Naturalist Susan Sherman reports sighting up to 30 harbor porpoises just past the Golden Gate Bridge. Enroute to the Farallones, whale watchers enjoyed observing over a dozen Dall's porpoises riding the Salty Lady's bow wave for an extended period of time. As we headed from the North Island to the Continental shelf, we had sightings of four humpback whales, one of which breached from the water near our boat. Great looks were obtained of two humpbacks' backs and flukes. The fourth humpback approached the boat and everyone on board got to see the whale up close as it blew and fluked nearby. Twice the boat came upon mola-molas or ocean sunfish. We also had great sightings of California sea lions, Steller sea lions, and harbor seals. The bird sightings were spectacular, including Red-throated and Pacific loons, Black-footed albatross, Pink-footed and Sooty shearwaters, Wilson's and Ashy storm-petrels, pelicans, Double-crested, Brandt's and Pelagic cormorants, Black oystercatcher, Red-necked and Red phalaropes, Pomarine jaeger, gulls, Common murres, Pideon guillemots, Cassin's and Rhinoceros auklets, and Tufted puffins.

Naturalist led trips to the Farallon Islands and, weather permitting, the Continental Shelf depart from San Francisco on weekends June through November. Trips are filling up. Make your reservations today! Call (415) 474-3385. Or simply download our registration form and fax it to our office, (415) 474-3395. Or register via Acteva as offered at the bottom of the Farallon Islands schedule.

In cooperation with Cascadia Research, the Oceanic Society sponsors long-term humpack whale research in the Gulf of the Farallones -- Whalesproject:http://www.oceanic-society.org/whaleresearch. Many of the whale watching trips include dedicated whale field researchers. Armchair whale lovers may wish to check-out our Adopt-A-Whale programl. You can keep up with the life histories of individual Farallon Islands whales and learn their migration routes.