Tag: whale watching

‘Heartbreak in San Diego’ as baby whale found with no mom; video

“The young whale approached our boat multiple times, likely in a desperate attempt to nurse from our hull.” 

The operators of a San Diego whale-watching company on Sunday were greeted by a newborn gray whale that was without its mom and desperately craving milk.

Domenic Biagini, owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, stated via Instagram, “Today was far and away the most heartbreaking day I’ve ever had on the water.”

He added: “The young whale approached our boat multiple times, likely in a desperate attempt to nurse from our hull.”

Biagini’s description of the encounter is included in the video posted below. He was with his girlfriend and business partner Erica Sackrison, who stated in a separate post:

“The silent screams are deafening. A newborn gray whale without its mother. We waited, hoping to spot another whale nearby, but none ever appeared.”

Their posts provide more details and share their feelings of helplessness. But it’s worth noting, for context, that gray whales are presently migrating from Alaska to nursing areas off Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula.

Whale births often occur during the southbound migration, but it’s rare to encounter a baby whale without its momma. Sadly, newborn gray whales cannot feed or defend themselves if they become separated from their mothers.

As Sackrison stated, “Sometimes nature can really break your heart.”

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Researchers encounter dozens of rare, shark-eating orcas; video

Footage shows the mysterious killer whales patrolling a submarine canyon off Monterey, Ca. “There were fins everywhere we looked.”

Researchers out of Monterey, Ca., on Thursday enjoyed a rare encounter with mysterious killer whales known to travel in massive pods and prey on deepwater sharks.

“There were fins everywhere we looked on the horizon,” Capt. Evan Brodsky, of Monterey Bay Whale Watch, told ForTheWin Outdoors. “They were spread out for miles.” (Video posted below.)

It was the first known encounter involving a large pod of “offshore” killer whales, or orcas, in Monterey Bay since November 2021.

Boaters in the region are far more likely to encounter “transient” orcas, which prey on other marine mammals, including gray whales.

Offshore killer whales, as their ecotype association implies, typically range far from shore between Southern California and Alaska. Brodsky’s footage shows them in sub-groups over a submarine canyon as close as six miles from shore.

He was with Tomoko Shimotomai and Colleen Talty of the California Killer Whale Project, and photographer Daniel Bianchetta. They were traveling west aboard a 20-foot inflatable boat when they spotted dorsal fins sprouting from the surface.

“We just kept moving west from group to group for another 12 miles, so at my furthest point we were 18 miles out,” Brodsky said, adding the entire pod included more than 60 orcas.

Nancy Black, co-founder of the California Killer Whale Project, said offshore killer whale sightings, while rare, are more likely to occur during the winter. Pod sizes off California typically number 25 to 40 individuals, but they can be much larger.

Offshore killer whales prey largely on sharks, including deepwater sleeper sharks, which boast large and fatty livers. But the orcas also prey on fish, such as Pacific halibut and salmon.

Brodsky said his group did not witness feeding, but added: “There were a lot of birds around, and a very strong fishy, oily smell. Some of the other vessels in the area reported seeing fish scales in the water.”

He said that observing the offshore killer whales for the first time “was like winning the gold medal at the Olympics.”

Stirring footage shows whale trying to free itself from fishing gear

A series of breaches off Newport Beach shows rope winding through whale’s mouth and tightly around its pectoral fin.

On December 12 we featured images showing an entangled humpback whale revealing the extent of its troubles with a spectacular series of breaches off Newport Beach, Ca.

On Wednesday the photographer, Mark Girardeau, published the accompanying footage. It shows the whale trying desperately to free itself from rope that wound through its mouth and tightly around its right pectoral fin, threatening to amputate the appendage.

Girardeau began his description: “The impact of humans on this planet is all too apparent, most of it goes unnoticed or we simply turn our backs to it. We eat from the ocean while destroying the animals in it, this is just one of so many instances just here in Southern California.”

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Rescue teams were hoping for a chance to free the whale, but a safe opportunity did not present itself and the whale is now presumably still entangled while migrating to Mexico for the winter.

