It was 5 am, still pitch black. I looked out my window and the rain was falling so heavy you could hear it pounding on the concrete. I got to my car and there were rivers flowing down the road. I decided to get down to the Noyo Harbor early to figure out where to meet everybody. Sitting there waiting thinking to myself, what kinda trip did I get into?! I’ve never done anything like this. Then people started to pull up and the first person I met was a geneticist from Colorado, in the same position as me, ready to embark on this crazy adventure. More people showed up. There was Tim Bray, bird enthusiast, Sarah Grimes, mammal specialist, ornithologist Peter Pyle, and so many other people to learn from.

Everyone there shared one thing in common: their enthusiasm to go on this trip. That one commonality was in the air, and it was as if the rain didn’t get you wet as it fell. There must have been some kind of magic that was created from this enthusiasm because as we left, this effect stayed with us. As I observed everyone talking, meeting, and joking, the birds began to flock around us. Closer to the shore there were a wide variety of seagulls, but as we reached the Noyo Canyon the magic really began. Before you knew it there were spontaneous events of Storm-petrels that flew by and everyone would shout out what they saw, glowing from the sight. The same happened when we got further out, and the first Black-footed Albatross joined the flock of birds swirling around our boat.

There was so much information to be shared. They explained how Mola mola (ocean sunfish) school up when they are smaller, and can get to a size of 8 to 10 feet. How they are infested with parasites that provide a food source to the seagulls. We would see schools of mola mola and a large group of seagulls picking off the parasites. That was a really cool sight. By this time the sun had come out and the water temperature was 64 degrees with a nice breeze. It was beautiful, surrounded by life around us.

This is when I realized how great an experience this truly was. Life: there was so much of it. How absolutely spectacular when we had a pod of Northern Right Whale Dolphins following the boat-- dashing back and forth, in and out of the water. In the distance, we would catch glimpses of Pacific White-sided Dolphins breaching the surface. Even a Fin Whale, the world’s second-largest animal, made an appearance.

What I got from this trip was far more than a good experience: I gained inspiration. I felt inspired to get out and make a difference with my education. I’m studying in the environmental sciences and this gift of life is all around us. When I see these animals in their natural habitat it makes me want to ensure that they will l have the clean future they deserve. Thank you to everyone that is dedicated to providing this opportunity: Peter, Chuck, Tim, Sarah, and the Mendocino Coast Audubon Society.

Pelagic Trip Report - November 11, 2024

Sightings - December 2024

Pelagic Trip Report - October 7, 2024