6 North Bound 0 South Bound 5 hrs

February 24th, 2025 Monday

Sunny 66 degrees 57 degrees ocean temperature. Clear views and total of six Gray Whales in three sightings.

Low tide exposed the large rock at (the Little Point) Point Dume. Seventeen or more healthy looking Sea Stars in the intertidal zone with no disease noted. Thousands of new baby mussels in tight clusters with anemone, limpets and periwinkles on the rocks typically under water.

Bay watch boat south bound went out deeper to avoid whales but still the whales changed behaviors and left as boat got closer.

Last sighting was a pair of Gray Whales late afternoon into sunset. Double syphops and tandem head lifts. One whale had heavy lice on head and the other whale had pale skin on rostrum. One of the pair had identification marks on lateral dorsal hump area.

Sun Pillar at sunset – an atmospheric phenomenon where a vertical beam of light shines up through the clouds reflecting sunlight light off of ice crystals in the clouds