Whale Watching Is in Full Season

Blue whales made a splash this week when a few of the world’s largest creatures appeared off the Orange County coast.

More than likely, they were making their way to the Santa Barbara Channel -- where the real party is. Dozens of blue and humpback whales have taken up temporary residence around the Channel Islands, as they do every summer, to feed on an abundance of shrimp-like krill.

“It is better than it’s ever been,” says Capt. Fred Benko of the Condor Express, a high-speed boat capable of crossing the channel in 45 minutes. “[On Wednesday] there were 50-60 whales within a mile of us at one point. Humpback whales were literally rubbing against the hull of the boat, mugging [for cameras].”

Both species of whales -- blue whales are the largest creature to inhabit earth, reaching lengths of nearly 100 feet and weights of more than 100 tons -- have been frequenting the channel seasonally since 1992. Some scientists believe they resumed visits made decades earlier once seismic exploration ceased in the area.

There are about 10,000 blue whales in the world, and about 3,000 inhabit an area in the eastern Pacific from about San Francisco to Costa Rica. Humpback whales are far more numerous. Scientists have cataloged 1,117 individual humpbacks using the same area.

Benko got out of the sportfishing business to concentrate on whale watching and the summertime presence of the blues and humpbacks -- last year they remained in the area through November -- was why he recently upgraded to the high-speed vessel.

On July 12, the Los Angeles chapter of the American Cetacean Society is running its annual Summer Whale Watch fundraiser aboard the Condor Express from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $75 for ACS members, $85 for nonmembers. Details: (310) 548-0966.

-- Pete Thomas