We expected a short day, but completed a full day plus. We started five minutes early to officially wave good-bye to three little amigas that had passed by before we set up. A friend tipped us and we spotted the three whales and smiled as we start our day.

The glare east of us was extremely bright and wide because of early sun on wind-swept waves. We managed to see some beautiful back-lit blows of four gray whales heading our way. Before noon, we saw the BIG BLOW and little puff of our second Cow/calf pair of the year. The image above is a rolling smile just for us!

Our second C/c pair of the day was sighted inside Campus Point and we watched them pass us and charge into the wind and settle onto the Calf Trail along the shore past the Snowy Plovers and towards Ellwood.

Like something from the desert, the wind was hot and persistent, edgy; but, the whales were continuing their flow northbound, and we enjoyed the opportunity.

Gray whales northbound (all) 16 | Calves 2 — 2015 Count 795 | 003

Hours 8:05