Humpbacks Breaching

Most people, in the unlikely event of being asked, wouldn’t profess to having a favorite baleen whale. We’d like to think it’s out of a desire not to insult or ostracize all the other splendid baleen whale species out there, and not the - infinitely more likely - fact that they have no idea what baleen even means. Anyway, for what it’s worth, our answer would unquestionably be: Humpbacks!!

Humpback whales are known for their magnificent songs, occasional curiosity toward humans, and incredible acrobatics. Captivating displays of which can occasionally be witnessed from whale-watching boats. The most popular humpback antic is the BREACH!! (the proper way to relay its occurrence to your boatmates) when the whale launches itself completely out of the water, and falls back down with an enormous splash and spray. Other gems include the spy hop - where the humpback slowly rises vertically out of the water to check out its surroundings, and the tail or fin slap.

Other than the spy hop, humpback whale shenanigans have, as of yet, no understood purpose. So it’s widely believed that these intelligent mammals are just enjoying themselves a little bit. You will have no doubt that this theory is correct if you should ever have the good fortune to witness a baby humpback display it’s newfound ability to breach for you.

Humpbacks are one of the largest baleen (fringe toothed) whales, weighing up to 79,000 pounds and occasionally measuring more than 40 feet long. These playful and gentle giants migrate more than 16,000 miles each year, but only feed in polar waters in the summer. In the winter, they travel to tropical waters to breed and give birth, and live entirely off of their fat reserves until they travel back to their feeding grounds.

Making it happen:

These migratory giants are found in all of the world’s oceans. In the North Atlantic, you can find humpbacks in the summer months, specifically off the coast of New England, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Iceland. In the North Pacific, you can see them in large numbers off the coast of the northwestern United States and Canada.

In the winter, you will have to travel to the tropics to experience the humpback’s escapades, which is reason enough to make the journey. The best place to see them is the southern coast of Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean Islands, and Hawaii.