Gotta lotta whale ... four in the shot: calf, mother, mother, calf, left to right, in that order. They were the second group of Gray whales in the morning. We tracked our first pair from 9:21 to 10:39; and we tracked the second pair from 10:30 to 11:46. They were very, very slow. The first pair was elusive, but then it would pop up.

The second pair stopped for a long time in a kelp pool off Isla Vista. They put on such a show, they attracted a pair of paddlers, who maintained a little distance. Another paddled from the west, heading the whales off at the kelp as they were moving west. The paddler stood amongst the whales.

Please note that this is not something we endorse nor recommend.

Sometimes it just happens: serendipity. Other times it is harassment, and can be quite dangerous.

Our third group was also two pairs and these whales faced harassment from boats. The first intentionally moved in way too close. The second actually avoided a head-on encounter after it saw the blow 100 meters off the bow.

This is the path the whales take: through the nearshore. This is also where the oblivious boaters and curious captains are.

Our last Cow/calf pair of the day, including our one hundred ninety-ninth calf, traveled the very-nearshore, quite close to Counter Point and through the kelp of Sands.

We were also very excited to see Quasimoda and about seven of her Bottlenose dolphin friends and relations traveling east across the Point. We did not see any Common dolphins today, but there were many, many California sea lions, at times rafting in small groups and at other time porpoising in big groups.

We also had several Harbor seal sightings.

Gray whales northbound (all) 12 | Calves 6 — 2014 Count 981 | 199

Hours 8:00