Patty

Not really a report but we got a chance to get out on a whale watch boat last Thursday and to Point Lobos on Friday and thought I'd post some photos to show what wildlife is in the area right now.

We went on a 3 hour morning whale watch with Princess Monterey on their boat Greatland (highly recommend upper deck if you go on this boat) and saw orcas, humpbacks, large pods of Risso's and common dolphins, harbor porpoises, sea lions and otters. Later trips that day spotted blue and gray whales. That's an atypical day but you almost always see some whales and dolphins.

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Friday morning was spent at Point Lobos mostly around the Whaler's Cove area. Lots of harbor seal pups in the cove and on the beach. We also spotted Tes and her pup in the cove. She's the otter that had rare twins in February, one of which is being raised at the Monterey Bay Aquarium http://www.pointlobos.org/blog/anna-...on/otter-twins

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Patty

Ugh, I miss an edit function!

AustinTraveler

Awesome pictures! And thank you for the information about the otter twin. I can't believe you saw orcas...so envious!!

Jean

Thanks, Patty. I also enjoyed all of the pix and the story of the otter twins. I hope the aquarium is eventually able to release the little guy into the wild. Good luck #696!

Patty

Thanks, AustinTraveler! I couldn't believe it either! That's the first time we've seen them in the wild. Orcas are transient here. We saw 4 including a mom and calf. They were very active and put on quite a show for us. After our boat left, another boat was witness to a harbor seal kill as it sought to take refuge next to their boat.

Jean,
I talked to a SORAC volunteer yesterday and she said 696 is doing well and should be paired with a surrogate next week. When we saw Tes and 696b earlier in the morning they were very actively playing and swimming in the cove. Later she treated us to an up close view of her pup sleeping, so adorable!

MichelleY

Nice! Thank you!

Patty

Thanks, MichelleY. BTW do you have a vineyard or am I confusing you with someone else?

emalloy

Gotta love those wildlife sitings. So glad the twin is doing well. Thanks for posting.

Patty

I just added a blurry pic of Tes & 696b from last Thursday. The pup has gotten big! They were just past the mouth of Whalers Cove in the open water. At first we just spotted a pup on a rock but then Tes (we could just make out her nose scar through our binos) popped up with an abalone and off it swam toward mom.

696 is also doing well and has been with surrogate mom Rosa for a few weeks now. An older female orphan was brought to the aquarium after 696 was rescued and they've formed a little threesome family.

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There were still a few mom and pup harbor seal pairs on both the Whalers Cove and China Cove beaches last Thursday and it's been humpback whale soup in the bay!

janisj

Missed this the first time around (I was overseas late April/early May)

You do live in God's country, that's for sure. I have a hard time not 'anthropomorphize-ing' otters -- they are soooooooo cute.

Patty

You do live in God's country, that's for sure.

I still pinch myself.

I have a hard time not 'anthropomorphize-ing' otters -- they are soooooooo cute.

Me too. It really seemed like Tes was showing off her pup to all of the visitors. Even the docents say she does this.

Patty

We've been treated to some phenomenal whale watching in Monterey Bay in the past couple of weeks with whales coming close to shore in pursuit of anchovies. Yesterday we were lucky enough to see hours of lunge feeding humpbacks right in front of Granite Point at Point Lobos. Not only whales but there were rafts of sea lions, countless sea birds and as we were leaving a large pod of dolphins started to move in. It's one of the most amazing things I've ever witnessed! Here are my pics from yesterday https://share.shutterfly.com/action/...ZNnDlk5YtmbKig

I recently read The Death and Life of Monterey Bay and hadn't realized that the bay was so decimated in relatively recent history. It's given me even more of an appreciation of the abundance of marine life here.

MichelleY

Yes Patty, we have vineyards in the Delta and are in the fury of harvest. Things are very early this year. I am in your area right now visiting my sister, so may take a ride over to see the whales tomorrow.

Patty

I've been hearing about the early harvest this year. We were at Carmel river beach this morning and could still see whales close to shore. It wasn't the frenzy of yesterday but we also didn't stay long. Good luck tomorrow!