"60 Humpback Whales, plus an excellent sighting of a white shark add up to possibly the best Farallon Island Whale Watch trip in my 25 years" states Oceanic Society senior naturalist Roger Harris
September 6: Oceanic Society Senior Naturalist Roger Harris aboard Salty Lady
Being surrounded by humpback whales as far as the eye could see plus an incredible white shark sighting makes this possibly one of the best Farallon Islands whale watching trips of my career exclaims senior naturalist Roger Harris. Aboard the Society's vessel Salty Lady whale watchers were able to witness over 60 humpback whales engaged in a variety of behaviors including breaching and lunge feeding right next to the vessel plus additional humpback whale blows were seen in every direction: a virtual "Christo's" curtain of whale blows on the horizon. The trips started out with a sighting 4 humpback whales just 6 miles offshore the Marin coast when Harris spotted some juvenile sea lions leaping in an unusual manner. Upon approach, the fin of a 14-foot great white shark was spotted; exceptional was the opportunity to see the white shark for over 10 minutes and only 8 feet from boat. Further out at the Continental Shelf whale blows where spotted in every direction and close to the vessel, whale watchers were able to witness whale breaches and lunge feeding close to the vessel. Other sightings included 6 Harbor porpoises, California sea lions, Steller sea lion, Northern elephant and Harbor seals. Bird sightings included Common murre, Pink-footed, Buller's and Sooty shearwater, Brown pelicans, Brandt's, Double Crested and Pelagic cormorant, Black oystercatcher, Red-necked phalarope, Heerman's gull, Western gull, Elegant tern, Pigeon guillemot, Cassin's and Rhinoceros auklet and Tufted Puffin..
September 6: Oceanic Society Senior Naturalist Juan Carlos Solis aboard Huli Cat
Sightings aboard the Huli Cat were also amazing beginning with more that 100 harbor porpoise swimming within 20 yards of the boat, and later 10 bow-riding Dall's porpoise. Closer to the Farallon Islands and the Continental Shelf, 25 humpback whales were encountered included a cow-calf pair. Some of the whales approached the boat with 30 feet and whale watchers received excellent opportunities to behaviors such as fluke slapping, lunge feeding and breaching. The productive ocean waters provided a bounty of prey for flocks of seabirds who where seen in "feeding frenzies." For many participants, highlights included close-up sighings of tufted puffins. Other sightings included 500 California sea lions and harbor seals. Bird sightings included approximately 5,000 common murres, 500 Sooty shearwater, 500 Brandt's cormorant plus Brown pelican, Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorant, Black oystercatchers, Red-necked phalarope, Heerman's gull, Western gull, Glaucous-winged gull, Caspian tern, Forster's tern, Elegant tern, Pigeon guillemot, Cassin's and Rhinoceros auklets, and Tufted puffins. An ocean sunfish rounded out the trip.
September 7: Oceanic Society Senior Susan Sherman aboard Salty Lady
Twenty-five humpback whales were sighted on Sunday's trip plus some 15 whale blows on the horizon. Naturalist Susan Sherman describes an incredible feeding event of humpback whales, Dall's porpoise, sea lions and flocks of shearwater all feeding in one area. Humpback whales were also observed breaching and flipper and fluke slapping. Whale watchers also enjoyed observing 50 Harbor porpoise, a Blue shark and Ocean sun fish. Other sightings included California sea lions, elephant seals and harbor seals. Bird sightings included Western grebe, Clark's grebe, Common murre, Northern fulmar, Pink and Sooty shearwaters, Brown pelican, Double-crested, Brandt's and Pelagic cormorants, Red-necked and Red phalaropes, Pomarine and Parasitic jaegers, Heerman's, California, Western gulls, Elegent tern, Common murre, Pigeon guillemots, Cassin's and Rhinoceros auklets, and Tufted Puffin.
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.
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.