Whales are elusive creatures, often offering only fleeting glimpses of their immense forms. But when they do reveal themselves, even for an instant, it’s an unforgettable moment. I’ve witnessed a full whale breach only twice—first in the 1970s while hiking the West Coast Trail of Vancouver Island, and the second while staying in Gwaii Haanas. Humpbacks are truly magnificent.
Over the years, I’ve watched whales in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, along the California Coast, and in the Southern Ocean. Typically, it’s tails, tails, tails—some blows and the arch of a back. A couple of years ago, in the Great Bear Rainforest, I was fortunate enough to witness several bubble-net feeding sessions. The sheer size of a humpback’s mouth is astonishing.
But the highlight of my recent trip to the Gwaii Haanas Reserve was an unexpected display of fin slapping. A humpback treated us to an extraordinary show, slapping one fin, then the other, and sometimes both, as if trying to take flight. The sound was percussive, echoing across the water. But why? Was this performance meant for us?
There are several theories about the purpose of fin slapping. It could be a way for whales to communicate with one another, remove parasites from their fins, orient themselves for navigation, or simply play. We all like to believe that our slap-happy humpback was just having fun. Regardless of the reason, witnessing fin slapping is an awe-inspiring sight. And when the whale ended the session with a breach, it was the perfect finale to an unforgettable experience.
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