Latest news with #DanaWharfWhaleWatch
Miami Herald
30-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
‘Thunderous burst' from California water reveals sea creature ‘on the hunt'
A group of boaters got the chance to spot a sea creature 'on the hunt' off the coast of California as the animal's technique was 'executed with grace.' The 'hungry humpback' revealed itself by lunging through the air, creating a 'thunderous burst' from the water, according to a May 29 Facebook post by Dana Wharf Whale Watch. During the 'cetacean spectacle,' the whale created a 'perfectly crafted bubble ring' to rally the meal into a ball, making it easy to snag, the group said. Then the whale used 'brute force' to soar through the air during the 'powerful lunge feed' and managed to grab the school of prey, the group said. 'Humpback whales filter-feed on small crustaceans (mostly krill) and small fish. They use several techniques to help them herd, corral, and disorient prey and that can include using bubbles, sounds, the seafloor, and even their pectoral fins,' according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After the special moment, the whale showed off its tail fin before diving back into the water – marking a successful lunch hour, the video showed. Dana Point is about a 70-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.
Miami Herald
29-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Stampede of sea creatures ‘danced' off CA coast. Watch as the ‘sea comes alive'
A lucky group got to witness one of the rare moments the 'sea comes alive' off the California coast, and footage shows the 'wild' spectacle. A stampede of dolphins were seen in Dana Point, swimming in 'perfect rhythm,' according to a May 28 Facebook post by the Dana Wharf Whale Watch. The 'not just rare' but 'unforgettable' sight showed hundreds of dolphins fly out of the water in sync as they 'danced' among one another, the group said. Dolphins 'play an important role in the overall balance of the marine environment' and tend to live in groups, using buzzes and whistles to communicate, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They're also known to slap their tails or bodies against the ocean's surface to communicate, NOAA said. Users were in agreement and rushed to the comments to share how 'beautiful' the video was, with one person saying 'watching this is absolutely amazing.' 'Amazing!,' another wrote. The 'dolphins porpoising together' served a reminder for how 'wonderful our ocean truly is,' the group said. Dana Point is about a 70-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.
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Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Sea creature seen wrapped in ‘kelp patty'. What is kelping and why do they do it?
A massive sea creature was seen wrapped in a 'kelp patty' off the coast of California and experts believe it was intentional. Bystanders got the 'brilliant' treat of the sun peeking through the clouds, allowing for onlookers to see a humpback whale wrapped in kelp, beginning the process of 'kelping,' according to a May 27 Facebook post by the Dana Wharf Whale Watch. After coming up for air a few times, the whale worked its way toward the kelp, in what researchers believe is a way to remove 'parasites and bacteria' from their skin, the group said. Kelp possess 'antibacterial and antifungal qualities' making it a whale's perfect 'skin care routine' allowing for it to help in the process of removing 'barnacles and lice that build up on their skin and cause irritation,' according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation's website. Some researchers believe it could also be as simple as 'just good fun' for the whale with humpbacks even playing with it alone, the WDC said. The sun illuminated the humpback whale's pectoral fins, creating a 'white glow. The group learned it's a whale known as HW-MN0503732 that was first spotted in March, the post said. 'Humpback whales reach sexual maturity between the ages of 4 and 10 years,' according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Calves stay close to their mom for up to a year before weaning, with the mother being 'protective' and 'swimming closely and often touching them with their flippers,' according to NOAA. Along with the 'kelping humpback' the group spotted a pod of dolphins swimming in a 'tightly grouped' formation, two gray whales, and even got the opportunity to see a minke whale come up for air, the group said. Dana Point is about a 60-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Miami Herald
‘Curious' sea creature circles boaters off California coast. See ‘amazing' moment
A massive sea creature got 'curious' about boaters off the coast of California, and onlookers are calling the moment 'amazing.' A group got the chance to see a 'megapod of feeding long-beaked common dolphin' after leaving the harbor, according to a May 25 Facebook post by the Dana Wharf Whale Watch. As the group continued traveling offshore they saw a 'tall blow which was likely a fin whale,' the group said. Eventually, the boat's captain got a glimpse of a minke whale as it breached 20 times, the group said. Minke whales are the smallest baleen whale in North American waters and can reach lengths of up to 35 feet and weigh up to 20,000 pounds, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They usually are spotted alone or in groups of two or three and use side-lunging as a way of feeding on schools of fish, the NOAA said. The minke whale took three laps around the tour group's boat before the passengers witnessed a 'stampede' of dolphins racing alongside the boat, the whale watching company said. Commenters were in agreement the sight was 'friggin awesome' with one person saying, 'minkes are the best,' the group said. 'How cool!' another person wrote. Dana Point is about a 60-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Massive sea creatures wow onlookers off California coast. See the ‘feeding fins'
Massive sea creatures were spotted off the coast of California, onlookers said. Four fin whales were seen among thousands of common dolphins as they fed off the coast of Dana Point, according to a May 14 Facebook post by the Dana Wharf Whale Watch. Even sea birds were spotted 'enjoying the plentiful anchovies,' onlookers said. Schools of this so-called 'fin bait' were spotted staying close to one another to 'avoid being preyed upon' but the 'feeding fins' whales proved they had a lovely meal by leaving 'whale poo' at the surface of the water, the group said. One of the whales swam under the boat, leaving onlookers ''in awe,' the tour group said. Fin whales are the second-largest whale species on the planet and have a 'distinctive coloration – black or dark brownish-gray on the back and sides and white on the underside,' according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are 'fast swimmers' and usually travel in groups of two to seven while feeding on small schools of fish or krill, the NOAA said. The 'grey hounds of the sea' made for a magical moment with one passenger even saying, 'he had been waiting his whole life to see something like this,' the whale watchers said. Dana Point is about a 60-mile drive southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
