Outdoors, action and adventure

Ralph Mikkelsen, 80, shows he can still land the giant tuna

Ralph Mikkelsen of Northridge, Calif., is one tough angler, who on Thursday posed in San Diego alongside a 306-pound yellowfin tuna he landed during a 15-day excursion into Mexican waters.

The catch, made aboard the American Angler, gives Mikkelsen, who will be 81 next month, six yellowfin weighing 300 pounds or more—a feat that is unrivaled.

"I’ve been waiting for the next 300-pounder to come for 24 years," he said of his latest catch, made after a 30-minute battle that included several runs up and down the rail.

Mikkelsen caught his first "super cow" in 1980, a 321-pound yellowfin. His last, before the recent catch was, a 308-pounder boated in 1988.

As veteran long-range anglers are aware, these are specialized trips and not for the queasy or faint of hard. Giant yellowfin tuna are incredibly powerful and landing them requires strength and stamina.

Of course it helps to have high-tech fishing gear and multiple-speed reels, which were not available back in Mikkelsen's heyday.

"He made several runs up high, so I had to keep changing gears," Mikkelsen said.

The top catch aboard the American angler was a 320-pound tuna by Dennis Saylors.  It was Saylors' first super cow in 20 years of fishing on longe-range boats.

The American Angler was skippered by Brian Kiyohara, whose passengers landed 27 yellowfin weighing 200 pounds and three topping 300 pounds.

That's a lot of sashimi.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Ralph Mikkelsen (above right), poses with 306-pound tuna caught aboard the American Angler. Skipper Brian Kiyohara (in orange) is to the left of the fish. Credit: Bill Roecker / Fishingvideos.com

Wyland part of unique art contest for young whale watchers

Renowned marine life artist Wyland has partnered with Dana Wharf Whale Watching in a program designed to inspire both creativity among children, and a fondness for the ocean and its creatures. The three-hour Whale and Dolphin Adventures will be conducted Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., through February.

They begin with dockside presentations and art lessons, from Wyland via video feed, and are followed by 2.5-hour excursions aboard the landing's Ocean Adventures catamaran.

Children are then encouraged to create a drawing based on their experiences. Those will be judged by Wyland, with the winner earning a private family charter with the marine artist, valued at $2,000.

Other prizes include $50 gift cards to the Wyland Gallery gift shop in nearby Laguna Beach, and tickets for whale-watching excursions.

Cost is $59 for adults and $44 for kids 14 and younger ( a portion will be donated back to the Wyland Foundation).

In an age where fewer children are enjoying outdoor activities, this seems like an outstanding diversion from the world of computerized technology.

There's nothing like an enormous whale, leaping dolphins, or sea lions lounging atop the surface to show a kid that nature is as cool or cooler than anything a hand-held computer may conjure—and who knows, this program just might produce another Wyland.

Offshore killer whales make rare appearance off Southland

As the southbound parade of gray whales continues off Southern California, killer whales keep stealing the limelight. About 40 "offshore" killer whales were seen Thursday off Orange County and, later in the day, beyond the Long Beach area.

This comes after several sightings earlier this month of a pod of 10 "transient" killer whales. Offshore killer whales, unlike transients, do not prey on sea lions and other marine mammals. They eat sharks and fish.

Offshore killer whales, or orcas, are most commonly seen in the Queen Charlotte Islands area off British Columbia, but they tend to disappear for long periods. They are rarely seen off California, and more rarely spotted off Southern California.

Killer whale researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger recalled sightings of much larger pods of offshore orcas on Feb. 11, 1995, and on Feb. 14, 2005.

There are believed to be between 300-400 offshore killer whales along the West Coast.

The accompanying video, with footage captured Thursday, is courtesy of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari. Note the upside-down orca at the beginning of the clip, and amazing underwater footage captured from within a small viewing pod that enables passengers to see how marine mammals act beneath the surface.

Boaters on watch for tagged gray whale from Russia

Southern California marine mammal enthusiasts should note that a special whale named Varvara will be passing through local waters today and Friday.

The 8-year-old female gray whale, sporting a satellite tag that reveals her position, is special because she has swum all the way from Sakhalin Island in the western North Pacific off Russia, providing scientists with more evidence that Western Pacific gray whales may not be as distinct from Eastern Pacific gray whales as previously believed.

Varvara hails from a critically endangered population of perhaps 130 Western Pacific gray whales, with very few breeding-age females. There are about 20,000 Eastern Pacific gray whales, famous for their annual 10,000-mile round-trip migration from the Bering and Beaufort seas to and from winter breeding areas in lagoons along the Baja California coastline.

It has become increasingly evident that both populations utilize the same breeding areas. However, David Weller, a marine mammal specialist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, has authored a manuscript (under peer-review) which states that despite this mixing, "Significant DNA and nuclear genetic differences between whales utilizing the Sakhalin feeding ground and those summering in the Eastern North Pacific support the continued recognition of Sakhalin animals as a distinct genetic unit."

Varvara is expected to pass through the Los Angeles/Long Beach area late today and pass Orange County and San Diego on Friday.

