Fin whale spout
I absolutely love watching these graceful, huge animals and they didn't disappoint today, as the 3 whales surfaced right off the bow, affording us amazing looks.
We had a tug and barge come through, and I was holding my breath thinking about all that whales have to worry about as they cruise through the busy Gulf of Maine looking for food.
A fin whale coming toward us with a tug & barge in the background
And then there was the big news of the day - sperm whales had been sighted in the area! Our friends on the Granite State had spotted one on their morning trip, and we went back to the same location initially, but found only fin whales. Then we got a call that the whale had been spotted again, and ended our day with a great look at a species that hasn't been seen here for 15 years! It was the first time I've ever seen a sperm whale, and I was surprised by how obviously its skin was wrinkled.
Sperm Whale's Dorsal Fin
Sperm whales are the largest toothed whales (Odontocetes), and are so unique that they're classified in their own family (Physeteridae). They can reach lengths up to 59 feet and weights of 45 tons. They have a blunt, square head, with one blowhole that is on the top left of the whale's head. The blow of today's whale was short, and angled, which is a common characteristic of the sperm whale - their blow is usually at about a 45-degree angle!
I know these whales have broad flukes, but it was another surprise when the whale raised its tail and its tail looked so different than any other flukes we see out here.
Thanks to all who came out and shared this amazing experience with us!
P.S. I was talking about cormorants with a couple different people, and looked up some facts related to their diving ability - one source said cormorants can dive up to 60 feet and stay under water for 70 seconds. You can learn more about cormorants here. Thanks for the great questions!
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