World Oceans Day: A Fin Whale encounter

By Janie Wray, Researcher at British Columbia’s Cetacea Lab
The first time we saw a fin whale I truly was not sure what I was seeing. The body was so long and appeared to just keep going and going. The dorsal was so far back and was the last thing we saw before this massive creature took one breath and was gone. We searched for over an hour but were not able to locate this lone giant. It was not until a few days later and another encounter with this curious cetacean we were able to identify this as a Fin Whale – the second largest creature alive today on the planet next to the Blue Whale.  This was in 2006 and in that year we only had 3 sightings. Now, in 2013, to see a Fin Whale along the north coast of BC has become a common occurrence.

To have such a creature 2 to 3 times longer than your boat casually swim by is an experience not to be forgotten. It was early October and the ocean was so calm one would think it was a lake. I had traveled south for an hour towards the open sea. I shut the engine off and was just floating, listening for the sound of a blow. With in minutes I could here it, faint but definitely a blow. I scanned in all directions and to the north I could see a black dorsal moving in my direction. With the second dive I used the binoculars and realized this was a lone fin whale and it was traveling in a direct line right towards the boat. I wondered if I should start up the engine or just be patient and sit and wait and let the whale decide how this moment would play itself out. Well – there is no doubt I had made the right decision. This whale came right to the boat, then, ever so slowly dove under. I was hanging over the edge by this time and could see the entire body glide effortlessly beneath me. This moment went on forever, as this whale was just so incredibly long – 50 to 60 feet – my boat is only 20 feet long and 8 feet wide. My heart was literally pounding in my throat, every sense turned on. I was so present with the moment time it felt as though it had stopped.
I stood and walked to the other side of the boat waiting to see the whale come up for a breath. WHAT happened next will forever be imprinted in my mind. A few feet from the boat I could see something pointed coming out of the water. It took me a few seconds to recognize what this odd shape was. It was the tail of the fin whale coming straight up from below – this whale was doing a headstand right there beside me!! I could not believe what I was seeing. I realized then I actually had a camera in my hands and started to take a few pictures. But then I stopped. I wanted to just experience this very unique encounter between myself and the whale that I am sure was amusing itself with my disbelief. For over a minute this whale continued to hold its tail in the air.  If only I could have seen underwater to understand how he or she mastered this amazing feat. Then ever so slowly the tail disappeared. The whale came up for a breath and passed one more time beneath the boat and then was gone. I just sat there in complete awe and so grateful to have the trust of such a whale.