October 12: A young gray whale was seen 150 feet off Point Fermin of the Palos Verdes Peninsula in mid-afternoon. When first observed, it was swimming generally north along the coastline, then turned back to investigate a lobster buoy. It apparently became entangled and for a half-hour was observed and photographed thrashing, rolling, lunging, etc., apparently trying to free itself. After one vertical dive, it became free of the line and was last seen swimming south. A short time later the same day, an apparent cow-calf pair were seen just off Cabrillo Beach, a half-mile south of Pt. Fermin. It is not known if this is the same "young whale" spotted earlier, but seems likely. Very unusual to see gray whales this early in the migration off this part of the coast. October 20: For the second time within a month, a great white shark and a cetacean mix it up in nearshore waters. This time, a great white was photographed by fishermen about one mile off Pt. Fermin with a dolphin (sp?) in its mouth. The proximity suggests tursiops, but the white coloration on the beak in one photo is more typical of delphinus. We're sending photos to Peter Pyle as soon as we can get the negs from the fishermen.--Katy Penland kpenland@compuserve.com

Back to The 1997 El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO 97-98)