Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S26:W10

March 26 ~ April 2, 2016
Week Ten of our 26th Season

Our penultimate week on the Silver Bank and the whale action has by no means slowed down. Although some of the Humpbacks that migrate here every year will have already begun their long journey back up north to the feeding grounds, many are still here enjoying the Caribbean sunshine for another couple of weeks; mothers taking the opportunity to strengthen their growing calves for a little longer and males cruising the calm waters looking for that last chance to mate!

Once again we encountered rowdy groups of adult males in pursuit of that premium position next to a female in estrus in the hope of mating and lots of top side activity from mothers and calves as the youngsters practice the breaches and fin slaps that Humpback whales are famous for. But the most memorable and unique encounters this week for our lucky guests and what makes the Silver Bank such a special place for whale watching must surely be the in-water experiences with whales. Once again for the third week in a row we were extremely fortunate to be able to locate a singing whale and get in the water for a live performance! Even if you have heard a recording of the famous Humpback song, it just cannot compare to the sensation of being forty feet over the head of a whale and feeling the vibration of the majestic beast’s song as it rings out for miles over the Silver Bank.

Early on in the week we found a cooperative mother and calf pair that allowed us to have a soft-in-water encounter with them. On both occasions the mother appeared to be so comfortable with our tenders that she would intentionally stay close to the small boats and allow her calf to rise gently to the surface to breathe only a few meters from our excited guests, patiently waiting at the surface, cameras in hand. The calf would come to the surface every three or four minutes while the mother rested below and when she came up she would move on a few body lengths before settling down again at about fifty feet. In this way we were able to have the rare and treasured experience of sharing in the intimate bond between a mother whale and her calf while they rest in preparation for their 3000 mile migration north.

On the last day of this week’s charter the winds picked up and we braved choppy seas in search of one more special encounter, and we were not disappointed. We were rewarded with an unforgettable experience, another fantastic mother and calf encounter this time with a male escort in tow. Apparently unimpressed by the efforts of the escort to prove his desirability as a suitable mate, the mother, who appeared only focused on raising her baby, stayed with our tender and snorkelers for a short while before moving and leaving the escort to his striking display of lob tailing around our tender of stunned guests. Not only did we get to see the whales in the water but also enjoyed spectacular surface activity from the escort.

Amongst all this Humpback action we again had the opportunity, for the second week in a row, to swim with Atlantic spotted dolphins. This time the pod was even bigger, at around thirty individuals clicking and buzzing all around us. Being in the water with these playful creatures is such a different experience than the tranquility and peacefulness of being in the water with the whales and it really does top off an already fantastic week!

The Aquatic Adventures team hopes that you are as inspired as we are to help sustain the humpback whale population. Through our partnership with the Center for Coastal Studies, we are helping to gain critical information on these charismatic creatures, and to seek ways to protect and preserve them. To find out more about this effort, join their mailing list or to make a donation, large or small, please visit:

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Written by: Pippa Swannell, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S26:W9

March 19 ~ March 26, 2016
Week Nine of our 26th Season

As the weeks roll on and we approach the end of the Humpback whale mating and calving season here on the Silver Bank, 90 miles offshore of the Dominican Republic, the very special and unique encounters with our acrobatic friends have not diminished in any way. In fact the excitement, certainly top side, has been increasing as the need to breed before returning to the feeding grounds becomes all the more urgent! Mothers and calves have also this week been providing us with some spectacular shows as the calves continue to grow and gain strength. One morning we encountered a mother with her baby who proved to be quite the handful for the new mum but to the delight of our on looking guests, the calf, full of the joys of spring, breached thirty five times in a row! A new calf will do this quite often when they start to realize their abilities and want to practice over and over; simply because they can! Wonderful photographic opportunities and a great way to start the week off with a bang!

Rowdy group action!

