TITLE: Tranquil Splash

Humpback Whales are the largest acrobatic whale in the world. They are know to breach, tail slap and pectoral slap along with other movements when feeding. Their large pectoral fins allow them to be agile. Capturing an image of a humpback breaching has its challenges. You never know when they are going to launch themselves out of the water. Capturing a single breach is tough, what you need is a repeat offender. Every now and then they like to breach multiple times in a row. This is when you can get an image. The west coast of British Columbia Canada, is one of the best places to see humpbacks. They don't breach as often compared to when they are in the warm waters of Hawaii or Mexico durning mating season. However, the backdrop in BC is unbelievable. Watching these giants of the ocean surrounded by vast mountain ranges is breath taking. They put the whale into a new perspective, they don't seem so big anymore. In the early morning hours, marine fog blankets the ocean, creating an eerie yet peaceful scene. I was keeping an eye on this whale as I watched the Steller Sea-lions on a haul out. The humpback was resting and I had a feeling it might put on a show when it woke up. It started with tail slaps. This was my queue to get a little closer. He launched out of the water 5 times in 3 minutes, taking a breath between each jump. I positioned the boat with some mountains behind him, hoping he would jump in front of them. Sure enough, he did.

AUTHOR: Felix Rome (United Kingdom)