We departed from Dana Point on Sea Explorer, a 70 ft. research vessel belonging to the Ocean Institute of Dana Point. Incredible views of a close Blue Whale repeatedly surfacing and submerging close to the boat. Best of all, it was seen by everyone directly off the bow, just 10 feet below the surface, flukes just 50 feet in front of us! Wow! Other highlights include 4 distant Least Storm-Petrels, a migrating Black Tern, 2 Sabine's Gulls and a lone Common Murre.
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Pink-footed Shearwater - 6
Sooty Shearwater - 2
Least Storm-Petrel 4
Black-vented Shearwater - 250
Brown Pelican - 200
Brandt's Cormorant - 12 (on the jetty)
Great Blue Heron - 2
Red-necked Phalarope - 200
Red Phalarope - 1-2
Pomarine Jaeger - 1
Common Murre - 1
Rhinoceros Auklet - 1
Black Oystercatcher - 3
Heermann's Gull - 300
California Gull - 60
Western Gull - 250
Sabine's Gull - 3
Elegant Tern - 20
Caspian Tern - 2
Common Tern - 2
Black Tern - 1
California Sea Lion
Common Dolphin
Risso's Dolphin
Blue Whale
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