Playful whales and dolphins welcome September in Monterey Bay

Sunday, September 2, 2018: Several humpbacks were found roaming around the Soquel canyon today. The whales appeared to be feeding, in scattered groups around the north end of Monterey Bay. Then all of a sudden, a pod of more than 100 long beaked common dolphins appeared within range, and we were quickly surrounded by this playful species, as they breached, bow rode, and raced the boat for over half an hour. The humpbacks got more active with the presence of the dolphins, and one came in for a very close encounter! Hard to say who was watching who! Otters and bottlenose dolphins in the kelp, jellies, Mola molas, sooty shearwaters, pink footed shearwaters, common murres, rhinoceros auklets, and of course California sea lions!!