The days-long storm broke long enough for Mike Roberts and me to get in a 12-mile paddle. Our route: Monterey's San Carlos Beach to the Pt. Pinos bouy to Monterey Bay Hotel, and back to San Carlos Beach. We had a nice downwind run from Pt. Pinos. But the best part of the paddle today was the Risso's dolphins. We started seeing them right after we launched. It looked like over 50 were in the pod. Then there was another pod. Then another. We kept seeing them for three miles. And they were showing off -- including breaching. Several dove deep under our paddleboards.
They're surprisingly large -- around 12 or 13 feet in length, beefy, and with a very prominent dorsal fin. We knew who was in charge, and were glad they were being hospitable towards us.
When I looked them up, it turned out they feed on squid. Squid and Pacific Grove are like lobsters and Maine. But I've never seen these dolphins before, and I have only seen pods this large in Hawai'i (those were spinners).
I found a site with some great pictures of Risso's dolphins. (<= Click that, and you'll see)
Just another thing I LOVE about paddleboarding.
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