Not only was the surface activity spectacular but our fortunate guests got to witness something quite unusual this week when we encountered two whales at the surface that appeared a little different…they were very small! Most of the North Atlantic Humpbacks that migrate down to the Silver Bank are here for the very specific reason of calving or mating. Humpbacks reach sexual maturity at around four years of age. Although it is difficult to age a humpback whale without proper DNA testing, these two youngsters could not have been more than one or two years old and so their reason for being here in the Dominican Republic was not so apparent. Like some of the dancing whales we have been fortunate to see this season, these whales could have been a male and a female engaging in some kind of pre-mating flirtation but to our casual observers it appeared more like a couple of young friends “hanging out”. The whales rolled and bobbed at the surface for more than three hours close to our tenders, allowing our excited snorkelers to watch from a few meters away as they spy-hopped and gently slashed their tails in the surf. This interesting encounter reminds us that we are still guessing at the meaning of much of the behavior we see from these fascinating creatures and that we still have so much to learn about these mysterious giants.

We may travel from all over the world to see the Whales of the Silver Bank, but occasionally we do see other marine mammals here too! This week we were treated to an encounter with a twenty strong pod of Atlantic spotted dolphins! These wonderfully playful and curious animals delighted in swimming and jumping around our tender and snorkelers, allowing yet another rare and special opportunity to experience wild animals in their natural environment.

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Written by: Pippa Swannell, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S26:W8

March 12 ~ March 19, 2016
Week Eight of our 26th Season

This all singing, all dancing week on the Silver Bank got off to a great start and our guests had no idea just how lucky they were when the very first whale we encountered turned out to be a singer! For almost all of our guests, this was the first time they had heard a Humpback whale sing and everyone was fascinated by the complexity and range of sounds produced by the lone male who was most likely searching for a mate. The Humpback’s song is usually around twenty five minutes long and some have been recorded singing it over and over for more than twenty four hours. Some singers will remain in one place while they sing, rising to the surface to breathe every 15 minutes or so and returning to the same spot, while others will slowly swim while they sing. With this whale we were able to float over the musical giant for two breath cycles before he moved on to serenade in a different area of the Bank.

The good fortune continued when the very next morning we encountered another not so common phenomenon, dancing whales! Although this season we have actually been very lucky to have encountered several sets of dancers, it is always a privilege to see this beautiful behavior between a male and female whale. More often than not, the female will lead the graceful dance while the male simply stays close by but on this occasion the male appeared to be posturing along with the female and at one point the female held motionless, head down in the water while the male circled around her. It was a stunningly beautiful show and one we will never forget.

As the week went on with beautiful sunshine and calm seas, the whale encounters heated up with four sightings of large rowdy groups. As the season goes by and many females start their journey back to the northern feeding grounds, the numbers of males fighting over potential mates increase and the rowdy groups this week were larger and more violent than before, providing us with some spectacular surface activity! It is an awe-inspiring sight to see eight fully grown male whales all come to the surface at once in a high speed race to defend their position next to a female. As the whales surfaced we saw bubble streams, lunge breaches and tail breaches as displays of virility and strength. We were also lucky enough to see a behavior called the “S curve” which is when a whale moving at high speed suddenly throws out their pectoral fins, effectively “slamming on the brakes”, and maneuvers to displace a challenging whale from their position next to the female. During one rowdy group encounter this week, two whales actually slammed into each other, dorsal to dorsal as they surfaced only a hundred feet from one of the tenders! Watery battles like this can go on for hours and it is common to see bloody tubercles and damaged dorsal fins as evidence that the fight was going on a lot longer before we came across them!

With the beautiful singer, the graceful dancers and the excitement of the rowdy groups, the week was made even more perfect by in-water encounters with a mother and calf and a pair of sleeping whales. Our guests really couldn’t have wished for a better week out on the Silver Bank!

