The trip started off a bit slow to the Farallon Islands because of the rather high swells and some strong winds. We did not end up reaching the islands because the weather worsened but also because of our amazing encounter with some blue whales!

Our naturalist aboard pointed out the unmistakable tall spout of a blue whale. As the boat stopped, we saw several spouts all around us. Blue whales were popping in and out, likely feeding on the krill in the Gulf of the Farallones. We even saw a possible mother and calf pair.

This has only been my third blue whale encounter (the second sighting was just a week prior), and I was equally as amazed as the first time I saw these magnificent titans of the seas. Interestingly enough, we saw more blue whales that day than humpback whales!

-Patrick