Mid-November is proving to have some epic whale action! Today we encountered 10+ humpback whales.
The first pair we came across was a nice pair of large adults. They put up giant tail flukes as they descended into the depths. We saw another juvenile in the distance in the eastern portion of the channel. As we continued on another whale caught our attention but we only saw it in the distance. About a mile away we saw another spout and quickly caught up with a badly scarred animal. It was likely a male that bore the life of a competing male, fighting off other males for the right to mate with females. It was quickly heading off in one direction, we soon found out why.
Within a moment's notice, a giant female whale popped up right in our wake. We quickly shut the boat down, surrounded by 6 whales. Over the next hour, this large female and her male suitors would continually pop up right next to us, spy-hopping and rolling around. Whether she was seeking a break from the constant barrage of burly males, or genuinely took an interest in us, who’s to say? It was another wild and thrilling moment in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Until Next Time,
The SBWW Crew
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