Every week, Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching provides the Dana Point Times and San Clemente Times a report on the week’s whale and dolphin sightings from naturalist Laura Lopez, in addition to a weekly log.
Here is Lopez’s report for the past week:
Blue Whale season is here and usually lasts from May to September. This week we even saw a Blue Whale believed to be the same animal seen years ago affectionately called “Bubbles” recognized because this whale consistently displays a large “bubble blast” before diving and brings its flukes high out of the water.
We love Blue Whales, but these Minkes were stealing the show this week. Often, they were mugging our boats repeatedly surfacing on both sides of the boat going from one side to the other. We enjoyed the antics of a most energetic and frisky Minke Whale that breached more than 20 times, often coming completely out of the water, making a very memorable experience.
Minke Whale. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Fin Whale. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Risso’s Dolphin. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Bottlenose Dolphin. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Long-Beaked Common Dolphin. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. 
Blue Whale. Photo Courtesy of Dana Wharf Whale Watching.
Fin Whales are still feeding on krill in our local waters, and one day we even saw a Humpback Whale breaching in the distance!
Several pods of unusually boat-friendly socializing Risso’s Dolphins with calves were encountered. They often displayed spy hopping, tail slaps, breaching and even bow riding, which is somewhat unusual for this species. We even found mixed pods of both Risso’s and Bottlenose Dolphins! Other various size pods of both coastal and offshore Bottlenose Dolphin also had calves. Multiple sightings of Long-Beaked Common Dolphin pods with calves were seen, including feeding frenzies accompanied by sea birds and sea lions.
Hungry Mola Molas still finding By-the-Wind-Sailors to ingest, and a rare Brown Booby bird landing on one of our boats!
Here is the latest Whale Watching Log from Dana Wharf Whale Watching:
June 9 – 4 Blue Whales, Risso’s Dolphin, Common Dolphin, 2 Mola Mola
June 8 – 1 Sperm Whale, 2 Blue Whales, 2 Mola Mola, 1 Cow-Calf Humpback Whales, Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
June 7 – 12 Blue Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 1 Minke Whale, 5 Mola Mola, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin
June 6 – 4 Blue Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 2 Mola Mola
June 5 – 2 Fin Whales, 1 Blue Whale, 1 Minke Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, 2 Mola Mola
June 4 – 3 Minke Whales, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, 2 Mola Mola
June 3 – 5 Blue Whales, 2 Fin Whales, Risso’s Dolphin, Common Dolphin, 3 Mola Mola
June 2 – 2 Blue Whales, 1 Fin Whale, 1 Minke Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Dolphin, 1 Mola mola
June 1 – 5 Blue Whales, 5 Minke Whales, Common Dolphin, 1 Mola Mola
May 31 – 5 Blue Whales, Common Dolphin, 1 Mola Mola
Discussion about this post