August 8-9, 2009: Farallon Islands Whale Watch Sightings

August 8, 2009: Farallon Islands Whale Watch Sightings
Oceanic Society Naturalist Eric Lichtwardt aboard Salty Lady-highlights include sightings of 35 humpback whales

Saturday's trip participants enjoyed sightings of 35 humpback whales, including eight breaching humpbacks. In addition, participants viewed one blue whale and one gray whale.
During the course of the trip, passengers also saw California sea lions, and a variety of birds species, including: Clark's grebes, Black-footed albatross, Northern fulmar, Pink-footed shearwaters, Sooty shearwaters, Ashy storm-petrel, brown pelicans, double-crested cormorant, Brandt's cormorant, Pelagic cormorant, Red-necked phalarope, Heermann's gull, Western gull, elegant tern, Common murre, Pigeon guillemot, Cassin's auklet, Rhinocerous auklet and Tufted puffin.

August 9, 2009: Farallon Islands Whale Watch Sightings
Oceanic Society Naturalist Gail Broesder aboard Salty Lady-highlights include sightings of humpback and gray whales.

As Sunday's Farallon Islands Nature Cruise participants reached the Islands, they observed one gray whale, and then two humpback whales feeding. Participants also enjoyed good views of the humpbacks' flukes. On the return trip to San Francisco, participants caught looks at two more humpback whales.
During the course of the trip, participants also saw California sea lions, Northern elephant seals, Harbor seals, Northern fur seals, and Harbor porpoises. A variety of birds species were sighted including: Western grebe, Sooty shearwater, brown pelicans, Double-crested cormorant, Brandt's cormorant, Pelagic cormorant, Heermann's gull, Western gull, elegant tern, common murre, Pigeon guillemot, Cassin's auklet, Rhinocerous auklet and Tufted puffin.

Naturalist-led trips to the Farallon Islands and, weather permitting, the Continental Shelf depart from San Francisco on weekends May 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.