However, as Girardeau pointed out, there are no crab or lobster traps attached to the rope, so the whale is not dragging dead weight and there’s a chance the rope can be worked free.

The whale is known to science, cataloged by Happy Whale as HW-MN0503323. It has been documented five times since 2023 between Morro Bay and San Diego.

Exotic orcas ambush dolphins off San Diego in striking new footage

Footage shows killer whales from Mexico cooperating as a unit to catch and kill faster, more agile dolphins.

The owner of a San Diego whale-watching company this week shared extraordinary footage showing Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales preying on dolphins during recent visits from Mexico.

The footage posted below, narrated by Domenic Biagini of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, reveals the graphic manner by which the orcas single out dolphins to kill and share with one another “just as we would at a family dinner.” (Viewer discretion is advised.)

The ETP orcas are more commonly encountered in the Sea of Cortez and elsewhere off Mexico. Their seasonal dolphin-hunting forays into Southern California, however, are becoming legendary.

MORE ORCAS: Watch an orca perform a “headstand” during San Diego sighting

The footage, captured over the past three weeks, opens with a humpback whale and massive fin whale lunge-feeding on anchovies, alongside hundreds of dolphins.

Then come the orcas in a segment that shows one orca blasting a dolphin airborne as the orca also soars perhaps 20 feet high. (Click here if video player does not appear below.)

More complex hunting behavior is revealed via drone footage as Biagini explains: “To overcome the dolphin’s superior speed and agility, the orcas work together as a coordinated unit.”

There’s a kill and a shared meal before a segment that shows a massive dolphin stampede preceding another successful hunt.

Dolphins stampede to escape orcas. Photo: Gone Whale Watching San Diego

“The orcas know that they can’t rely on speed alone to catch the dolphins,” Biagini explains. “But they can use the panic to their advantage, and in the chaos it’s unclear if [the dolphins] even realize what direction is safety and what direction is danger.”

Biagini describes the stampede-and-chase phenomenon as “one of the greatest natural spectacles on earth,” and those who view his footage might be inclined to agree.

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Humpback whale’s spectacular breach is sadly revealing; photos

It was not known until the whale started jumping that it was seriously entangled. Rescue teams are hoping for another sighting.

A humpback whale that had been thrilling boaters off Newport Beach, Ca.,  for several days breached for a prolonged period Sunday, revealing that the mammal is hardly free and thriving.

The accompanying Instagram post by Mark Girardeau highlights  “the tragedy of yet another human-created problem” in the form of a commercial fishing rope running through the whale’s mouth and wound tightly around its right pectoral fin.

“We’re hoping the best for this whale!” Girardeau, who was with Newport Coastal Adventure, stated in his description. “Rescue teams are on the lookout for this whale to be sighted again.”

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Even if a NOAA-trained rescue team locates the juvenile whale, approaching for an attempt to cut or loosen the rope would be challenging and dangerous – perhaps impossible if the whale is breaching or actively feeding.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a researcher, stated via Facebook that the whale was probably trying to free itself when it breached repeatedly for 2.5 hours on Sunday.

Closeup reveals rope around humpback whale’s pectoral fin. Photo: ©Mark Girardeau

She added that the whale could lose its pectoral fin because the rope is wound so tightly.

It’s unclear when or where the whale became entangled, but ropes attached to crab and lobster gear always pose threats to whales.

Aerial shot shows rope caught in humpback whale’s mouth. Photo: ©Mark Girardeau

Girardeau was among photographers capturing footage of the whale on Sunday and allowed the use of his images for this post.

While trained rescuers would love to free the whale, they might not get an opportunity because humpback whales presently off Southern California are migrating to Mexico for the winter.

Humpback whale raises entangled pectoral fin. Photo: ©Mark Girardeau

The whale is known to science, cataloged by Happy Whale as HW-MN0503323, and has been documented five times since 2023 between Morro Bay and San Diego.

Watch: Orca performs ‘headstand’ during rare San Diego sighting

The Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, more commonly spotted off Mexico, are famously boat friendly.

When Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales visit San Diego waters via Mexico, it’s always exciting for observers.

