September 27, 2008Oceanic Society Naturalist Susan Sherman aboard Salty Lady: Highlights included staying over an hour with blue and humpback whales.

Passing under the Golden Gate Bridge, we sighted over 20 harbor porpoises. Seven miles from the Farallones, we came upon a blue whale that was apparently feeding with many blows interrupted by deeper longer dives. At the same time, we came upon three humpback whales, and we stayed with the blue and humpbacks for over an hour as they rose to the surface, blew, and dived again, and again, often less than 25 yards from our boat. To the delight of everyone on board the blue whale stayed with the boat displaying a variety of behaviors including raising its fluke high out of the water in preparation for a deeper dive. On this trip we also sighted California sea lions, Steller sea lions, Northern elephant seals, and Harbor seals. Bird sightings included: Common murre, Clark's and Western grebe, Black-footed albatross, Pink-footed, Buller's, and Sooty shearwater, Ashy storm-petrel, Brown pelicans, Brandt's, Pelagic and Double Crested cormorant, Red-necked and Red phalarope, Elegant tern, Parasitic jaeger, Western, California and Heerman's gull, Elegant tern, Pigeon guillemot, Cassin's and Rhinoceros auklet and Tufted Puffin.

September 28, 2008: Oceanic Society Naturalist Nicole Larson aboard Salty Lady. Highlight 3 blue whales and a dozen humpback whales
On Sunday's trip, we first observed 100 harbor porpoises about a mile past the Golden Gate Bridge. Heading in from the Continental Shelf, we came upon three blue whales, which we stayed with for quite some time, two of which passed to within 50 feet of the boat. The blue whales appeared to be feeding, and close behind them were over a dozen humpback whales, with two appearing to trail the blue whales as they all fed. Other sightings included California sea lions, Steller sea lions, and harbor seals. Exceptional Bird sightings included: Black-footed albatross, Buller's and Sooty shearwaters, : Brown pelican, Double-crested, Brandt's and Pelagic cormorants, California and Western gulls and Common murre.

In cooperation with Cascadia Research, the Oceanic Society sponsors long-term humpack whale research in the Gulf of the Farallones. Many of the whale watching trips include dedicated whale field researchers.

Naturalist led trips to the Farallon Islands and, weather permitting, the Continental Shelf depart from San Franciscoo 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.