Captain Dave's Ocean Report

November 29, 2004

Every week I try and let you know what is being seen off our coast and what might be unusual and what is normal. Well we are still seeing fin whales in the area - we spotted some this week and so did Peter on the RV Sea Explorer the Ocean Institutes boat. Fin whales have now been seen for three weeks in a row just a few miles off San Clemente, Dana Point and Laguna Beach. As far as I know, every report I've gotten was of two fin whales together. What does that tell you? Well it might mean it's the same whales. Both times I have seen them they appeared to be leaving the area but it is entirely possible that they were just making a big circle while they were feeding. Fin whales feed on the same fish as the dolphins do small bait fish like sardines and anchovies etc. and they also eat krill like their slightly larger cousins the blue whales. Fin whales are the second largest whales in the world but they do try harder.

Three gray whales were spotted this week, on two separate trips by the Sea Explorer. Peter saw two grays migrating down the coast on Sunday, and Tyler followed one heading up the coast on Monday. Going up the coast is very unusual for these whales this early on in their annual migration. They travel from as far as the Bering Sea off Alaska to the tip of Baja Mexico with many of them stopping in lagoons on the pacific side of Baja to mate or have their calves. Grays are the homeliest whales I've ever seen off California but I love 'em anyway and I look forward to their increasing numbers in the upcoming weeks.

We are still seeing lots of common dolphin this week, one day I was in a pod of about 800 and while I was with that group I got a report of another heard five miles away of a similar size. Rissos dolphins also were sighted.

We also spotted an elephant seal bobbing around and one Mola mola or ocean sunfish lying on its side on the surface this week.

Well that's it till next week. Capt. Dave - over and out

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