Her position is relayed to scientists at Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute. (People can obtain weekly updates of Varvara's progress, each Monday, via this link.)

Her odyssey follows that of Flex, who was fitted with a satellite tag a year earlier. Flex, a male Western Pacific gray whale, surprised scientists when he crossed from the western Pacific to this side, and joined with Eastern Pacific grays during their migration.

The tag worn by Flex, however, stopped transmitting off southern Oregon. Varvara's tag is still relaying her position. She has been photographed with other gray whales off Oregon and Northern California, but it was not clear whether they were Western Pacific or Eastern Pacific grays.

Southland orca show continues with harassment of gray whale

Killer whales have spent the first four days of 2012 off Southern California, to the delight of marine mammal enthusiasts but to the obvious dismay of sea lions and migrating gray whales.

They've been spotted either off Los Angeles or Orange County, and in many cases they were attacking or feeding on sea lions. 

On Wednesday five of these same orcas harassed a gray whale a half-mile off the Point Vicente Interpretive Center on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Volunteer spotters for the ACS-LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project watched in amazement from the center's patio, while boaters enjoyed a closer perspective.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, who runs the project, said one adult and four younger killer whales were involved in what turned out to be a brief confrontation. The episode ended when the gray whale entered the kelp zone. The researcher said the whale was not injured.

After the incident, the five orcas joined the other five, and in early afternoon all 10 were off El Segundo, traveling toward the north, perhaps beginning a journey back to Central California.

Transient orcas are more commonly seen off Monterey, but in recent years some have shown more frequently off Southern California, presumably to take advantage of an abundance of sea lions, and lack of competition.

Above is an image showing orcas Tuesday off Dana Point. Credit: Drew Post/Dana Wharf Sportfishing. Below is a a video released Wednesday by Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari in Dana Wharf, showing an attack on a sea lion:

Orcas visit Orange County after two days off L.A. (video)

A pod of gregarious killer whales that spent part of Sunday and Monday thrilling whale-watchers off the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County, traveled to the south on Tuesday and put on a similar show for Orange County marine mammal enthusiasts (see video).

 

The pod consists of 10 transient killer whales belonging to two family groups. They prey on marine mammals and seem to be especially fond of California sea lions, which are thriving in Southland waters.

These orcas are most commonly seen off Monterey in Central California, but the CA51 group (seven whales), which often travels with one or two smaller family groups, has been visiting Southland waters more frequently during the past few years and may be establishing the region as home territory. One of their patterns has been to visit Orange County after L.A.

They appeared off the Dana Point area on Tuesday at about 1:30 p.m. Thanks to Drew Post and Dana Wharf Whale Watching for the incredible footage.

Are transient orcas expanding range into Southern California?

At least 10 killer whales were spotted late Sunday afternoon and again Monday off the Palos Verdes Peninsula, stealing the spotlight from migrating gray whales.

They're the same orcas that appeared in the same area on Dec. 10, and a day later off Newport Beach, and the increasing frequency of their visits suggests that transient killer whales are expanding their range into Southern California, possibly taking advantage of an exceedingly abundant sea lion population.

"There's no question that sightings are increasing," said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, who runs the California Killer Whale Project and catalogues individual orcas based on distinct markings. "Especially with the 51s. They seem to have become really fond of this area."

The killer whales spotted Sunday and Monday are from at least two family groups: the CA51s (seven whales) and CA 140s (three whales). These groups are most commonly seen off Monterey in Central California.

Transient killer whales prey largely on marine mammals, especially sea lions, whose population off California has been increasing since 1975. Transient orcas were first documented off Southern California in 1998.

Sightings were sporadic until recently. The CA51s, which often travel with one or two smaller family groups, have been documented in Southland waters at least a dozen times during the last two years.

They're famously boat-friendly, which makes for easy close encounters when they're around.

Interestingly, another marine mammal-eating group of killer whales, the L.A. Pod, shifted inexplicably from Southern California to Mexican waters in the 1990s.

It could be that over time, transient orcas began to feel more comfortable visiting the region. "The L.A. Pod was the only gang in town," Schulman-Janiger said. "If the L.A. Pod shifted to Baja, that could have left niche to be filled. It could be that this group [of transients] made a foray down here and found a lot of goodies. Most times they come down they're documented killing sea lions. "

On Sunday, Volunteers manning the Point Vicente Interpretive Center patio for the ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project witnessed the orcas breaching, spy-hopping and lob-tailing. Passengers aboard commercial whale-watching boats enjoyed much closer views, and in one case a baby orca seemed to have rubbed against the hull of a whale-watching boat.

Diane Alps, who was aboard the First String on Sunday, provided the accompanying image, showing a mother orca and her young calf.

Visibility on Monday morning was hampered by dense fog, but when the fog dissipated, there were the orcas, two miles offshore. It didn't take long before passengers aboard several boats were alongside them.

