Boaters spot sea creatures ‘glowing’ off California coast. See the ‘trifecta’

Boaters off the coast of California got the chance to spot a sea creature “trifecta.”

“Calm seas” allowed for onlookers to spot a mixed pod of 60 Risso’s dolphins and bottlenose dolphins along with a few babies, according to a July 6 Facebook post by the Dana Wharf Whale Watch.

As the impressive mammals were feeding, they put on a show for boaters with “dramatic tail slaps, chin slaps and even breaches,” the whale-watching group said.

Dolphins tend to be social, live in groups and use different methods of echolocation like buzzes, whistles or slapping their tail against the water to communicate with one another, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Then the onlookers got the chance to see the real “beauty” of the day — dolphins “glowing below the surface” in a diagonal formation, the group said.

Later in the day, boaters witnessed “tiny calves” that were “busy feeding” with a pod of common dolphins, the group said.

They even got the chance to see the “rare” moment in which Risso’s dolphins were seen “tracking” a pod of common dolphins, the group said.

The day finished off with a “spectacular massive megapod” that leaped through the air alongside the boat, the group said.

Dana Point is about a 60-mile drive southeast from downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published July 7, 2025 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Boaters spot sea creatures ‘glowing’ off California coast. See the ‘trifecta’."