As we took down camp and played Tetris fitting all of the gear into the storage container, took the food scraps to the piggies in town, took the batteries to charge and the crew headed home, we reflected on the season.
2024 was an El Niño year but not as wet as past El Niño years. The water temps at the end of the season had dropped significantly and most whales had left to head north. There were 2 mom and calf pairs that we would see blowing at sunset, letting us know they were still there.
The number of calves didn’t reflect the amount of mating we witnessed in 2023. However, it was nice to see a good number of whales, even if they were slow to arrive. The Brandt geese have made their presence in the Lagoon again and sea turtles are in great numbers. Must be lots of food for both!
The wind was ever present and a few trips got to witness the Super Wind and dust storms. Always fun to have the skin sandblasted. There are always other activities when they close the whale watching area. One of my favorites is intertidal walk, finding all the creatures unaffected by the wind. Until you look, you don’t even realize how many things are under your feet!
We had a very “green” crew that learned quick and made the season pass with lots of laughter and hard work. Glad to have such a great group of people. Our cook, flying solo for the first time, rose to the occasion and was fantastic.
Very pleased with the season and looking forward to another great year in 2025! Can’t wait to see what a La Niña year will bring.