Whale of a Tale

[NorthernFocus]

A few weeks back while out boating on Prince William Sound our lunch hour was rudely interrupted by this uninvited guest showing off nearby. Note the disturbed water in the foreground from its first jump at which I just stared like an idiot. But the camera was close to hand and knowing that they typically breach more than once I was prepared for the repeat performance. Unfortunately he/she picked a poor spot for his antics. Had it jumped on the other side of the boat there was a taller hillside that would have made a much nicer BG. We've seen many breaching whales but this was the first one close enough for a decent capture.

[Donald]

Oh my goodness, how I'd love to see that.

Good shooting.

[Wavelength]

Oh...just ammmazing!!!!

[Ziggy]

Enjoyed viewing.

[xpatUSA]

Good grief!

[Mike Buckley]

It must be absolutely amazing to experience that. Thanks so much for sharing the photos!

[bnnrcn]

Great series Dan, I would love to be there. Thanks for sharing

[NorthernFocus]

Glad you guys enjoyed. It's a pretty brief event(2 or 3 seconds) to leave such a poignant memory. Though it does seem to happen in slo-mo.

There's more to the story. We were on the move between anchorages and stopped to eat our lunch. This guy was feeding 100m or so away. After a few minutes it changed its pattern and passed by us rolling/blowing once not more than 20m from our boat(quite an uncomfortable moment). Grace was beside herself barking at him/her. A few seconds later he breached about 75 yards away and then a second time about that much farther on. We've had orcas and dolphins do similar things in the past so I have to think the creatures are responding to the barks. In fun? Or perhaps showing off their size as if to say, "you want a piece of THIS".

[Donald]

There's more to the story. We were on the move between anchorages and stopped to eat our lunch. This guy was feeding 100m or so away. After a few minutes it changed its pattern and passed by us rolling/blowing once not more than 20m from our boat(quite an uncomfortable moment). Grace was beside herself barking at him/her. A few seconds later he breached about 75 yards away and then a second time about that much farther on. We've had orcas and dolphins do similar things in the past so I have to think the creatures are responding to the barks. In fun? Or perhaps showing off their size as if to say, "you want a piece of THIS".

That the great thing about cetaceans, we don't know how they response, but we do know they very intelligent. They may well be playing to the bark.

I am a member of Whale and Dolphin Conservation (http://uk.whales.org/whales-and-dolphins), because such mammals deserve to live in peace and enjoy the freedom of the oceans.

[rpcrowe]

Great shots... I was fishing in a 20 foot boat, in the Pacific Ocean, just about a mile off San Diego when a LARGE gray whale surfaced not more than fifty feet from our boat. His surfacing was gentle and humans normally have nothing to fear from gray whales but, I caught my breath a bit when I saw how close his behemoth was to our boat...

[Rita]

Nice shots Dan and what a great sight. I would be very happy to have my lunch interrupted with this

[pnodrog]

I trust even though how ugly the background is it did not put you off your lunch...

Nice efforts.

[NorthernFocus]

That the great thing about cetaceans, we don't know how they response, but we do know they very intelligent. They may well be playing to the bark...

When cruising along we frequently have Dahl's porpoise come swim along under the bow, diving back and forth under the boat. We've observed many times after the dog begins to bark at them they begin to slap their tails on the bottom of the boat and to flip water up onto us. The only time we ever had an orca spy hop near the boat was after the dog barked at it and the only orca breach we've ever witnessed was very close to the boat while the dog was barking. I don't have recorded data to correlate but by observation I have no doubt that the animals interact. It's interesting that they seem to ignore both us and the boat but respond to barking dogs.

I trust even though how ugly the background is it did not put you off your lunch...

Nice efforts.

Thanks, Paul. As I recall we were having a cold lunch that day and picked up where we had left off. Our chewing may have been somewhat impaired by smiles and animated discussion about what had just happened.

Hope you and your bride are doing well. We recall our stay in Waipu very fondly.

[John 2]

One lunch you won't forget. A situation I have dreamed of witnessing but several so called Whale Watching trips have failed to produce anything of note. Great opportunity and great result. Photographically, the last one is the pick for me.

[IzzieK]

What a beautiful experience! Glad you are able to shoot these -- I would have been overwhelmed and not take any picture at all.

[george013]

Great shots of a great situation. Many people are jealous. I'm one of them.

May I mention a book about whales, based on drawings of a Dutchman from the 16th century. A time when the seas and its animals weren't discovered yet. Stories and drawings collected from eyewitnesses and a lot of fantasy. I found an English selling site. http://www.reaktionbooks.co.uk/displ...=9781861891747

George

[AG64]

Amazing shots, and it must have been an incredible experience! The few times I've been lucky enough to see whales have been nothing like that.

[teokf]

I am jealours, LOL ...

[JBW]

I have been wondering if you were still with us. Fantastic shots.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.