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Written by: Pippa Swannell, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S26:W6

February 27 ~ March 5, 2016
Week Six of our 26th Season

The North Atlantic Humpback Whales travel great distances every year from the feeding grounds of the North East coast of the United States, Iceland, Newfoundland and even Norway to the Silver Bank, approximately 90 miles north of the Dominican Republic. Like many migrating animals the reason is unknown but is surely for a combination of benefitting factors such as a safe environment with no predators to give birth and rear their young and warm waters to rid themselves of the cold water parasites from northern seas. But no matter what the reason, thousands of whales make their way here, enduring weeks or months of fasting in order to do so. Those that are not giving birth this season will have only one thing on their minds and that is procreation. Adult male Humpbacks will travel here with the intention of mating with as many females as possible in order to pass their genes on to the next generation. Young males will travel here to learn from the older males and perfect their techniques in fighting in order to be able to compete with the older males when they return as sexually mature adults. The females, however, just need to get pregnant and once they do they will hastily return to the productive and nutrient rich waters of the north, but that is not to say that some won’t take their time in choosing a suitable mate!

Almost all of the Humpback whale behaviors we encounter on the Silver Bank are in some way associated with mating, whether it is soliciting for a mate by fin slapping or singing, asserting dominance over other whales in order to impress a potential mate by breaching and lob tailing or fighting to secure position next to a potential mate by warding off challenging whales.

So far this year we have been extremely lucky to encounter many whales displaying the behavior we associate with pre-mating courtship, dancing. And this sixth week of the season was exceptional! On three consecutive days we came across the same female, identifiable by a distinctive scar on her ventral side, and each time she was with a different escort! She was certainly taking her time allowing the male humpbacks of the Silver Bank to show off their stuff and prove to her that they should be the one she should choose. Each time we encountered the female she would begin her gentle and sultry display right under and around our tenders almost as if she were flirting with both the escort and us! Usually the male escort would simply tolerate her curiosity in us and stay with her but keep his distance, circling every so often to carry out a perimeter check for potential challenging males. However on one occasion the escort joined in with the playful female and once again we were treated to a rare and unique ballet where both male and female turned and pirouetted in unison. This graceful and beautiful display gave us a privileged insight into the whales’ private lives, not only allowing us to observe them passively in their own environment but also to be invited into their intimate performance as they interacted with us, expertly maneuvering and gliding through the water only a few feet from the awe-inspired guests. It was unanimous amongst the guests and crew alike that this last suitor, with his patience and artistic flare should be her choice of partner!

With Humpback whales being as large and powerful as they are; adults measuring between 40 and 45 feet in length and weighing in at between 30 and 40 tons, when interactions become a little heated, we of course cannot enter the water, content to enjoy the top-side show and awesome photographic opportunities. On one such occasion this week we encountered an amorous trio of whales where a female had attracted the attentions of two males. While the curious female stayed close to our tender, the escort and challenging whale displayed their prowess with tail slashes and trumpet blows much to the delight of our onlooking guests. A trumpet blow is when a whale constricts their blow holes whilst exhaling to produce a loud, hollow note to demonstrate power and aggression much like the roar of a lion or the trumpet of an elephant.

On top of all this action and romance, our already overjoyed passengers experienced great surface activity as well as the chance to spend time in the water with sleeping whales and two very special encounters with mothers and calves. It truly is a privilege every time a mother gains our confidence and allows us the great honor of watching over her calf while she rests below. If you were to ask for the most treasured memory of those who have been fortunate enough to be in the water with a humpback whale, the answer would undoubtedly be a mother and calf encounter. There is nothing quite like witnessing so intimately the bond between a new mum and babe.

This mother whale with the disfigured fluke has been identified as “Victim” from the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalogue. She is often sighted by whale watchers out of Bar Harbor, ME and Brier Island, Nova Scotia as well as on the Silver Bank, with her earliest sighting possibly in 1988! Recent sightings with a calf: 2011, 2014 & 2016 (Sighting data sourced from citizen science accounts on Facebook & Flikr)

**Whale ID update** On returning to port after this fabulous week we were able to get online and discovered that our beautiful dancing female that we spent so much time with this week could be positively identified as the same whale we encountered in week four, dancing with another escort! It would appear that she really is quite choosy! She has already been nicknamed (an official name has not been given to this particular whale) “Mojo” by whale watch operators out of Virginia Beach and has been sighted in Newfoundland since at least 2008! It’s so wonderful to make the connections, and know that our Silver Bank whales are making their migrations safely year after year! Here’s hoping that we see “Mojo” next year, perhaps with a new calf!