--Image is courtesy of Diane Alps

--Note: Schulman-Janiger would like to see fresh killer whale images and can be reached at Janiger@cox.net

Gray whale sightings soar as Southland viewing season begins

Outstanding weather conditions and what appears to be an early southbound migration of Pacific gray whales has transformed the holiday season into prime time for viewing the beloved leviathans off Southern California.

The ACS-LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project at Point Vicente on the Palos Verdes Peninsula is reporting record sightings for December. Through Monday volunteer spotters had logged 147 sightings of southbound gray whales. The previous high for the month was 133 in 1996.

The project, which notes sightings and behavior and monitors trends rather than estimate the actual population, began in 1984. The promontory is manned during daylight hours from Dec. 1 through May 15.

The 147 figure is the most since 130 gray whales were spotted during December of 2004.

Monday's tally was 27, the highest for any December day in the project's history. It included the season's first two sightings of gray whale calves. Sunday's count  was 17 and Saturday's was 21 (the previous high for the month).

These daily numbers are more typically logged during about the second week of January, when the southbound migration off Southern California begins to peak.

(Significant early sightings also were recorded off Monterey in Central California, helping to suggest that the whales embarked early on their annual 5,000-mile trek from Arctic feeding grounds to Baja California lagoons, where calving and nursing occur.)

Splendid weather conditions, with flat seas and long-distance visibility, could partially explain the high number of sightings off Southern California. But experts believe a productive summer feeding season in Arctic waters has prompted at least some whales to begin their migration early.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, director of the Census and Behavior Project, was aboard the Voyager out of Redondo Sportfishing on Monday, to kick off the official start of the 2011-12 whale-watching season. Passengers viewed an endangered fin whale and 11 gray whales, several of which revealed tail flukes.

I was aboard the Dana Pride out of Dana Wharf Whale Watching. Our group saw only one gray whale. But passengers aboard a fishing boat from the same landing saw five earlier in the day, and whale-watchers aboard a boat out of Oceanside to the south enjoyed multiple sightings.

About 20,000 Pacific gray whales migrate to and from Baja California each year. The population has edged upward since "unusual mortality events" in 1999 and 2000, following poor feeding seasons in the Arctic region.

The slow rebound has been reassuring to marine mammal experts, considering that between 1998 and 2000 the population suffered the loss of about 10,000 whales, to number about 18,000. Gray whales were removed from the endangered species list in 1994.

Prospective whale-watchers should note that ideal weather conditions are in the forecast for the next several days, so your chances of seeing whales early into the new year are very good.

—Pete Thomas

—Note: Reports about gray whales and other marine mammals are posted frequently on the ACS-LA Facebook page

—Images showing gray whales passing by the Point Vicente Interpretive Center are courtesy of Alisa Schulman-Janiger

Gray whale greets scuba divers off Laguna Beach (video)

 

Pacific gray whale sightings have begun to surge off Southern California, just in time for today's official start to the whale-watching season. But marine mammal enthusiasts are still excited about a sighting logged more than a week ago by scuba divers who captured rare underwater footage of a juvenile gray whale off Shaw's Cove in Laguna Beach, Calif. (The video, filmed by Rebecca Ziegler, is posted above).

If you look closely at the footage you can see barnacles and lice—the telltale markings of a gray whale—on the young whale's head.

About 20,000 Pacific gray whales migrate each fall and winter from Arctic feeding grounds to lagoons along Baja California, where calving and nursing occurs.

The whale in the video appeared to have been curious about the bubble-blowing divers. Juvenile gray whales often travel by themselves and can be more adventurous than adult male and pregnant females, who are trying simply to reach the lagoons as quicly as possible.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, director of the ACS-LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project at Point Vicente on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, said this could be a record December in terms of gray whale sightings.

Baby orca vocalizes as boaters watch in awe (video)

Marine mammal enthusiasts were treated to a rare sighting of transient killer whales Friday, Saturday and Sunday in different Southern California regions. The orcas killed a sea lion during two of the sightings, off Rancho Palos Verdes and Newport Beach. During the latter sighting, a baby  orca was seen nursing with its mom.

But perhaps the highlight moment was captured Friday off Ventura when Luke Dutton, an employee with Island Packers, videotaped a baby orca vocalizing above the surface next to the boat, its cute high-pitch sounds seemingly directed at the boat's passengers.

The sounds can be heard at 3 seconds, 4 seconds and 7 seconds, but most audibly at 4 seconds.

Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a killer whale researcher who saw the same orcas on Saturday off Rancho Palos Verdes, said transient killer whales are stealthy ambush hunters but will often vocalize after a kill. The vocalizations can be heard beneath the surface, using a hydrophone. To hear them from above the surface is unusual.

Two of 12 orcas that were involved in all three sightings are calves estimated to be 10 and almost 12 months old. Schulman-Janiger has only heard a baby orca sing out above the surface once, off Monterey.

The 12 orcas were from three family groups and included four moms, one of them a grandmother. The cetaceans, which have been cataloged as part of a long-term photo-identification study, are most commonly seen off Monterey.

-- Note: Schulman-Janiger is director of the American Cetacean Society-Los Angeles Chapter's Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project, and the California Killer Whale Project