Do Whales like the rain? Yes, it appears they are rather fond of the rain as today we observed a mother Humpback Whale, her calf and male escort playing in the rain. It was a cosy morning and felt like we had returned back to winter whale watching for a brief time as today the rain showers moved through with sections of sunshine. It certainly didn’t bother the whales as we approached a mother Humpback Whale gently pec slapping away as the rain fell around her. A male escort surfaced alongside as the female continued to all out, perhaps in search of a playmate for her calf. The little one could be seen spy hopping all around mum as the sensitive tubercles located on the upper and lower jaw would be very sensitive to the sensation of fresh water rain landing there. Throughout our interaction it was very interesting to watch as the rain would clear and the whales would resume travelling.
Once the rain began to fall again, up would come the rostrums as they all tried to lift their tubercles above the surface to feel the sensation of the rain falling on their skin. It was beautiful to see and certainly showcased the very gentle and sensitive side of these enormous whales. The winter in the northern breeding and calving grounds experiences very little rain so for these whales it seemed to be a big novelty for them to play in the rain this morning. Spending much time without rain means they appreciate it so much more and for the calf it is all a new and exciting experience. It surprised us to see how focused both the adults where with the rain, even the protective male escort broke away from his guarding duties for a little while to also lift his rostrum above the surface in mini spy hops. A beautiful and unique morning, sometimes it is these rainy days which provide some of the most unique Whale Watch Experiences we have enjoyed over the years and today was another special memory and eye opening experience to see the Humpback Whales certainly do seem to like the rain!
