Okay so we’re not at The Holler, but we’re not on a trip either…… not exactly. We’re just heading up to NoCal to rendezvoux with the kids. A family visit, not a trip. But, since we were driving…..we stopped at Channel Islands National Park to play with the Blue Whales, and dolphins and humpbacks. I kid you not. Next time you feel like going to Sea World to see some marine mammals. Don’t. Save money and save animals. Go see ’em in a protected national park, in their natural habitat. Here they play with you……by choice!
I have never been so up close and personal with blue whales. They were all over the Santa Barbara Channel today. Swimming upside down under our boat and spraying us with spouts. I’ll post more pics soon, and tomorrow we head out again to a different island!
You may have heard blue whales are big. The biggest creatures on the planet with tongues the size of African Elephants. But who knew they liked to play with people? The humpbacks were playing too, several of them. What a major thrill! This makes Sea World look like what it is, a bunch of concrete, chlorinated swimming pools full of captive cognizant cetaceans.
We also saw sleeping pods of sea lions.
And drowsy, daydreaming Pelicans. There were so many more incredible critters!
We spent all day on Anacapa Island, one of the five islands in Channel Islands National Park.
Anacapa is composed of three interconnected islets.
The islands are similar to the Galapgos in that evolution has proceeded independently of the continental US. As an odd aside, today we saw both Brown and Blue Footed Boobies, birds most frequently seen in the Galapagos and not normally present here. There are 145 plant and animal species found only on the Channel Islands and nowhere else in the world. Tomorrow we go in search of the Channel Island Foxes so please stay tuned. We have seen them before. They are small, one of a kind in the world, and very, very friendly. They have no human enemies. Imagine that!
The Channel Islands have painted caves, named by the colorful sea algae that make them look like Gauguin painted them!
Cheers to you from the very happy and very FREE sea life around Anacapa Island~
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Fabulous! You find the most wonderful places to visit Cindy! Thanks for taking me along with you for the ride, but I must admit I was a bit nervous about the giant blue whales playing so hard they would turn the boat over! 🙂 I so enjoyed this story and really do wish I was there with you.
Blue whales are so intelligent and so majestic. I have only seen them a few times in my life and never this close. It was a thrill of a life time. If you want to see blue whales come here or the Sargasso Sea near the coast of Gibraltor. You would absolutely love the experience Dor! <3
Great pictures. I will have to make it a point to visit there next trip I take back. Thank you for sharing these.
You will be very glad you did. It is simply remarkable!
Thank you for sharing… You take very beautiful photos! ☺
Awwww, so motivating and encouraging! Thank you~
Gorgeous, Cindy! What a joy to be in such close proximity to those wonderful marine mammals!
Just incredibly thrilling. They are magnificent!
Awesome pictures. I am happy that you and your kids have had a good time with the blue whales. 🙂
Well thank you and cheers to you~
Awesome! I’ve always been fascinated with Blue Whales. Majestic creatures.
You should have seen them, belly up skimmng under the surface of our boat. So amazing!!!
Fantastic, Cindy! That was a big treat! Staying tuned for the next chapters. Thank you! 🙂
Oh so glad! Thank you-
Wow! Just wow! I wanna go there! Great photos as usual Cindy. Thank you for this lovely slice 🙂
Alison
Thank you more sweet Alison for your appreciation. You are a fellow traveler indeed! <3
These are amazing! 🙂 🙂
It is simply an amazing place! 🙂
When I was in Florida we were out on a boat near shell island off the coast of Panama City and I saw dolphins but never a whale. Wow and the sea lions are so cute! Beautiful photos and the water is so blue! I bet you were in awe!
Still am in awe and going back tomorrow. We were given such a beautiful planet! <3
Oh I totally agree with you and so many things I’ve never witnessed it is nice to see them through your eyes! 😀 <3
Wow for an amazing post Cindy 😀
I would love to join you there and I agree about the national parks. To see those animals in a protected park is so much more natural.
Awwww, so glad you share my feelings and cheers to you~
Are the Channel Islands near Catalina Island?
Yes, Catalina is the most developed and touristed of the Channel Islands, not a part of Channel Islands National Park, essentially because it was developed long ago, by Wrigley of Wrigley chewing gun~
I had no idea this existed in our Golden state. I REALLY need to get out more! Thanks, Cindy!
