Humpback............

[k.hanley]

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w155/pacificextremes/WhaleBreechCopy.jpg

Thought you folks might enjoy this one. Floated with the critter for four hours watched it breeching, lob tailing, cooperative bubble net feeding (with 14 other whales), pectoral fin slaps... got the whole show. I was in heaven!

Humpback Whale
Chatham Straight, Yasha Island environs, SE Alaska

Cheers, Ken

PS: The photo is part of my work and not available for general public use. Thanks for understanding.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Ken,

Do you have to 'bow' to those whales when they jump like that?

Great timing.

[Adam Grace]

Thats great Ken, nice shot. It is amazing how those huge animals can launch themselves so high out of the water like that!

[jbird]

Do you have to 'bow' to those whales when they jump like that?


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :D

[mems]

Aloha Ken, those guys were just here last spring giving birth to a new generation. I am glad to see they made it home. I saw quite a few of them breaching like that. The weirdest encounter was night time akule fishing. The whales would rub on your anchor line at night. When they breathe right next to you it is a little scary. I like it when they look right at you. Nice picture, Mems.

[mikenewman]

Great shot, Ken! I was going to ask how close you can actually get to those guys but I guess Mems just gave me the answer :shock:

Cheers
Mike

[k.hanley]

Bill and Jbird... heck I bow to them even without a flyrod in my hands!!!

Adam... here's a thought to ponder; how much power do these creatures have to lift bodies that are literally many thousnads of pounds clear of the water??? Answer: way, way, way more than we can imagine!

Mems... it is a bit unnerving to have them that close at times. I've been helping in a study of the whales for the past 13 years in SE Alaska. Much of the population is indeed coming from your winter waters. It has been a true honor to be with these animals for such a long time. I've watched families grow. Last year I had a mother and calf drift with me for about an hour. They were no more than twenty feet off my port side (I was working with a 19' center console). After observing them from a distance of about a hundred yards, I shut down and began drifting. She brought the calf over. I was stunned and beaming all at once.

Mike... close encounters happen often when you let the whale make the decisions on the distance of acceptance.

Glad you guys enjoyed the shot.
Cheers, Ken

[WinterrunRon]

Were you nymphing or swinging... or did he take a dry? :wink:

Very cool pic. Glad you got to be its witness.