Shadows of the sea

 

Ready for pelagic week?  I joined a trip to Bodega Canyon and Cordell Bank today (25 August 2019).  So I'll be sharing some photos from offshore during the next week.  Above, a Northern Right Whale Dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis) leaps from the water next to the boat.  They look unusual because they lack a dorsal fin.

Northern Right Whale Dolphins are fast and unpredictable, making them difficult to photograph.  When they break the surface, they produce an impressive splash:

 

These dolphins are very dark above, so they almost look like shadows when swimming under water.  But check out the paler frosting on the flukes:

 

Here's another example of their shadowy silhouette:

 

Because they lack a dorsal fin, when viewed from a distance Northern Right Whale Dolphins can look a little odd. Below, here's one surfacing — note the very streamlined shape: