Lost in the hoopla generated by a humpback whale that had been feeding close to shore for much of last week off Redondo Beach was the sighting of 23 gray whales in a single small group.
It was referred to by some as a "super pod," a term more commonly associated with dolphins and sometimes killer whales. But 23 gray whales grouped so closely together is something rarely seen off Southern California.
This occurred Sunday off the Palos Verdes Peninsula but the footage was released Wednesday by Alisa Schulman-Janiger, director of the ACS/L.A. Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project. Project volunteers were first to spot the whales, nearly three miles off Point Vicente.
Schulman-Janiger caught up to them farther offshore, aboard the Christopher out of Harbor Breeze Cruises. Her raw footage made the NBC News, which billed this is the largest pod of gray whales spotted off Southern California in 30 years. Here's the clip:
Hmm.
Innovative defense strategy from Orcas or unseasonably abundant foraging opportunities?
Posted by: drudown | Jan 24, 2013 at 11:33 AM