For starters, the ETPs visit primarily to hunt common dolphins. These predation events, while deadly for dolphins, are acrobatic spectacles that showcase the orcas’ skills as cunning, top-level predators.

But also, ETP orcas are famously boat friendly and seemingly curious about their human admirers.

The accompanying footage, captured Dec. 4 by Capt. Erica Sackrison and deckhand Jess Aubry of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, shows an orca thrilling passengers by performing a “headstand” just feet beyond the vessel’s bow.

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“He’s upside down!” one passenger exclaims in the footage, moments before the mammal raises its tail section above water.

Gone Whale Watching San Diego via Instagram:

“Christmas came early for the Gone Whale Watching family yesterday when a few members of the same pod of ETP Killer Whales made yet another memorable visit to San Diego!

“The notoriously boat-friendly orcas constantly interacted with our boats, making it clear they wanted ATTENTION! Us meager whale watchers were only too willing to oblige!”

ETP killer whale sightings off Southern California are rare, but this time of year is when most sightings occur.

Gone Whale Watching San Diego has logged three sightings involving members of the same orca pod over the past three weeks, and is hopeful for more encounters:

“While it is utterly impossible to predict when we’ll see them again, a string of recent sightings can only be taken as a positive omen!”

Rare orca encounter off San Diego includes ‘rainblow’ surprise

Footage shows one of the killer whales swimming to within feet of the boat and greeting passengers with a “rainblow.”

A rare orca encounter Wednesday off San Diego was made extra special when one of the mammals swam to the boat and provided an enchanting moment.

“As if seeing this beautiful animal in the wild wasn’t enough, it also gifted us with a beautiful rainbow!” Domenic Biagini, owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, exclaimed via Instagram.

The accompanying footage shows the orca’s close approach – and features  Biagini’s exuberant narration – and its “rainblow” greeting.

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Biagini and crew, acting on tips from nature and local sportfishing captains, located more than 10 Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whales, or orcas, near the U.S.-Mexico border.

ETP orcas are commonly encountered in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez but occasionally venture into U.S. waters to hunt dolphins and other marine mammals.

Biagini explained the tip he received from seabirds:

“Our initial exploration found a lot of interesting wildlife, but what stood out to us the most was the number of Black-Footed Albatross we were seeing much closer to shore than usual.

“Those Albatross are often a harbinger of larger predators being around like False Killer Whales, sharks, and especially Orcas!”

Biagini promised “more to come from this incredible day” as the ETP watch is in full swing after the encounter.

The orcas were headed south as Biagini returned to port, but that does not mean that they will not resurface off San Diego or elsewhere in Southern California in the coming days.

Rescue dog enjoys first look at blue whale, footage is ‘priceless’

During a voyage off San Diego, Fin is shown intently observing the massive whale at close range. What could be going through his mind?

A San Diego whale-watching captain this week shared a short but wonderful video clip showing a dog intently observing a surfacing blue whale.

“First Mate Fin reporting for whale-spotting duty!” Capt. Dom Biagini, owner of Gone Whale Watching San Diego, stated via Instagram.

Biagini added: “This is the first time I’ve taken Fin with me on a filming expedition, and he had a blast searching for all the wildlife.”

Blue whales, which can measure nearly 100 feet and weigh 200 tons, are the largest creatures on the planet.

The footage was captured by Erica Sackrison, also with Gone Whale Watching, and one can’t help but wonder what was going through Fin’s mind as the majestic leviathan revealed its massive fluke befor a deep dive.

Several Instagram followers chimed in with comments, including this from Sackrison:

“1. ‘You can swim under me any time now.’

“2. ‘I wonder if you taste like chicken.’ ”

Other observations:

–“So freaking cool. Go Fin!!!

–“This is everything! 💙💛”

–“Priceless…. What they must think as they slip back under.”

–“I wonder if he can hear them singing underwater.”

Biagini told FTW Outdoors that Fin is a 5-year-old mixed yellow lab/golden retriever that he rescued near the U.S.-San Diego border.

