Whale Belly

I was following an orca down deep when a flash of white caught my attention to my right. Below me, gliding gracefully toward the surface, was one massive belly belonging to Megaptera novaeangliae, a humpback whale.

This giant was heading straight for the surface, and I was directly in its path.

What a rush of emotions and conflicting instincts followed, self-preservation urging me to move, curiosity urging me to stay still and take it all in, and the photographer in me desperate to frame the shot. The photographer won that fleeting contest as I captured the whale’s ascent.

This distended part of the humpback is not actually its belly, but the ventral pleats, long folds of skin and blubber that run from chin to belly. When the whale takes in a huge mouthful of herring and water, the pleats expand like accordion bellows. Moments later, the water is expelled, leaving behind a tasty meal of Norwegian herring.

There are more frames to share as the gap between us closed, but I’ll leave those for another post.

Once again, I’m so grateful for the opportunity to experience such an extraordinary place.


#arctic #Norway #Skjervøy #humpback #whales #HumpBackwhale #feeding #WhaleWatching #MarineMammals