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Written by: Pippa Swannell, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S26:W5

February 20 ~ February 27, 2016
Week Five of our 26th Season

Mid season on the Silver Bank and the whales are everywhere! It is thought that between five and seven thousand North Atlantic Humpback whales come and go through this area over the five month calving and breeding season and as time goes by we are seeing more and more new mothers and their babies. Newly born calves are able to swim, breathe and nurse but they stay very close to their mothers in these first few months while they build their confidence.

This week we encountered numerous mother and calf pairs and on a sunny Tuesday afternoon one mother whale in particular allowed us a wonderful in-water encounter with her and her babe. The mother and calf were accompanied by an escort and all three whales were completely relaxed and unfazed by the presence of our two tenders and excited snorkelers. While mother and escort rested below the surface at fifteen feet, the new babe, still perfecting her buoyancy, bobbed gently to the surface every five minutes or so to take a few breaths before returning to tuck neatly under mum’s pectoral fin or chin. The relaxed trio chose to stay with us for more than five hours allowing all of our guests their turn in sharing in this most tender and special encounter with these awe-inspiring mammals. In between snoozes, when the mother rose to take breaths, she would gently balance the babe over her head in a behavior called the nose push. This very intimate action is thought to be done directly after birth when the mother assists the calf to take her first breath and so must undoubtedly provide a comforting and bonding experience for the young whale and new mum. The encounter was made all the more special by a spectacular back drop of coral heads and crystal clear waters, very much appreciated by photographers in the group!

Although we are thankful for every encounter no matter how long or short, with mother and calf groups at every turn it almost seemed inevitable that we would have another chance to enter the water, and sure enough, we did! This time, as incredible as it sounds the whales actually chose us rather than the other way around! Whilst in the water with one mother/calf pair we were disheartened when they quickly moved away. However we soon discovered that the reason was because another mother/calf pair was making a bee-line for our tender and proceeded to settle right below us!! Not wanting to miss this opportunity given to us by the mother whale, we slipped into the water and had yet another beautiful encounter. This boisterous youngster was a little livelier than the last and playfully bobbed around on the surface showing off his new found moves as a budding acrobat of the sea. We can only assume that the new mother was glad to have her energetic boy kept entertained by us as much as we were entertained by him, while she napped peacefully below. After more than an hour with the two whales we exited the water for the last time and, as if in reward for our babysitting, the mother whale awoke and performed two consecutive spinning head breaches. A perfect end to a perfect day!

Along with the wonderful in-water encounters this week we also enjoyed dramatic top-side activity with two adult whales fin slapping for more than an hour and numerous opportunities to get that perfect fluke shot with lob-tailing whales.

And to top off another great charter we were extremely lucky one night to hear the lullaby of a singing whale through the hull of the mother ship while we all lay in our bunks!!! The chances of a whale happening to be right under the mother ship, singing at a time when the whole boat is quiet are so slim that the phenomenon is a very rare and special thing.

Seeing humpback whales in the water for the first time is an extremely emotional and memorable experience, and this week for three very talented guests the whales got their creative juices flowing! Thank you Cathleen, Allegra and Alicia for sharing your sketches, paintings and songs with us this week, all inspired by the beautiful Whales of the Silver Bank!