This park is definitely worth going out for! I hope you do and cheers to you~ <3
are beautiful photos my friend… <3
Mucha gusta mi amiga~
Marvelous, Cindy! 🙂
Thank you for sharing!
I’ve seen Sperm whales in front of the coast of the Lofots, but they do not play with boats. You only see them between their long divings, when they breathe for some minutes. It’s one of my goals to observe blue whales or humpbacks in very close distance. I’m really jealous… 😉 kind regards from Stefan
Well I hope you do so, I saw lots of Blue Whales as I left the Sargasso Se towards Gibraltor and here in the Santa Barbara Channel off Channel Islands National Park. I hope you do see them. What a thrill!
It looks- and sounds fantastic Cindy.Much better than any Sea World.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
My sentiments preceisly! 🙂
What a place to visit… I do agree don’t go to the sea worlds of the world but rather try to see these mammals in their natural habitat…. Cindy I love your photos…
Nothing like observing wild animals free in their natural habitats! Thank you~
Amazing to see them in their habitat. Great photos!
So happy you enjoyed them!
Reblogged this on Spirit In Action and commented:
Wow! In California even the Pelicans have surfer hair;-) ( our brown pelicans don’t have that awesome day-glo yellow top knot 😉
Cetaceans are arguably the most intelligent beings on Earth so it’s not surprising that they are also the most playful and joyful. Like the ancient enlightened kung fu masters in the movies who are always laughing and playing jokes. I’m in complete awe of our dolphins-i can’t wait to meet those amazing whales. There’s a guy named Wade Doak I read his books years ago. He plays and records music with whales in Puget sound and other areas out there. I agree wholeheartedly with Cindy-amusement parks that enslave living beings for profit are sick. Those concrete pools are to them what being in a white room with no furniture where they never turn the lights off-for years-would be like for us. It’s more amazing that so many whales and dolphins in those horrible situations have been so very kind and gentle with their captors for so many years than that an abused whale like Tillikum snapped and became violent a few times.
I agree with everything you are saying my friend. You can smell the intense cholrine coming off the pools in Sea World. It is such an unnatural envirnonment. Cheers to you my friend and thank you too~
What a magnificent experience you all must have had, Cindy. Beautiful images.
Off today to see the Channel Island foxes. Fingers crossed……..
Fabulous photos, Cindy!
Merci beaucoup!
Thank you Cindy and cheers to you too.
Only to very best to you Ranu! <3
Absolutely fantastic set of photos! 🙂 K.
So happy you enjoyed and thank you!
I’ve seen the killer whales perform at the tourist attractions but nothing like this in real nature. Stunning shots !
You can also see pods and pods of orcas swimming free, spy hopping, playing with boats out of Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island BC. Spectacular creatures in their own family pods!
That’s great! I never saw a blue whale. I did a whale watch this summer and we saw humpbacks and fin whales, but the blues usually don’t visit this part of the east coast. Anacapa Island looks and sounds marvelous.
The last time we were here we saw a Blue. I have seen Blues only three times in my life with a lot of time on the ocean! These were up close and personal! Fabulous~
GREAT BLOG! …and a great message to visit a national park. We’ve always wanted to visit the Channel Islands and your blog seals it: we definitely will. Beautiful photos.
Oh I couldn’t be happier and cannot wait to see your photos! 🙂
Magnificent images
Thank you my friend and be well~
The whales are magnificent in this preserved environment. Am in awe that the boobies have made their presence. I love the Galapagos, so I can see why this park is so unique. Good luck with the fox.
On my way to find him now on Santa Cruz island!!! Cross your fingers~
Liebe Cindy, einfach nur toll, eine gute Woche, Klaus
Guten tag und Vielen dank! Freundschaft~
Stunning!
🙂
Beautiful pics! I just love going out on boats and seeing those whales!
Quite a thrill indeed!
It is sad that more people aren’t able to see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. In doing so, I think we would all agree that being entertained by them in enclosed pools is not where they should be!
My husband & I had the opportunity to go whale watching when we were in Cape Breton. After spending a few moments trying to capture the perfect shot, I gave my head a shake & thought what I am doing? I need to just take in this experience & watch the incredible beauty right in front of me.
