Whale Watching Excursions offer an unparalleled opportunity to witness some of the world’s most amazing marine wildlife. These tours give visitors a chance to spot humpback, blue and minke whales in their natural environment.
Tours offer an up-close glimpse of sea creatures such as white-beaked dolphins and harbour porpoises. Many tours feature knowledgeable naturalists who provide insightful knowledge into the animal’s behavior and habits.
Humpback Whales
Humpback whales are among the largest creatures on Earth. Their flippers can grow to an impressive 16 feet long (about one-third of their body length), while their tails may measure 18 feet wide – half as wide as a blue whale’s.
Humpback whales are baleen whales, meaning that they filter food through special filters called baleen plates inside their mouths. These plates consist of fringed brushes which grow in rows from the upper jaw.
These specialized filters help separate meat from bones, making the whale’s diet simpler to digest. Furthermore, they trap and filter water, allowing it to swim for extended periods without losing too much weight.
Humpback whales can travel up to ten thousand miles annually, traversing vast oceans in search of food and partners. They spend half their year in colder polar waters where they feed and fatten up before moving onto warmer tropical regions for mating and caring for their young.
Whales may engage in ‘bubblenet-feeding,’ which involves them closing in on large schools of fish in circular patterns before shooting through them from below to consume hundreds at once. This technique is unique to humpback whales who can consume up to three thousand pounds of fish per day!
Another intriguing humpback behavior is breaching, in which they propel themselves up to the surface of the water and splash back down again. This behavior serves as a form of communication to demonstrate dominance and health during mating season.
They also sing, which consists of an intricate series of moans, howls and cries that can last hours. Scientists believe male humpback whales use these songs to attract females and mate with them.
Sounds are often accompanied by a lot of noise, such as splashes and slaps on the water’s surface. These actions could be intended to loosen skin parasites or could simply be for fun.
Humpback whales are known for their distinctive flukes, which are shaped and colored differently for each whale like fingerprints. This helps researchers identify, catalog and monitor data regarding migration patterns, population size, sexual maturity and more.
Blue Whales
Blue whales, the largest animal ever to inhabit Earth, are a formidable presence in the water. These majestic creatures can grow up to 100 feet long and weigh in at over 200,000 pounds!
Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth, yet they do not pose a threat to humans. They are solitary marine mammals that feed off shrimplike crustaceans called krill. These fish pass through baleen plates hanging from their upper jaws as an incredible filter system.
These massive filtering combs sift through vast amounts of water to catch tiny krill that belong to the zooplankton group. Once captured, these krill are then absorbed by the whale and its stomach.
Some of the largest individuals may consume up to 6 tons of krill a day!
Nutrient-rich food is essential for these majestic giants’ wellbeing. Krill are consumed while they swim in the water, providing them with protection from predators such as killer whales.
Blue whales migrate to summer feeding grounds in polar waters and winter calving sites in tropical regions. They mate each spring and give birth to calves after 11 months of gestation.
During this period, the baby blue whale nursed its mother’s milk until it weaned and developed into an adult whale.
Though blue whales are protected in their ocean habitat, they still face numerous threats such as boat strikes, impacts from ocean trash and fishing gear, as well as long-term changes in climate. Unfortunately, blue whale numbers worldwide have been declining steadily.
If you want to witness these majestic animals up close and personal, take a Whale Watching Excursion! In Sri Lanka there is an array of tours available for this purpose.
San Diego, California is another excellent location to go whale watching. Situated near Mexico’s border, this coastal city provides unparalleled opportunities to view these majestic creatures up close!
Whales can grow up to 100 feet long and hold their breath for 35 minutes, as well as dive down to depths of 500 meters or more!
Orcas
Orcas, also known as killer whales, are among the most stunning creatures in the ocean. They can be found across all oceans and provide a captivating sight. Orcas tend to form social groups and travel in pods with other orcas; although they have an intimidating reputation, they typically do not target humans for food or mating purposes.
If you want to spot an orca, a pair of binoculars and camera are both necessary. Some tour operators keep a log of daily sightings so that visitors can observe what the whales have been up to in real time.
For the best viewing of orcas, head to the Salish Sea off Washington State’s coast. Here, they have year-round access and you can spot both resident and transient orcas feeding on salmon as well as seals or other prey in this protected region.
In addition to orcas, you might spot humpback whales, Steller sea lions, Dall’s porpoises, harbor seals and bald eagles – species not often seen in the Salish Sea but always an exciting sighting!
For an amazing orca whale-watching adventure, join one of the many tours departing from Seattle, Orcas Island or San Juan Islands. These trips are reasonably priced and typically last a few hours – perfect for families with kids of all ages!
When selecting a whale watching excursion, opt for one that isn’t overrun with people. Too many boats can clog up the space around the whales, causing disturbance. A smaller vessel or sailboat offers more space so the animals have room to move around and search for food sources.
Though you cannot guarantee a sighting of orcas on these trips, they offer an invaluable opportunity to observe their behavior and how they communicate with one another. As highly social animals, orcas need the ability to communicate with each other.
You might even get to hear them sing and yell! A knowledgeable guide can help identify which whales are singing and who is yelling.
Dolphins
Dolphins are one of the most beloved mammals to observe during Whale Watching Excursions. They’re curious, playful and can be highly entertaining to watch. Additionally, dolphins possess excellent swimming abilities so you may see them jumping into the water or engaging with other dolphins while on your Whale Watching Trip.
They possess incredible intelligence, and can learn from their environment. In fact, some people even say they may be the smartest animals on Earth! Their keen senses enable them to read other animals’ behavior to detect when something is amiss. Furthermore, they have been known to adjust their behaviour if hungry or thirsty – helping them meet their basic needs more successfully.
On a Whale Watching Tour you may come across various species of Dolphins, such as common, spotted, spinner and bottlenose dolphins. The most popular are the spotted dolphins which can be spotted near Funchal and other spots throughout the Nicoya Peninsula.
Another type of dolphin is the Pacific white-sided dolphin, which stands out due to its unusual coloring. Its chin, throat and belly are creamy white while its flippers, beaks and dorsal fins are dark grey in hue.
Pacific white-sided dolphin males weigh in at approximately 440 pounds, while their female counterparts average 330. They feature a long dorsal fin and large eyes that are usually dark gray or blue-gray in hue.
They possess up to 800 plates on their bodies which they use for straining out krill and other small fish. These graceful creatures can move at speeds of up to 35 miles an hour with ease.
These animals are renowned for their spouts, which can reach heights of over 20 feet when they surface. Furthermore, they possess an incredible level of noise when speaking.
Whale watching can be an awe-inspiring experience that many will never forget. There are various tour options available, so be sure to book yours before setting sail on the water.
If you’re searching for a Whale Watching Excursion in California and Southern Oregon, there are plenty of options. Choose from trips that focus on humpback whales, blue whales, orcas and more; or opt for an extended cruise that allows you to search a larger area for marine life and birds. The best Whale Watching Excursions will have an experienced captain and crew who know exactly where to look and what to do when they spot a whale.