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Written by: Pippa Swannell, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S26:W4

February 13 ~ February 20, 2016
Week Four of our 26th Season

In perfect timing for this Valentine’s Day week on the Silver Bank, love was definitely in the air! In a dramatic change in pace from the rowdy groups of the previous week, this week brought us stunningly beautiful displays of tenderness and affection from the Whales of the Silver Bank. On both the first and second day of the charter we encountered pairs of dancing whales. It is not known precisely what this most graceful of all humpback whale behavior means but it most certainly appears to be some kind of pre-mating courtship. During one of these very special encounters all the Aquatic Adventure guests were fortunate enough to witness the spectacular and yet extremely intimate show as a male and female slowly spun and maneuvered around each other. The whales appeared to incorporate the Aquatic Adventure tenders into their ballet as they approached each tender in turn while guests and crew alike looked on in wonder. The whales would hold elegant poses, nose to nose or back to back, vertical in the water with their pectoral fins outstretched and then over and over again they would gently rise above the surface in unison for perfectly choreographed double spy hops. Spy hopping is an intriguing behavior where the whale will emerge slowly from the water showing only the top of their head, sometimes as far as the eyes but not always. It is believed that this is done in order to gather environmental data using their tubercles, located on the top of the head and chin. Every tubercle contains a single short hair named the vibrissa that acts like a cat’s whisker and can detect atmospheric conditions like wind speed and direction or to check for top-side activity like whale watching boats! On this occasion the spy hopping, fluke raising and gentle fin slapping was all part of the dance.

©Heather Reser

©Heather Reser

Almost half the group this week were returning guests eager to experience the serenity and thrills of the Silver Bank Whales again. And for several lucky guests these dancing giants were their very first humpback whale sightings! Regardless of whether it was for the first, second or thirteenth time (!) all the guests felt privileged to have been able to enter the water with these graceful giants and share in this unique performance. The male and female stayed with our boats for more than three and a half hours, apparently enjoying the attention and happy to interact with the lucky snorkelers. After the whales allowing us so much time with them we decided to give the romantic couple some privacy and as we returned to the mother ship for a well earned lunch we were bid farewell with a finale of a spinning head breach!

With this encounter alone all of our guests would have gone home happy but the excitement didn’t end there. With more and more humpbacks traveling down from northern waters, coming here for calving and breeding, even in our little corner of the bank we saw whales at every turn. We had an extended in-water encounter for close to two hours with two sleeping whales and some spectacular top-side activity from a mother, calf and escort. The new baby, most likely only a few weeks old, but still measuring in at around fourteen feet long and weighing close to two tons, practiced their newly learnt behavior of lob tailing over and over again while the mother and escort swam on either side. When the escort and mother began fin slapping too we dropped back and enjoyed the show from a distance, not wanting to interfere in the young calf’s training! Over the next few weeks this season’s new calves will continue to develop their skills and build up their strength in preparation for when their mothers guide them on their long journey up to the northern feeding grounds. Until then, we can enjoy watching the babies as they grow up and look forward to seeing many more as the season goes on.

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Written by: Pippa Swannell, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S26:W3

February 6 ~ February 13, 2016
Week Three of our 26th Season

As the sun rose over the horizon on the Silver Bank, so began our third week of the Humpback Whale season here in the Dominican Republic. Three of our guests this week had birthdays during the charter and what better way to celebrate your birthday than to be out on the open sea, watching The Whales of the Silver Bank in all their splendor!

ibrahim_roushdi1

Spirits were high as the week kicked off with some spectacular surface activity from more than three different mother and calf pairs on our first day out on the tenders. Mothers and calves are often accompanied by an adult male whale, termed an Escort, that will swim alongside or in the general vicinity of the female in the hope of mating with her. Although an Escort would never normally show any aggression towards the female or her calf, their presence can sometimes be an irritation to a mother whose only focus is to wean and teach her newborn. If other males challenge the escort’s position, the resulting heated battles between the escort and challengers can be stressful for the new mum and babe. On this first morning of whale watching the mother and calf pairs that we encountered were unencumbered by escorts and appeared to be relaxed and happy in the Dominican sunshine. The first juvenile we observed was full of the joys of spring, practicing their newly learnt postures and poses with multiple chin breaches and full body breaches, over and over again with seemingly unending energy! This provided fantastic photographic opportunities for our guests and as both mother and baby began to calm down and rest we were able to enter the water and capture priceless images and memories of the two whales as they cruised under the tender, mere feet below the snorkelers at the surface.

