Krillin' And Chillin'

Blue whales may be the kings of the ocean because they are the largest mammals in history, but feeding humpback whales put on the best show.

Just before dinner, the announcement went out – humpback whales had been spotted.  There were an estimated dozen or so, and for a while they were surfacing to breathe.  But then, they started bubble net feeding.  It wasn’t as dramatic as we saw in Antarctica, but any time you can see bubble net feeding, it is an amazing experience.

For bubble net feeding, two-three whales work together repeatedly to chow down on krill.  They dive down, under the krill, start blowing bubbles, and then explode up to the water surface, eating as much as they can.  Sometimes their heads break above the water, but it always ends with arching and then their flukes.  

Seabirds contribute to the show by flocking to the water where the whales are coming up, so they can join the krill feast.  The water turns green as the whales bubble up, so it is quite the show.  There are few shows in the nature better than bubble net feeding.