Blue Whales Visit SoCal... Pics from all vantages!

[Codyjp]

I have had the pleasure of watching the blue whales off the coast of LA for the last 3-4 weeks. My job as a pilot gives me an uncanny observation point to watch these amazing animals. In my 7 years of flying this has been one of the most spectacular sights. I took some pictures with a very long camera lens so as to allow me to stay high and avoid bothering these guys too much. They seem to spend a few minutes on the surface then duck down again and go deep. Being able to see them swim underwater is great! I also was out on a friends sail boat and were lucky enough to have a couple surface near the boat. Seems they aren't bothered much by the silent sailboats. Also some dolphins invaded the wake for a visit!

Here are the WHALES!

I also wanted to say a great big thanks to Claudette and Tevis for helping me out with advice on my newly revisited ear infection... yuck!

 

[MissyP]

I was out diving the P-38 (off of Torrey Pines/SD area) a couple weekends ago and as we were turning the boat around I saw a massive cylinder shape emerge from the water about 90-100 yards away.. Beings that we'd seen a submarine puttering by us (just below the surface) a week prior in Pt Loma, I just assumed it was another sub so I said "Hey look-- another submarine!"
It was about then that my sub blew a massive spray of water into the air.. lol... It was a pair of blue whales and they swam over towards the boat a ways before continuing north. Looked like a large one with a smaller (mother + calf maybe)- but definitely made our more common gray whales look pretty small in comparison.. Unfortunately my camera did not cooperate

 

[headhunter]

Very cool pics!

We saw a blue whale from the Sundiver at last month's Mo2vation dive. It was pretty close and very exciting to see!

Christian

 

[drbill]

I think it was two summers ago that we had two blue whales hanging around the mouth of Avalon Bay. Sure wish they'd let me be their dive buddy so I could get some awesome video. I did get to film one at the surface off La Paz a few years ago.

 

[DiveNav]

I saw mother and calf last Sunday evening while I was in Lucia (small place - restaurant, bar, shop and 10 cabins - on the PCH middle of Big Sur coast). They were about 100 yards from shore (and we were 100 yards up the hill) .... it took them a good 15 minutes to cross our field of view and surfaced 3 times!

Of course, I did not have my camera with me.

Then I told my wife I actually did arrange for the whales to pass-by while we were there ...... and that I had requested a special "view of the whales" when I booked the room for our romantic get-away!

I_AM

 

[Codyjp]

I ate at the resturant they have there a few months ago. what a view they have! It is great you were able to see the whales. They claim that they see a lot there.

 

[tstormdiver]

How incredible! To actually see the largest animal to ever exist on this planet. That must be absolutely awesome. Great pictures!

 

[Codyjp]

After another week of survelence i can say that the whales have left us. My last sighting was Last Monday (8/13), my first day back from vacation. At least one thing was nice about being back to work! I miss the fellas though, anyway, there will always be the dolphins.