ibrahim_roushdi4

The lucky guests had many opportunities throughout the week to experience the whales up close and personal. We had more in-water encounters with mothers and calves and some spectacular surface activity from rowdy groups. One of the rowdy groups consisted of six whales; a mother, calf, escort and three challenging males vying for the attentions of the female. A maelstrom of fin slapping, lob-tailing, breaching and lunging, often only 10 or 20 feet from the tender! After all that excitement we had a wonderful chance to really appreciate the gentle giants with both tenders getting to spend nearly an hour in the water with a pair of sleeping adults, observing from only a few feet away as the sleepy marine mammals gracefully made their way to the surface to breathe every 25 minutes or so.

ibrahim_roushdi6

The highlight of the week for many of our guests and crew alike was the chance to hear a singing whale for the second week in a row! While exiting the water after a fly-by with a mother, calf and escort, one of our whale crew recognized the distinctive whoops and squeals of a singing whale some distance away. After some exploratory dips in the area by Aquatic Adventures team member of 13 years, Lorenzo Martinez – the human hydrophone! – we were able to pin-point the singer’s exact location and spend several minutes in the water with the musical whale before he moved on to serenade in another area of the Silver Bank.

Our last afternoon out on the water brought some wet and windy weather but this deterred neither the guests nor the whales and we were treated to the awesome sight of a triple full-body breach by three adult whales providing an impressive finale for the week!

stephanie short 6

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Written by: Pippa Swannell, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S25:W9

March 21 ~ March 28, 2015
Week Nine of our 25th Season

Lengthening days on the Silver Bank mark the return of Spring, and coincide with a stirring inside its cetacean visitors. Whales steeped in the warm waters of the tropics begin to consider the long journey home, back to the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the North. Although five to seven thousand humpbacks pass through the Silver Bank in a given winter, most will not stay the entire duration. Some arrive early and leave early, others arrive later or remain longer. Mothers with growing calves tend to be in this latter group, allowing the vulnerable young the best opportunity to gain strength and coordination.

Accordingly, this week’s in-water encounters are dominated by mother and calf pairs. In one instance, we enjoy multiple rounds with a sleeping mother and active calf, mama immobile below while her baby spins and splashes above. The demands of caring for an active, growing calf are extreme, and rest for humpback mothers is undoubtedly a rare and valued commodity (especially late in the season as baby gets more autonomous and therefore harder to manage). This mother appears oblivious to the humans floating quietly above, but another visitor nevertheless interrupts her nap: a large spotted eagle ray passing just over her head startles her into kicking off. Not for long though; she quickly settles again, granting us an extra hour in her presence. Another encounter with a mother, calf and escort trio also comes with a unique twist: a pod of curious dolphins materializes around the trio, weaving among and around their heads. Baby appears delighted, but escort less so: he tail slashes at the much smaller cetaceans as if their presence were a nuisance to him (it seems dolphins are like gnats to a grown whale: inconsequential and unacknowledged, except when they invade personal space). Unlike escort, we enjoy the dolphin presence for several minutes before they dart away again, high-pitched squeaks fading into the distance.

Other mother and calf encounters result in some fantastic surface activity this week. Babies grown strong on mother’s milk are showing off their skills now, and the effort is always exciting to watch. Multiple breach sequences by baby are frequent, with occasional demonstrations by mom as well. One baby breaches for nearly an hour, his growing coordination readily evident, as mom lazily fin slaps in the background.

