Blue Whales in Bonavista Bay!

Blue whales in Bonavista Bay is a very BIG deal!

Last Saturday we headed out on a trip like so many others this season from our Princeton location. We hoped to see sperm whales, humpback whales, minke whales and maybe even dolphins but the most unexpected thing happened! We saw a blue whale, not just one but two! In 26 years of whale watching around the peninsula, these were the first blue whales in Bonavista Bay that we have ever seen! There were two animals, one larger than the other, though unclear if it was a calf or just a younger whale.

Blue whales are the largest animal to have ever lived on Earth. Bigger than all of the dinosaurs! They can reach lengths of 100 feet and weigh as much as one tonne per foot! Their hearts are the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, and their blood vessels are large enough for an adult human to swim through. We often see their closely related cousins fin whales but until this week had never seen a blue. They have a much smaller dorsal fin than fin whales and characteristic mottled skin. These animals are also known for bringing their tails out when they dive deep — and these two did that too!

On September 2nd, Richard Sears from Mingan Islands Cetacean Study reached out to get more information on our blue whales.  We shared our pictures, and we have a match!  The larger whale in the pair is a female that they first photographed in 1987 named Enclume B129.  The smaller whale was not a match to their catalogue but will be added now.

What does this all mean? We know that water temperatures are warmer this season. Our gauges show 20 degrees at the surface where historically it would typically be 2-3 degrees colder. Is the prey changing as a result of this temperature? Despite their enormous size, blue whales feed on krill, tiny shrimp like creatures which can be anywhere from 1-14cm long. These animals are endangered worldwide as a result of heavy whaling for many many years.

Until now, blue whales had mostly been seen in the Gulf of St Lawrence area. There have been about 400 blue whales catalogued in that region over the years. Whatever is happening, whether this is a one-time thing or they are now going to be frequenting our waters more often, one thing is for certain, they are most welcome here!

Humpback whales, dolphins, ocean sunfish, bluefin tuna, and now blue whales in Bonavista Bay — adventures with Sea of Whales Adventures are always full of surprise! Book your whale watching tour today!