MEGAFAUNA
RAbove : Shetland ’ s viz allowed a full view
of the whales
SBelow : This tail fluke proved that a
humpback whale recorded in British waters was from the breeding grounds off Guadeloupe , in the southeast Caribbean g I checked over my camera to make sure the settings were right , got my snorkelling gear on and I was ready to slip over the side of the boat if an opportunity arose . Watching the whales for a while , we could see that they were going up and down in a large bay at the back of an island . Very carefully , Peter moved the boat into position and turned off the engine . Within seconds a head came out the water followed by a large and very loud blow , followed by an incredibly broad back and a very large tail heading straight towards us . Only at this point did I really appreciate their size , and for a moment I had second thoughts until I realised I needed to get in or they would be past us .
I slipped over the side of the boat as quietly as I could and Brydon passed me my camera . I wiped the dome port to remove any bubbles and just lay there on the surface breathing quietly and not moving . I was worried that any unusual splashing sounds could cause the whales to change direction , as I had seen this happen with other cetaceans . g
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