Other surface activity is picking up as well: rowdy groups form frequently in late season as competition heightens for a dwindling number of estrous females. Like mothers with calves, lone males tend to linger on the Silver Bank, eager for a last chance to contribute their genes to the next generation. We are witness to several different rowdy groups in our first 24 hours this week, and another to finish off the week. The early rowdy group encounters this week exemplify grace more than violence: rows of arcing backs streaming with water, turquoise pec fins gliding just below the surface. The last group is more violent: bloody tubercles and dorsal fins testament to the heated nature of this battle. Nature has established the imperative to mate, and these males are certainly answering the call.

A last encounter with a singer completes a varied week. Like several before him this season, this male pauses head down in the water column, perhaps the better to project his mournful-sounding song. Seemingly unlike the others, though, this singer includes a number of extremely prolonged squeals. All humpbacks in a given population sing the same song, though it does evolve throughout the year; perhaps this individual is adding his own unique twist to the template.

Another varied week on the Silver Bank, and another week of beautiful sunny days and starry nights!

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Written by: Lisa LaPointe, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S25:W8

March 14 ~ March 21, 2015

Humpback behaviors escape easy understanding. We can attempt to find patterns, to define categories, but for many, we may never truly grasp intent. Likely each behavior can have multiple meanings depending on when and how it’s performed, and the emotions and thoughts of the animal performing it. A fin slap might be meant to be alluring in one instance, and in another a threat. It may serve to call baby closer, or to warn competitors away. Humpbacks will also lend their own personal spin to each behavior, making each encounter with them as interesting and unique as the first. No encounter is entirely predictable, and seemingly commonplace behaviors often morph into the extraordinary.

This week on the Silver Bank we are certainly witness to some extraordinary behaviors. In one instance, we join a female whale as she hovers head down in the water column, seemingly oblivious to the pair of males circling her. Over and over they cross beneath us and over and around the female, posturing towards one another and presumably hoping to impress her. The female responds by rising towards the surface, breaking the surface tail first and hovering with her fluke upright for a moment before departing. The males make a final pass beneath her and us, releasing dense streams of bubbles as they go. In a similar instance, we slip into the water with a female, escort, and challenger trio. The female is settled at the surface, content to float serenely in the sunshine (presumably whales, like us, sometimes just enjoy the feel of sun on their skin). Occasionally she rolls to expose her belly, pecs extended and back arched, then rights herself and turns towards us. We are all nose to nose at these times, she quietly peering at the still humans bobbing just in front of her. Not so the pair of males vying for her attentions: they circle the group restlessly. Eventually she is swept up in the action, and the trio take off together, the males relentlessly battling for proximity to the female. First one, then the other appear victorious, but in the end she sticks with her original escort. The challenger subsides, strips of skin scraped from his blowholes and spine.

Another day we encounter a lone (likely juvenile) female at the surface. We slip into the water with her and she turns briefly towards us. There are moments of total stillness where we consider each other, and then she dives abruptly straight down underneath us. This behavior is repeated over and over, each time with her surfacing just as quickly a hundred feet away, and each time accompanied by a repetitive clicking vocalization. She certainly seems curious, even flirtatious, never straying far from us. Later, another lone female makes us her dancing partners for well over an hour, swirling and rolling just beneath us, and spy hopping just in front of us. What does it mean that she seems attracted to first one tender, then the other? She is younger, smaller, and perhaps practicing courtship behavior with the shadowy form of the tender, rather than another whale. In any case, it’s a remarkable encounter. With each close pass below us, she eyes us carefully, gracefully folding her pectoral fins towards her body then opening them again once beyond us.

The fascinating behaviors don’t stop there: we are also granted an extended session with a mother, calf and escort trio tail lobbing in unison, and all in a row. Later on, another mother, calf and escort trio are joined by a challenger intent on making an impression of his own. He breaches over and over, more than 30 times altogether, just in front of the tender. It’s one of the most ambitious breaching displays we’ve seen on the Silver Bank, and an incredible opportunity for the photographers to capture this classic behavior. And finally, our last day begins with an extended rowdy group battle, five whales in pursuit of a female. One of the males is particularly notable: in addition to being absolutely enormous, he is also missing his dorsal fin entirely (only a knot of scar tissue remains). Obviously an experienced fighter, he repeatedly fills his broad mouth with water, the better to increase momentum as he slams into his competitors.

