Blue-Whales-Phenomenon_10-7-11.mp4

Capt. Dave Anderson took this footage just an hour(2:30 PM on 10.7.11) or so ago and is on the boat right now. There are about 50 blue whales (endangered) and Fin whales off the coast of Dana Point and San Clemente, as I write this, feeding, fluking, and spouting in an incredible and awesome display of their majesty.

Blue whales, are about 80 to 90 feet in length, and weigh as much as 200 tons. Southern California has the largest population of blue whales in the world every summer when they journey here to feed. They eat up to 4 tons of krill a day. They generally do not feed in their winter feeding grounds, believed to be off the coast of Costa Rica, so they may be storing up extra fuel for their upcoming journey south.

We have seen more blue whales this summer than any other year...and have never seen 50 whales in the area at the same time. We're hoping that they will be here for another month or so. Last year, we saw our last blue whale head south in early December and did not see any again until April. We will certainly be out there very day looking for them!

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Pets & Animals

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• California