UNDERWATER AGILITY
Humpback whales are not only known for their acrobatic displays above water – especially in their breeding grounds – but even while swimming and diving beneath us these gentle giants are incredibly agile.
While we all know them for propelling their whole body out of the water (which can be about 30.000 kilos heavy!), it often goes unnoticed how efficiently they execute their movements below the surface – performing rolls, loops and flips, quick changes in direction or swimming tight circles to create their infamous bubble-nets to trap their prey.
Much of this agility is thanks to their long pectoral fins. Besides having the longest flippers of all whales (they can be up to 5 metres long!), these fins have a series of irregular bumps across their leading edges, which are also called tubercles.
These tubercles greatly improve the humpbacks’ hydrodynamics as well as their overall swimming performance and movements in the water.
Watch the video to the end and note how the two whales use their pectoral fins and flukes (the tail) to suddenly change their heading, then slow down before arching their back before finally diving down - at some point it even looks as if they were flapping them underwater!
Text & Video: Sarah Arndt (captain /guide)