Tail-sailing whale

Tail-sailing whales are a rare sight. On the 16th of September, lucky passengers and crew on the Arafura Pearl watched in awe, as an adult humpback whale kept its fluke out of the water for a good 12 minutes.

“I have never seen anything like it, it just hung in the air motionlessly”, says Captain Andrew. 

Another whale close to this whale was very surface active, tail-slapping, pec-slapping and rolling over. Whilst tail-sailing behaviour is occassionally documented, it is still a mystery why they do it. With female whales, the theory goes that it provides some rest for the mother while the calf feeds. Another theory suggest that it is a form of thermoregulation; the fluke has a large surface area and can catch the breeze to cool down their large blubbery bodies.

Whatever the reason, it is an incredible sight!

Photo by Ian Ryan.