A deckhand aboard a Dana Point whale watching charter boat named the Hoku Nai’a was in the middle of describing traits of the common dolphins when he stopped cold and announced the sighting of a rare northern right whale dolphin swimming in their midst.
The unusual sighting on Thursday, Oct. 19, was about five miles off the coast of Dana Point, where the water is about 1,200 feet to 2,000 feet deep.
Caitlyn Nieblas, a biologist and photographer aboard the Capt. Dave Dolphin and Whale Watching vessel, described the sighting as a first for herself, adding, “They don’t come this far south.”
The dolphin, described as small and slender with no dorsal fin, is typically seen in the cold water of the northwest. They are often mistaken for fur seals because of their dark color and acrobatic nature. Typically, they swim in a group of 100 to 200 animals.