The Gray whale migration is on! They are travelling from the warm waters of Mexico and heading to the food rich waters of the Bering Sea! Consider this migration route like a huge highway. When some of them pass Tofino they ramp off and spend the summer here! In the fall time they will get back on that marine highway and head back south where the females will give birth.
A rather large pod of Gray’s has arrived in Tofino. Maybe 12 plus. I first saw them a few days ago.
Our Hospital is located near the water. I was heading home on my bike when I heard singing and drumming. It was a Native man singing and drumming a traditional song to someone he knows sick inside the Hospital. Magically I noticed a pod of Gray whales behind him in the waters spouting! I decided to put my boat in the water to go check them out. Because the whale watching boats have been side lined I knew I would be able to get some great shots….which I did!
This is so cool!
it was Emma and always is! Truth be told I prefer Orcas as they have that big dorsal fin and they also leap out of the water from time to time!
Impressive!
the sound is always so weird to hear and very distinctive Anne! Never get down wind of a blow……smells like something died! Whales are beautiful but they sure need a basketball sized Tic Tac!
I laughed at the idea of such a huge Tic-tac.
If you had smelled their breath Anne you’d be giving them a suitcase sized Tic-Tac!
Oh how lucky for you to see these magnificent creatures. I have never seen a whale except on TV, I can’t wait to see one some day. Thank you so much for these photos.
one of them swam right under my boat,making me nervous but they are gentle creatures by nature.
Wow awesome pictures, Wayne and look at the splash in the sea.
thank you Kamal! It was tricky to shoot the exhaling as I didn’t know where they would come up but sometimes I could see them under the water close to the surface.
Yes I am sure the shoot must have been tricky, Wayne to get a perfect shoot you have to take a picture properly too. Welcome.
animals are unpredictable but sometimes I can see patterns and take advantage of that!
Yes absolutely true Wayne.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing experience with us all, Wayne! 💞
my pleasure Betty! One of them swam under my boat,making me nervous but all was well.
Whoooh! I guess so! I just can’t imagine having the courage to do the things you do, Wayne! I suppose that is an asset to your art, of course. In any case, I truly admire both your amazing photographs and the nerves of steel that often makes them possible!
thank you Betty,I have fun and thats all that really matters.
So true! I’m so happy for you, having found what you love doing!
thank you Betty!
A great day! Well done Wayne ! You did a terrific job seizing the opportunity and it paid off
thank you David! I enjoy going out on an adventure!
Oh that is amazing to read, Wayne, but not totally surprising! I wonder what they thought of the music? :)
sorry Terri I didn’t explain very well. The distance from the man singing and drumming to the whales was about 1/2 a mile. There is no way the whales could of heard it. It was coincidental that he caught my attention and in behind (1/2 mile away) I could see all these blows.
I do believe however that they “might” be able to hear music?
I have a large pair of over the ear headphones I use to listen to music. I “think” If I place the headphones down on the hard boat bottom and play the music that the sound just may transmit?
I had a large male Orca once come over to me to check me out! I know believe it was because I had accidentally left the music going. It must of transmitted through the hull enough to grab his attention,…..which in the end certainly got my attention!
It was a fantasy thought on my part, but orcas appear to be social animals.
yes,I’d have to agree that Orcas are very social! I wish some of them would come by. I haven’t seen any Orcas for months!
Fantastic images!
thank you Hank!
Well that was a case of right place – right time. Had you not heard the man drumming, you would not have seen the “geyser” and made an agenda for yourself. The spray is impressive.
the spray is even more impressive early in the morning when the air is cold and calm. Sound travels better in cooler temps and with zero wind the spray “hangs”.
Looks like when a fountain is turned on – how high up does it go – the older whales would shoot up more spray due to their size than the younger ones I guess?
Another great series of posts, Wayne!
thank you Donna! The “Pink” moon is Tuesday. I have tonight and tomorrow night to get moon/eagle shots. Conditions look great!
Wish me luck!
Best of luck to you, Wayne! Looking forward to the photos!!
Thanks, Wayne. Our natural environment is definitely benefiting from our dilemma.
this is one huge accidental environmental experiment.
They are going to be writing about this for decades!