OCEANUS
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Location: Dana Point; L.A. Bay
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Bay of LA Whales!
Please excuse the tardiness of this report.
We ventured down to our place in BOLA over the Thanksgiving week. For four days book-ending Thanksgiving we had perfect conditions on the water (which
is saying something for this time of the year!) Throughout the bay, krill and small bait fish were being targeted by the largest grouping of fin back
whales we have seen in a decade. We estimate there must have been about 40-50 whales working the areas between Isla Coronado and the South Bay.
The following link contains 200+ photos of our best show which occurred on the west end of Isla Cabeza de Caballo where a concentrated grouping of
about 12 whales were bubble-netting in pairs, and scooping massive volumes of krill sometimes within 15 feet from the boat. Needless to say, this
experience made a huge impact on our kids!
Enjoy!
https://bayoflathanksgivingwhales.shutterfly.com/
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Paulina
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You have some amazing photos in that collection. Thank you for sharing them. It will be hard to beat that experience for your children.
P>*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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24baja
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Mood: Wishing we were in BOLA
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These are awesome and I can't wait to arrive in BOLA on Saturday!! Hope to hear the whales at night!!
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David K
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Thanks for sharing your photos... I remember a finback out near Horsehead Island when 4baja took us out to Puerto Don Juan for some skin diving.
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Whale-ista
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Wow- thanks for sharing- great photos!
what size boat were you in? Did they ever approach or show any interest in you? (I keep hoping the friendly behavior will show up in others besides
the gray whale)
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Ken Bondy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Whale-ista
what size boat were you in? Did they ever approach or show any interest in you? (I keep hoping the friendly behavior will show up in others besides
the gray whale) |
Friendly fin whale encounter:
http://www.kenbondy.com/images//ProfessionalArticles/whale_e...
carpe diem!
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redhilltown
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Very very cool!!!! Thanks!
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Skipjack Joe
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
| Quote: | Originally posted by Whale-ista
what size boat were you in? Did they ever approach or show any interest in you? (I keep hoping the friendly behavior will show up in others besides
the gray whale) |
Friendly fin whale encounter:
http://www.kenbondy.com/images//ProfessionalArticles/whale_e... |
I had an encounter like that as well here in half moon bay. Mavericks, actually. Scared the bejeezus out of me.
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Ken Bondy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
| Quote: | Originally posted by Whale-ista
what size boat were you in? Did they ever approach or show any interest in you? (I keep hoping the friendly behavior will show up in others besides
the gray whale) |
Friendly fin whale encounter:
http://www.kenbondy.com/images//ProfessionalArticles/whale_e... |
I had an encounter like that as well here in half moon bay. Mavericks, actually. Scared the bejeezus out of me. |
Were they humpbacks? Not sure I know what a "maverick" is.
carpe diem!
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Skipjack Joe
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They were california grey whales, Ken.
Mavericks is the surfing spot. The reef was also a good fishing spot at the time. It's closed now as a marine preserve. Nobody surfed there in the
80's to my knowledge.
There were a group of sky hopping (?) whales at the reef that morning, so I went to investigate. An hour later one came over to investigate me. I've
never felt more vulnerable in that small tin boat.
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Ken Bondy
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Thanks for the clarification Igor! I was wondering if "maverick" was a kind of whale I hadn't heard of 
I had an underwater encounter with a gray at Anacapa Island once IN AUGUST!! I know, he should have been in Alaska but there he/she was right next to
me. It lasted several hours and for me it was pure magic:
carpe diem!
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DianaT
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What a great time --- thanks for sharing it.
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monoloco
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Great stuff! Here's a link to some underwater perspectives of these animals:
http://www.oceanfootage.com/stockfootage/%22Fin_Whale%22
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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monoloco
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Bondy
Thanks for the clarification Igor! I was wondering if "maverick" was a kind of whale I hadn't heard of
I had an underwater encounter with a gray at Anacapa Island once IN AUGUST!! I know, he should have been in Alaska but there he/she was right next to
me. It lasted several hours and for me it was pure magic:
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Ken, That's a beautiful shot! Do you have others?
"The future ain't what it used to be"
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Ken Bondy
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Here are a few more from that encounter:
carpe diem!
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Ken Bondy
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One more, taken by Michele Hall. The one with the big gray back is the whale. The one with the snorkel and the red drysuit back is me:
carpe diem!
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OCEANUS
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Location: Dana Point; L.A. Bay
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Whale-ista
what size boat were you in? Did they ever approach or show any interest in you? (I keep hoping the friendly behavior will show up in others besides
the gray whale) |
We were in a 21 ft boat and the whales were really not that interested in us. In my experience, finbacks tend to be more timid and are hard to get
close to because they will often sound when boats are approaching them.
We slowly motored to their general vicinity, cut the motor and enjoyed the show. Several times the whales were swimming underneath and feeding next to
the boat, but it was not anintentional encounter as you might experience with the grey whales in Scammon's or elsewhere.
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