Whale Spotting

The three times we've been out on the boat this week, we've seen Humpback Whales. Today there were three of them, and it was their choice to approach us...an amazing experience!

We live in Kitimat on BC's north coast at the head of 60 mile long Douglas Channel, and todays sighting were within an hour of the dock.

Want to share your sightings?

MurrayM said:

The three times we've been out on the boat this week, we've seen Humpback Whales. Today there were three of them, and it was their choice to approach us...an amazing experience!

We live in Kitimat on BC's north coast at the head of 60 mile long Douglas Channel, and todays sighting were within an hour of the dock.

Want to share your sightings?

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Great pictures Murray. Thanks for posting. I would like to post some I have seen, but they were all in Wal-Mart.

Moonstruck said:

Great pictures Murray. Thanks for posting. I would like to post some I have seen, but they were all in Wal-Mart.

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Dude...that got a major groan from both my wife and I!

0607tc2012

These were part of a five Orca pod we came across this summer by Uganda Passage between Cortes and Marina Islands. In fact we had three pod sightings that day, which was amazing.

Turned the corner at Active Pass and were greeted with a nice surprise..

Too far out for pictures, but we were treated to Orca sightings late August/ early Sept off Saltspring, south end of Houston Passage.

Those are amazing whale shots, Murray! It's so cool that they approached so close to your boat. What an experience that must have been. Thanks for posting!

My whale-photos don't compare (the whales weren't so cooperative nor was I so close). Would be embarrassed to show them.

This is great...keep them coming!

My wife has recently gotten into photography. Here's some of her photo's from the last week;

Some from Icy Strait:











The last two are of a juvenile playing around a patch of kelp at Point Adolphus, seemingly oblivious to the many onlookers.

Murry, Marin, Conrad, Rochepoint, RcCook

Thanks to all of you for posting.

This is some great stuff that most of us visiting here will never see in person.

Thanks to you all!

bluebyu said:

Murry, Marin, Conrad, Rochepoint, RcCook

Thanks to all of you for posting.

This is some great stuff that most of us visiting here will never see in person.

Thanks to you all!

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Thank you.......here are a few more (sorry about the resolution, smaller camera)

Here are some from a warmer climate, winter in Banderas Bay, MX

Taken in Fitz Hugh Sound in 2010.

Great pics you guys. Thanks for posting them. We love looking at whale pics. Not as much as we'd like seeing them in person, but the only ones around here, like Mooinstruck said, are at WM. And those aren't worth photographing.

But, GFC, we have all seen the wm photos. Haven't we?

Great photos guys, there's something very special about these lovely creatures, we had them all around the boat last week while cod fishing, I must remember my camera next time

Here are a few from the St. Lawrence Seaway near Tadoussac Quebec last September.

markpierce said:

My whale-photos don't compare (the whales weren't so cooperative nor was I so close). Would be embarrassed to show them.

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WOW, Mark at a loss for a photo..!

Great photos! Thanks!

Well, you were warned my whale photos are pathetic. An example from Alaska:

North of Browning Pass, near Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, B.C.



I was in a skiff that ran out of gas, so the whole pod came to investigate.

Do whale sharks count? Two different ones from the Sea of Cortez.

Hi Larry,

I love the whale shark photos! I've been fortunate enough to be able to get in the water and photograph whale sharks. They are extremely gentle giants and will swim right around you (without touching you), even when you park yourself right in front of them.







More Photos at Galpagos Whale Shark Underwater Photo Gallery

I have a few whale pictures but they are not digital. Back in 1992 I was captain of a Whale Watch boat out of Long Wharf in Boston, I often made two trips a day to Stellwagen Bank to see the humpbacks. I could recognize the tail marking of six different whales so I knew their names.
It was a different type of boat to run with quadruple CAT engines with quadruple shafts and props. If we lost an engine with 275 people on board we could still leave the dock and run at 18 knots, no ticket refunds if an engine was down. It was 104 feet and was certified to carry 350 passengers.
We had two grad students on board to talk about the whales but they had to go back to school before the end of the season. I had to learn enough from them and my reading to do the announcing, I really enjoyed learning and then teaching about the whales.

Boydski said:

...They are extremely gentle giants and will swim right around you (without touching you), even when you park yourself right in front of them....

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You're right they gentle and not threatening at all. Here's a small one going under the dinghy. We're just out drifting around. And the shots like you took.. Outstanding!

Otter Bay in the Gulf Islands

Great pictures!

All of my whale pics are not close up.

This pic was off the NE corner of POW island (AK) at Point Colpoys. I always saw Humpback Whales there and at Point Baker. In the summer they are always there. I side swiped one at Pt Colpoys. And I "T boned" one in northern Canadian waters. I'm very Whale shy now.

Murray that's an incredible shot on post 10 in the middle. I was only 18' from the blow hole when we hit the big guy and I was holding my camera but also gripping the rail w white knuckles holding on tight. I had no idea the blow hole was that big. No pic.

Mark

You need to get a camera with a BIG telephoto lens.............
Best thing I ever bought for use on the boat.