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Weekly Report ~ December 5-11, 2022

a body of water

This week we saw our first Gray whales of the season as they were on the long journey to the warm lagoons of Baja.  Both Gray whales we encountered appeared to be juveniles and observed as they were passing just outside the Dana Point Harbor entrance as we were leaving on our noon trips on Thursday and Friday.  One day earlier, Captain Brian Wooley found a pod of Pacific white-sided dolphins as they raced to bow ride the Sum Fun fishing vessel.   Pacific white-sided dolphins are known for the distinct coloring that gives them their name, are very playful and highly social, much like a common dolphin, and are only seen off the southern California coast during the cooler winter months.  Some even say they lead the Gray whales down the coast.  There were also humpback whales traveling south, sometimes feeding, and fin whales continued to be found foraging off the coast.

Pods of 20-30 very energetic offshore bottlenose, including calves, were in our area throughout the week.  Many days we were treated to great aerial displays as they surfed and breached ~ launching in the air several times in the wake of the Ocean Adventures.  Long-beaked common dolphins were also found, including a megapod feeding with one of the humpback whales.
a fish swimming under water a body of water
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