In addition to the above, mother and calf encounters are also frequent this week, some lasting hours and involving very curious babies. The calves are getting bigger and braver as the season progresses (and the mothers more used to our presence), leading to relaxed and very intimate interactions with the little ones. We also have an encore performance of this year’s iconic humpback song: another singer settled head down grants us several rounds in the water with him.

All in all, an incredible week on the Silver Bank, complemented by sunny skies, calm winds, and clear starry nights. All aboard are looking forward to what the next one brings!

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Written by: Lisa LaPointe, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures

Aquatic Adventures Whale Tales S25:W7

March 7 ~ March 14, 2015

Humpback whales are known as the “acrobats of the sea” for good reason: their range of spectacular activity above water and balletic movements below are unparalleled among the large whales. For this, they owe much to their extraordinarily long pectoral fins, the longest of any appendage on any animal alive today. Measuring up to 1/3 of the whale’s body length, the pectoral fins even lend themselves to the humpback’s scientific (genus) name Megaptera, or “large-winged”. Although derived from the same bones that comprise our own arms, the fins are modified externally to perfectly align with the humpback’s watery environment and improbable dreams of flight. Indeed, they are so well suited to sliding through water and wind that they are being studied by engineers seeking to improve design for propellers, turbine blades and helicopters.

Humpbacks create momentum for their famous spinning breaches by throwing their pec fins across their body like the arms on a platform diver. Apparently, this skill takes time to master: babies are often seen practicing breaches, informed by mom. This week on the Silver Bank we come across just such a baby, his energy seemingly inexhaustible. Over and over and over again he breaches (more than 30 times altogether), his movements imperfect but obviously enthusiastic. Later, we are treated to a pair of adult whales who demonstrate the entire suite of humpback breaches, and add in several pectoral slaps and tail lobs for good measure.

While breaching humpbacks certainly embody power and drama, below water they are all subtlety and grace. Here too the pectoral fins are critical, acting as rudder and stabilizer for their streamlined bodies. We are fortunate this week to observe multiple lovely slow fly-by passes from paired adults, mother-calf pairs with escorts, and even larger groups. In every case, the whales pass just below or next to us, and in many cases, they roll slowly for a better look. Despite their proximity, we feel no threat: their graceful pectoral fins allow them perfect control over their course. In one notable instance, a mother and calf pair with escort are joined by three traveling whales. The incoming whales emit a consistent “whomp, whomp, whomp” call as they approach, strong enough to feel. All six whales flow past and around each other like silk, a thrilling encounter for those of us watching. In another instance, a resting rowdy group passes just below, in formation reminiscent of birds in flight.

More interesting encounters follow. Sockeye makes another appearance this week, with a different mom and calf. Like in our previous encounter, he is gently but firmly possessive. While mom and calf settle, Sockeye again makes repeated passes under and around the boat, as well as rising up directly below those in the water. The trio eventually leave together, but several hours later, we come by Sockeye again without mother and calf. Did the pair tire of his possessiveness? Did he lose them to a stronger challenger? In any case, he has begun to sing in earnest, settled head down in the water column. To our ears, the song sounds like yearning, but it may also be a challenge to whomever has claimed his lady.

In a last highlight for the week, we come across a rowdy group of four whales. The group is moving slowly, but the pace picks up as one, then two, then three whales sweep in. We position ourselves among the whales, in the midst of the swirling action. It’s a fittingly exciting end to a week that has brought plenty of surface activity, some unique underwater encounters, and an additional round with a celebrity whale.

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Written by: Lisa LaPointe, Aquatic Adventures
Designed by: Heather Reser, Aquatic Adventures