Humpback whale puts on a show!

Humpback whales are by far the stars in the whale world when it comes to putting on a show. They are known to frequently breach, lobtail and spyhop. However, when these whales are undergoing their long and energy exhaustive migrations these behaviours are not seen as much. The Azores is such a migratory corridor, so when such a spectacular humpback whale show is seen here it's a real treat. The following very active whale I photographed in the Azores in 2018 was also seen off the coast of Norway (a feeding ground for these whales) in 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Humpback whale breaching

Humpback whale 'lobtailing', also known as tail slapping

Each individual humpback whale is identifiable by the unique pattern of black and white marks on the underside of its tail

Moving large volumes of water

Tail breaching! 

Blue whales in the Azores

Most people know that blue whales are the largest animals that have ever lived on earth, reaching up to 33 m in length! We are so lucky to still have these gentle giants swimming in our oceans. Despite their large size, they aren't always easy to find out in the big blue. Whaling reduced some populations down to 1% of their pre-whaling numbers! It's such a humbling experience to be able to encounter these incredible animals.

Each individual blue whale is identifiable by the unique pattern of spots on its body

The most powerful breath on the planet

The blow can rise 8-12 metres in to the air!

Although mostly solitary, sometimes blue whales travel together in pairs or small groups

A choppy ocean, revealing the jawline and rostrum tip of this blue whale