing Humpback Whale
This whale we came upon was doing these odd “chin slaps” as it moved through the water. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-02-2014.

Most of the anchovies seem to be deep. So we’re also seeing some long dive cycles. But when they come up, it’s awesome. Especially if the sea lions getting in on the action.

Moss Landing Humpback Whale
The breacher. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-02-2014.

We’ve been seeing these marauding bands of 150-200 sea lions feeding alongside the humpbacks.

Moss Landing Humpback Whale
More chin-slapping. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-02-2014.

 

It’s neat to hear all the splashing and commotion of 200 some-odd sea lions surfacing all at once followed by the loud blast of whale spouts surfacing next to the boat. It’s quite the multi-sensory experience.

Moss Landing Humpback Whale
The sea lions were great to see feeding along side the humpbacks. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-02-2014.
Moss Landing Humpback Whale
This young humpback was rolling around in kelp paddy. It was quite amusing. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-02-2014.
Moss Landing Humpback Whale
More kelp play. Photo: Michael Sack, 09-02-2014.

 

 

08-31-2014: The Feed Frenzy Contnues: Humpbacks, Common Dolphins, Sea Lions, Pelicans, Terns and More

Lunge-feeding Moss Landing Humpback Whales
We came onto this lunge-feeding humpback right out the gate. Within 20-minutes of leaving the harbor, we were in the Moss Landing Whale Park and the feeding frenzy was on. Photo: Michael Sack, 08-31-2014.

As has been the case since March, Moss Landing was the hotspot on The Monterey Bay again today with a serious humpback whale vertical lunge feeding frenzy.

Lunge-feeding Moss Landing Humpback Whales
The vertical lunge-feeding continues. There were areas of the water that were purplish in color. That’s where the anchovies were. That’s also where the birds were working. Mainly the terns and brown pelicans. Then the sea lions would emerge in large numbers. Followed by the surface lunge-feeding humpback whales. Photo: Michael Sack. 08-31-2014.

We also had excellent bow-riding  common dolphins. An incredible day just outside the Moss Landing Harbor.

Common Dolphin
We came upon a nice pod of common dolphin. They like to ride our wake. Photo: Michael Sack, 08-31-2014.
Moss Landing Common Dolphin
More common dolphins feeding on the anchovies. Photo: Michael Sack, 08-31-2014.

In fact, over the last couple of days, we’ve seen humpbacks breaching at the Moss Landing Harbor-mouth. I’m talking within 50-yards of the north Jetty.

Moss Landing Humpback Whales
More lunge-feeding madness. These animals are here to do one thing: Feed.

The Moss Landing Whale Park is going off.

Moss Landing Humpback Whales
Welcome to the Moss Landing Whale Park. Humpbacks feeding in front of the Moss Landing Harbor. Photo: Michael Sack. 08-31-2014.

 

Moss Landing Lunge-feeding Humpback Whale
These humpbacks are here in front of Moss Landing to feed. I mean seriously. Photo: Michael Sack. 08-31-2014.

 

Moss Landing Lunge-feeding Humpback Whale
Packing on the blubber layers for when they head south to the breeding grounds of Southern Mexico. There’s not a lot of food down there for them. So they need to rely on the thick blubber layer they build up here on the Monterey Bay. They can go for 3-4 months without eating. Photo: Michael Sack. 08-31-2014.

 

Moss Landing Lunge-feeding Humpback Whale
They just wouldn’t stop. The feast continues. Photo’ Michael Sack. 08-31-2014.