Boats recently reported spotting a large group of humpback whales feeding in the Santa Barbara Channel off the Ventura coast.
Local sightings of the whales, known for their acrobatics, are far from uncommon. But boats more often spot larger groups of humpbacks feeding over the summer, said Andrea Mills, education coordinator for Island Packers, a company based out of Ventura and Channel Islands harbors.
The company ferries passengers back and forth to the Channel Islands National Park, along with running whale watching and other trips. In early April, several of its boats saw a group of up to 30 whales feeding in the channel, Mills said.
“It’s just really exciting to recognize that you are literally surrounded by whales,” Mills said. “But again, if you’ve got two whales cruising around the boat staring you in the eye, those two are pretty magical as well.”
The close-up visits, called getting “mugged,” happen after the boats shut down when whales are nearby, in compliance with regulations. It is pretty much up to the whale what happens next, Mills said. At times, they swim over close to the boat and stick around for a half hour or longer, she said.
Typically, Island Packers spots the larger groups of humpbacks farther west over the summer. Spots near Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa islands — two of the five islands in the national park — tend to have favorable conditions.
Groups of humpbacks can be spotted feeding in a big pocket of krill and small fish. As those pockets get smaller, the whales can spread out to find more to eat.
But the larger groups can show up at any point, like they did early in April, Mills said. The whales were feeding in a spot near an underwater cliff, just under halfway to Anacapa or Santa Cruz islands.
“The currents coming through hit that underwater cliff, and nutrient rich water comes up,” she said.
So far in 2025, experts have reported low numbers of migrating gray whales and calves off Southern California.
Each year, thousands of gray whales make an annual migration past Ventura, heading south from Arctic waters to the lagoons off Mexico. Then, starting around mid-February, the whales with their curved mottled-gray backs turn around and head back.
Counts are ongoing for 2025, but some say poor feeding conditions may be contributing to low numbers.
In April, a group of gray whales was spotted near Bechers Bay at Santa Rosa Island, roughly 40 miles off Ventura. At times, a migrating gray whale or two may hang out near San Miguel or Santa Rosa islands to feed, Mills said. But it is typically just a couple and juveniles.
This time, a dozen or more adult whales were feeding at the spot, Mills said. Because of poor feeding conditions, the whales could be stopping to eat more often when they find food, she said.
Island Packers also reported a particularly clear sighting of a basking shark recently.
The basking sharks make rare appearances in the Santa Barbara Channel and the sighting happened in favorable ocean conditions, giving passengers a better look, Mills said. In choppier water, people don’t get to see as much of the shark’s body, she said.
The sharks can grow up to 30-plus feet, making them the world’s second-largest fish, next to whale sharks. They swim with wide-open mouths when they forage. Instead of big teeth, their mouths act as filters, sorting small crustaceans and other fish.
Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.
Large group of humpback whales spotted off Ventura County coast – Ventura County Star
