Sun July 20 – Whale Watching

Sunday, July 20, 2025
It was absolute cetacean heaven at sea yesterday! We headed offshore, pausing only briefly to
investigate some nearshore splashes and visible leaps, likely belonging to tuna and/or other large,
predatory fish. Our transit was speckled with pelagic bird sightings, at times by the hundreds, before we
encountered our first whale, a somewhat elusive humpback with long dive times and distant surfaces.
While waiting, we were treated to a splendor of hundreds of short-beaked common dolphins charging
towards and swam alongside the vessel, giving everyone amazing and incredible views. The very
acrobatic and energetic dolphins included adults and juveniles, and the tiniest of calves which appeared,
with mom, adjacent to our ship as if to show her newborn off. This made the wait between blows very
easy to tolerate. We eventually gained better views of the whale, which at one point was flanked by
dozens of dolphins, some of which were bow-riding the humpback! Beyond this magical spectacle, a
large blow belonging to a fin whale appeared just as a minke whale sliced through the surface. In one
line of sight, we had FOUR CETACEAN SPECIES, a spellbinding experience for even the most seasoned
passengers (and naturalist/volunteers)! We eventually moved toward the fin whale to discover at least
two additional (fin whale) blows and a second humpback. As before, this humpback was surrounded by
dolphins and many others were observed charging and porpoising in the distance. The sea was ‘boiling’
with dolphins and the sky was saturated with blows, just as another minke whale popped up within
view. Seabirds were everywhere and soon the fin whales came easily into view with additional blows
beyond. The only downside to this whale watch was that it had to end! While we didn’t want to leave,
we were comforted by the warm summer sun and the afterglow of our extraordinary time at sea as we
returned to port.
Every trip is different and we never know what we are going to see. Book your first or tenth adventure
with us today!
2-3 humpback whales
3-4 finback whales
2 minke whales
300-650* short-beaked common dolphins (*range reflects uncertainty of duplicate sightings during the
multiple encounters)
200-250 great shearwaters
40-60 Cory’s shearwaters
1 sooty shearwater
100-200 Wilson’s storm petrels