L78


L78


L86
L's in Monterey California
Photos by Ken Balcomb

Encounter #5 �February 10 �L's in Monterey California

Observers: Ken Balcomb, Gail Richard

Ken and Gail Richard went out with Lori and Richard (Monterey Bay Whale Watch) and found L pod spread out and foraging eastward in the Monterey Canyon about four miles west of Moss Landing. The encounter was late in the day and the vessel had to return to port, but a few ID photos were taken indicating virtually all of L pod, except L87, was present. L87 has been traveling with K pod in Puget Sound recently. The body condition of all whales seen appeared good �no peanut heads. We will be looking for these whales again on 11 and 12 February in Monterey Bay and around the Farallon Islands. L pod was photographed between the Farallon Islands and the Golden Gate in the morning of 9 February. They seem to be keeping the pattern of foraging along the California coast in Jan-Mar timeframe, working up and down the coastline.

These photos were taken under whale watch guidelines.