On Instagram, Biagini reflected on the evolution of Fin as a whale-watching companion:

“The first time I took Fin on the boat was when he was a puppy, and he promptly sprinted to the front of the boat and jumped off into the bay! 😂 We’ve come a long way since then!”

Watch: ‘Super rare’ white orca hunts with pod off Monterey

A white orca nicknamed Frosty was spotted Sunday in California’s Monterey Bay and images and video footage appear to show a healthy young killer whale.

A white orca nicknamed Frosty was spotted Sunday in California’s Monterey Bay and images and video footage appear to show a healthy young killer whale.

Frosty is the only known leucistic, or partially white orca off California. Some white orcas develop health issues that significantly shorten their life spans.

But Frosty, who was first documented off Monterey as a newborn in August 2019, appeared to be in good shape while hunting with its mother and orcas from another family group.

“We had Frosty the super rare white Killer Whale!” Monterey Bay Whale Watch, which captured drone footage of the orcas during an hours-long encounter, boasted via Facebook.

The California Killer Whale Project, founded by the company’s Nancy Black and fellow researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger, stated in another post: “The whales hunted an elephant seal and at least one California sea lion, breaching and prey sharing with the carcass!”

Frosty, whose sex is unknown, belongs to a family unit cataloged as the CA216s. Frosty is documented as CA216C1.

Prior to Sunday, the last known Frosty sighting occurred in April off Palos Verdes in Southern California.

In August 2022, a thin-looking Frosty was photographed via drone in Alert Bay, British Columbia.

At the time, Oceanwise Research stated via Instagram: “The measurements of ‘Frosty’ indicate that this animal is quite thin. Having said that, killer whales around this age will often go through a thin period as they are weaned off their mothers milk and then start to fill out in subsequent years.”

Frosty sightings have been sporadic but wide ranging, having occurred from Mexican waters below San Diego to British Columbia.

Frosty is a Bigg’s transient killer whale. These orcas prey almost exclusively on other marine mammals, including gray whale calves. Younger orcas learn from older pod mates and ultimately pass their skills down to new orcas.

On Sunday, Frosty and her mom were with a group known as the CA140Bs, as passengers from several whale-watching companies watched in awe.

Stated Monterey Bay Whale Watch: “The orcas were displaying remarkably social and interactive behavior, with countless breaches and spy hops.”

Planet’s largest creatures begin to appear off Southern California

As blue whales begin to show off Southern California, a well-known photographer has shared a 2016 drone image that reveals the immense size of the planet’s largest creatures.

As blue whales begin to show off Southern California, a well-known photographer has shared a 2016 drone image that reveals the immense size of the planet’s largest creatures.

The accompanying image, captured by Mark Girardeau for Newport Whales, shows a blue whale dwarfing a large passenger vessel.

“The boat pictured is called Nautilus and is 72’ long,” Girardeau explained on Instagram. “That must mean the whale is like 140’ long right?

“Actually, the largest blue whale ever documented off California is around 90’ but due to the perspective of the photo, the whale just appears larger…. In this photo, there were about 85 [people] onboard and the whale is likely around 80’ long.”

Endangered blue whales, which number between 10,000 and 25,000 globally, can weigh more than 200 tons. They’re larger than all known dinosaurs.

They migrate into California waters beginning in late spring or early summer and spend several months, venturing as far north as Alaska, gorging on shrimp-like krill. (A single whale can devour more than 4 tons of krill per day.)

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Girardeau’s image provides a unique perspective because people on boats typically see only small portions of blue whales as they surface to breathe.

This week, first-of-season blue whale sightings were logged by Legacy Whale Watch in San Diego, and San Diego Whale Watch.

“We started our adventure heading straight west from Mission Bay as we had heard whispers of something big waiting out there for us,” San Diego Whale Watch reported Friday via Facebook. “We were quickly rewarded by sighting not just one – but three blue whales!”

Also on Friday, a blue whale was spotted off Point Vicente in Los Angeles County, by volunteers with the Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project.

The blue whale season for whale-watching operations in Southern California coincides with the waning weeks of the northbound gray whale migration.