Herman Melville described humpbacks as “the most gamesome and light-hearted of all the whales, making more gay foam and white water than any other of them”. Famous for the variety of incredible surface behaviours and feeding styles humpbacks are probably the favourite species of many whale watchers around the world. A big conservation success story, humpbacks have been greatly increasing in number in recent years, and I have been lucky enough to watch them all over the world.
Whale watched in both feeding and breeding grounds, humpbacks reward whale watchers so often with their behaviours. But if I had money for every time I had been asked ‘when is it going to jump?’ I would be rich. They jump a lot more than others but of course still not all the time.
If you are going whale watching, be careful which area you visit as in many places humpbacks could be considered too whale watched. I work for Laki Tours in Hólmavík, Westfjords Iceland where we are the only boat with the whales. Much better for you and for the whales!
These images were taken off Iceland, Monterey (California), Antarctica, Massachusetts, Norway and South Africa.
