Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Offshore Humpback Whale

The Air Cam crew spotted a humpback whale yesterday, 22 February, about two miles east of Varn Park and Beverly Beach while flying southbound on the 1.5 nm track line. The humpback surfaced briefly, taking several breaths, then submerged for several minutes, repeating this pattern while swimming steadily to the southeast as the Air Cam circled for photos. The one below shows the distinctive characteristics that let us know that this is a humpback and not a right whale; small dorsal fin and long white pectoral fins.

The surveyors in Sector 3 saw the Air Cam circling, but the whale was too far offshore and too low in the water for them to see.