CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE DEEP SEA KIND
During our tours, we regularly spot humpback whales, minke whales and white-beaked dolphins. No matter how many times you see them, it never gets old! Sometimes, however, we are surprised by unexpected visitors. Recently, a pod of northern bottlenose whales swam into the bay, and they’ve decided to stick around - an amazing surprise!
Northern bottlenose whales are part of the beaked whale family. Beaked whales are notoriously difficult to find, and study, because they specialise in deep diving. Most of their time is spent below the surface, and they spend relatively short times at the surface. Some beaked whales are so rare that we only know about them because of strandings. Therefore, seeing northern bottlenose whales in our bay was a very exciting discovery!
Generally speaking, northern bottlenose whales prefer deep water. They regularly dive up to 800 meters; their record is 2330 meters. Quite the difference with our shallow bay! They dive to hunt for their favourite prey, deep sea squid. This pod seems to be content to linger around for a while, and might have found a different food source. We can recognise their dense blows, bulbous heads and large bodies from afar, and so far, many guests have got to share the excitement with our guides!
Text & Photos: Louisa (Guide)
