A great way to start off the long weekend!

Hello everyone, what a great day that we had today!

Our morning trip started off with our unknown humpback that has a darker tail that we have been watching for the past few weeks. "He" wasn't the easiest to find...by sight...we could certainly smell him though! Humpbacks can have quite a strong smell to their blow (exhale) and we could smell this whale long before we could see him. We also spent some time with fin whales in Head Harbour Passage and we stopped with another humpback, Arrowhead, who was not in the mood to raise his tail today.

Below is a photo of Arrowhead, an adult male who was first recorded in 1976!

Our afternoon trip started with Arrowhead again....and again no tail picture. With some lighter winds and the ebb tide John decided to make the run offshore behind the Wolves to see if we could find some right whales. We arrived behind the Wolves and there were at least 5 right whales around (maybe as many as 8). The whales we all doing longer dives and were spread out a little. The large group of right whales that were feeding behind the Wolves for the past week were not there today, it may mean that they have moved back into the open Bay of Fundy (their traditional feeding grounds) or elsewhere.

Below is a series of photos of a North Atlantic right whale. These whales face sp many struggles including entanglements in fishing gear. This whale ( as well as 80% of the population....of 400!) has the scars to prove it.

On our way back home we found Cork, a 7 year old female humpback that we have been watching since '04. Cork never used to show much surface behaviour or curiosity with the boat but she has been doing both a lot lately. Today...to the delight of everyone on board, she decided to tail breach and tail lob a number of times. I took this video today and the pictures below as well! I ADORE THIS WHALE!





Today was a great way to start off the long weekend. I just have to say what a privilege the past week has been. To spend time with North Atlantic right whales like we have been able to has been so incredible. The injuries (entanglement scars and propeller injuries) on these whales that I have seen has left an impact on me...one that was needed and I'm glad I saw. These whales need our help and they deserve our respect. I'm not saying that we are not seeing right whales anymore but I have to say again....EVERY trip is different and the environment that these whales live in is SO dynamic and we can never guarentee a sighting of a certain species of whale. It's wildlife....at it's best...doing what it does in it's natural environment....and that is why I love my job.

Cheers,
Danielle