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Sperm Whale - Kaikoura New Zealand


Sperm Whale - Kaikoura New Zealand
Photo Information
Copyright: Pam Russell (coasties) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3817 W: 505 N: 8098] (27718)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-15
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 10D, Canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM, Digital RAW 100, Hoya UV 77mm
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: South Island Winter Holiday 2005
Date Submitted: 2005-08-15 7:02
Viewed: 1564
Points: 20
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Today's activities comprised of a Whale Watch trip out from South Beach Kaikoura. We saw two Sperm Whales. Sea conditions were okay but for a large rolling swell of approximately 1.5mtrs. This made photography challenging and this post is not as sharp and focused as I would wish. Luckily my husband and I don't suffer from sea sickness, but there were plenty on the boat that did.

SPERM WHALES

The great Sperm Whale is the largest of the toothed whales. Although the Sperm whale is easily identified it rarely shows much of its body above the water. This whale has a very distinctive huge squarish head occupying at least one-third of its body and projecting, often up to 1.5m (5ft), well beyond its lower jaw. The large head contains a cavity called the spermaceti organ which is a mass of web-like tubes filled with spermaceti oil (whaling) Scientists believe this organ is used in maintaining buoyancy and enable the whales to dive to such profound depths. They also believe this substance is involved in producing the powerful acoustic clicks the whales use for echo-location and to stun their prey.

The Sperm whale has a robust body with corrugations in the skin giving it a shrivelled prune-like appearance. The skin is dark grey or brownish grey. It is paler at the front of the head and on the belly, with white fringes to the mouth particularly in the corners.

The Sperm whale has one blowhole which gives a bushy blow projected forwards at a sharp angle to the left. There are two openings to the nasal passage divided by an external central septum but these are internal. The whale has no dorsal fin but it has a distinct triangular or rounded hump two-thirds along the body followed by a spinal ridge to broad triangular and deeply notched tail flukes. A thick 'keel' not seen in many whales runs along the underside of the tail stock.

Food: Squid, octopus, fish - [N.Hemis.] rock fish, skate, angler fish, lumpsucker, cod, brown ragfish, [S.Hemis.] cusk eel, rough fish, groper, king-fish, eels.

The above obtained from http://www.whalewatch.co.nz/sperm.htm

IMAGE INFORMATION

Camera: Canon 10D
Time of day: 12:247 p.m.
Date: 15th August 2005
Weather conditions: Clear
Lens: Canon 100-400mm L IS
Filter: Hoya 77mm UV
Shutter Speed: 1/30
F-Stop: F/22
Focal Length: 130mm
ISO: 100
Original file type: Digital Raw
wallhalla15, sway, Comandante, red45, magiqa has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Would love to go whale watching... lucky you!

Hello Pam, very beautiful composition... a great moment... an excellent shot... very well done

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2156 W: 322 N: 4258] (16906)
  • [2005-08-15 18:23]

Pam, I've never seen even a tail of one of them...

Nice moment, nice action. Keep on bringing them whenever possible.

Wow... this is a new whale photo for me. We see the humpbacks on their migration path here in California. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us :-) Very nicely done!

  • Great 
  • sway Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 303 W: 85 N: 308] (1224)
  • [2005-08-15 22:00]

Hi Pam.
Nice shot. I love the twinkles of light on the whales tail.
Well done in testing conditions.
:)

Hello Pam!
Very interresting capture for me.I'd never seen a whale in Istanbul;).Lighting,details,DOF,POV and composition are perfect.Thanks for sharing.

Hello Pam!
I love wales! They are majesty in its power!
Your photo shows how greaceful they could be.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-08-16 8:16]

Hi Pam! Like from tv - whale's tail and blue sea. Very nice, documentary photo. I bet you were glad to see these majestic animals.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-08-18 16:53]

Oh, this brings back fond memories Pam! :) On my last day in NZ I did a whalewatch in Kaikoura! Great shot ... I will try capturing some more whales in Canada in a few weeks. :) TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

Such a beautiful and perfect picture!

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