Yes! I had the same conflict. This is one situation where taking the pics did interfere a bit with just observing the whales!
Great post! Great photos! So true about the cruelty of capturing theses magnificent creatures. Do you think this trip would be possible in January when I’m next in California?
Absolutely, this is during the California Grey Whale migration. Check out the Channel Islands National Park website for all you need to know to plan your trip and you’ll see a link there to Island Packers, the boat company that takes you to the islands. You can see therir schedules and what animals you will be likely to see! Hope you do go!
Many thanks!
What a way to start my day – love your photographs of one of the most beautiful coastal areas.
From here on north, the California coast line just become jaw droppingly beautiful~
Out of all the time I lived in San Francisco I never ventured too far up North which was a real loss for me – your scenes are incredible to look at.
How exciting and beautiful.
So very glad you think so my friend!
Gorgeous!
Merci beaucoup!
How wonderful is that! Beats Sea World to bits. We live about 15 minutes from Sea World and we’ve been one time about 20 years ago. Give me your Channel Islands any day! So beautiful, especially knowing they’re free and independent. Beautiful post, Cindy!
There is just that can compare to seeing wild animals free in their own environments. Thanks for getting this Linda~
Beautiful shots of the blue whales. My youngest daughter, husband and kids saw the blue whales while on a recent trip to Calif. when they stayed at Newport Beach. Where exactly is that island (Anacapa)? I don’t remember hearing of that one when we lived out in Calif. in the late sixties. One of our favorite places to visit though was Catalina Island.
Anacapa is off the coast of Oxnard California. Catalina is one of the Channel Islands, but not a national park, since it was developed long ago. Today we go out of Ventura Harbor to Santa Cruz Island.
So beautiful. Wonderful photographs.
Awww, thank you my friend!
Wonderful experience for you!
Lovely photos Cindy. Even better your remind to connect with nature and critters on their terms, not as captives in a zoo. How wonderful that they wanted to play with you. 🙂
Thanks much. It was a pretty thrilling experience! Cheers to you~
I had no idea you are so close to me. We have not yet been to the Channel Islands but it is definitely on our list of places to see. Great photos. 🙂
You will be very happy when you go! They are magnificent~
I loved this post for the utter exuberance of your wildlife adventure, and the reminder of the importance of allowing our sea creatures to live freely in the sea. And your photos, as always, were incredible Cindy. 🙂
Awwww, you are such a good blogging friend! Thank you~
Love these images. The first two are stunning!! How wonderful to be there… The last one is a fascinating, beautiful paint!
The islands are each different then the other and all scenic in different ways. The marine and bird life are astounding and that isn’t even considering the Channel Island Foxes~
I’m put it on my list 🙂 I know Michigan is beautiful! Thank you,Cindy! <3
What a magnificent place! And thank you, Cindy, for using your beautiful photos to share an important message about wild animals, which belong in their natural habitat.
Thank you for supporting this!
You take amazing pictures from fascinating locations, I can see why get such an impressive number of likes and comments, well deserved! 🙂
oooooh you should see the Channel Island foxes I saw today! Spectactular! Thank you so much for such kindness!
Fantastic! And I agree, infinitely better than Sea World. Looking forward to the photos of the foxes.
Oh baby I got em!! What an epic day. Probably 100 pics of the foxes. It is taking all my self control not to post right now!!! Laughing….
I recently read “When the Killing’s Done” by T.C. Boyle and the Northern Channel Islands are featured. Thanks so much for sharing your trip. They really are similar to the Galapagos. Excellent photos!
Oh, I need to check out this book and thank you for the tip!
I think they know the kinship between us. We still have to remember. 🙂
Beautiful shots. 🙂
Exactly! They are more forgiving, less harmful, and more peaceful than we are. They are definitely going to Heaven!!! <3
Great shots of these magnificent creatures, Cindy. What a marvelous place for seeing nature in the wild. Good luck with the foxes. 🙂
Ooooooh, the foxes! Your good luck worked in spades, but not until the final hour. My patience paid off and they came out. Three of them. I got around 100 pics and I was so excited I can’t describe. I have never gotten a good pic of a fox until now, because I so rarely see them