Whales Tag

September 8, 2017
in Outdoor Adventures
by Steve

Tiny Fish and Gentle Giants

Kathy pointing at a pod of passing humpbacks in Monterey Bay out of Moss Landing. Photo by Steven T. Callan

Kathy pointing at a pod of passing humpbacks. Photo by author

It was early September when Kathy and I arrived in Pacific Grove to find the whole town buzzing with excitement. Something strange was going on, the likes of which no one had ever seen. Water temperatures in Monterey Bay were reportedly five degrees warmer than normal for this time of year. Baitfish numbers were off the charts, and wherever anchovies, sardines, and other prey species swam, congregations of larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals followed. Among the marine mammals in relentless pursuit of these tiny, silver-sided fish were sea lions, dolphins, and the largest creatures on earth—the whales.

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Photo of Humpback Whale Feeding in Santa Barbara Channel
January 29, 2014
in Conservation Issues, Outdoor Adventures
by Steve

A Whale of a Tale

Photo of Humpback Whale Feeding in Santa Barbara ChannelOut of Ventura Harbor we sailed this past November, in pursuit of a long-held dream. My wife Kathy and I had been waiting for years to visit Santa Cruz Island, the largest of California’s Channel Islands and part of the five-island Channel Islands National Park. We spent the day hiking the island and learning about the indigenous plants and animals that inhabit this fascinating archipelago, just twenty miles from the mainland. Being scuba divers, we were especially impressed by the crystal clear waters that surrounded the island, beckoning us to return someday with our scuba gear and underwater camera.

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