Pages

Friday, September 18, 2015

Friday, September 18

Our whale watch today started with a fish, not a whale. A blue shark was meandering at the surface so we checked it out briefly before it got spooked by our presence and both us, and the shark, ventured on. We then ended up coming into an area there were 3 Humpback whales around. We first started with a single whale; it was Hornbill.
Hornbill
This whale was continually circling around the area, creating a few bubble clouds and giving us some great looks at this marine mammal. As we spent time with Hornbill a pair of Humpback whales were never too far away and we eventually eased our way over to spend time with Owl and her calf.
Owl and her calf
It was so nice to spend time with familiar whales in such close proximity of each other. Owl and her calf were seen resting, nursing, creating some bubble clouds (Owl) and leaving many, many, brown clouds at the surface (whale poop)!
Owl and one of her dissipating brown clouds at the surface
We too enjoyed some nice looks at this pair of whales, and the 5 Minke whales scattered around the area, before we eased our way clear of this area to go check out another whale we were keeping track of out in the distance.
Owl and her calf going on a synchronized dive
This distant whale was yet another Humpback. Geometry was spending a good amount of time below the waterline but really wasn't moving much once it returned up from depths of the ocean.
Geometry
We even lucked out (after initially turning for home and maneuvering away from this whale) when Geometry decided to jump clear out of the water!
Geometry leaping above the waterline! Photo by GS crew member 489.5
After a couple of breaches this whale decided to flipper slap over and over again before righting itself and going on a deeper dive. What a way to end the trip!
Geometry rolled over on its back and began lifting both flippers high into the air

White Humpback whale flipper

No comments:

Post a Comment