Northwest Dive Club

We traveled to San Diego for the weekend hoping to see blue or fin whales. We didn't see either, yet came back pleased. Our first boat trip out of Mission Bay produced hundreds of common dolphins, a humpback whale, and several seabirds, some of which were new to me. My second trip was on the schooner America which is a replica of the yacht which won the first America's Cup. We immediately encountered a large pod of common dolphins, which grew to about a thousand individuals. I include a couple of shots. We don't see these in the Northwest, we have a couple other species. These are also different from what we see in Hawaii. Here is a mother with her calf. The newborn stays very close to mom. We also saw a humpback. When I compared my pictures, I believe it was the same individual I saw on an earlier trip. We were thrilled when this animal breached right next to the boat. Spectacular. I have been sailing these waters for over 50 years, my first time sailing from San Diego was 1965. Humpbacks used to be a real rarity, seen in Alaska and Hawaii. I have seen them each time I have been out in California and Washington in recent years. Scientists speculate it may have something to do with a disruption of their Arctic food supply. To quote Spock, "Fascinating".
-Curt

Very Cool.