"We read the book Whales There life in the Sea by Faith McNulty. The Killer Whales often attack Gray Whales. There is no hiding places in the ocean and the Killer Whale can out swim the Gray Whales. So the Gray Whales lie perfectly still in the water to try to escape, since the Killer Whales rely on movement to locate their prey." Nicole Broekema & Erin Dahl Groveland Elementary School, Wayzata, MN 0276gel@informns.k12.mn.us
GRAY WHALE SIGHTINGS Here are two reports about gray whales from the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in California --
April 4-April 11, 1995 Island Packers has completed their whale watching trips for the season. The following sightings are from the CONDOR out of Santa Barbara.
Gray Whale sightings have picked up this week with almost all sightings being cow/calf pairs right along the kelp line (about 50-100 ft off the beach) between Santa Barbara Point and Goleta Point. At least one cow/calf pair has been observed on every trip (9am, 12pm, 3 pm every day but Wednesday, 4/5 (there was not a whale watching trip scheduled). On 4/10, a cow/calf pair was observed right off the breakwater in Santa Barbara.
Today 4/11 at 10 am, four gray whales were observed between the Wilcox Property and Hope Ranch with bottlenose dolphins swimming in amongst them. I called the Captain of the CONDOR during this sighting and he had to get off the phone to point out the whales to the passengers! I have not been able to get coordinates for this week's sightings yet because the CONDOR has been too busy with whale sightings, but will try to get them later today.
A large feeding humpback whale (approx. 65 ft) was observed 4/10 just off the Wilcox property between Santa Barbara and Goleta.
March 28 - April 3 This was another fairly slow week although more cow/calf pairs were observed. The following sightings were recorded by the CONDOR in Santa Barbara mostly between Santa Barbara Point and Coal Oil Point. Exact times and dates were not recorded this week.
Five cow/calf pairs were observed this week(34.23 N,119.52 W; 34.23 N, 119.48 W; 34.23 N, 119.44 W; 3.23 N, 119.41 W; 34.23 N, 119.42 W.)
Four single juveniles were observed (34.22 N, 119.48 W; 34.21 N, 119.46 W; 34.22 N, 119.43 W; 34.23 N, 119 39 W.)
Two large single females were observed (34.24 N, 119.48 W, 34.23 N, 119 46 W.)
One mating pod was observed early in the week (34.19 N, 119.46 W)
A pod of Orcas (6 animals) was observed 6 miles off the east end of San Miguel Island on 4/02/95. It is thought (but not confirmed) that this is the same pod that has been seen earlier in the season.
Laura Gorodezky Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary