The profession of a wildlife photographer is quite tough as they have to wait patiently for an organism to make its move, but it is unlike the Humpback Whale story underneath. The situation might be quite tough but they have to remain stubborn and get the perfect picture that they wanted. Some scenarios are so wild, that the photographer, himself, gets awestruck while taking the picture or a video. The experience will be lived for a few seconds but the feeling will always be fresh in the memories of the photographer. Such an awesome incident was witnessed on Monterey Bay, amidst the Californian waters.
Humpback Whales In Brief
Humpback Whales are found in every ocean of the world. They are mostly observed in the North Pacific Ocean and the South East Alaskan Waters and migrate to Hawaii through the Gulf of Mexico, California, and Costa Rica. Monterey Bay is a popular whale-watching spot during the migration seasons as hundreds cross its waters.
The size of an adult Humpback Whale is around 12 to 16 meters or 39 to 52 feet. They can live up to 80-90 years. The most distinct thing about a Humpback was its water breaching habits and the songs sung by them. The series of moans and cries are heard from far and wide and are quite complex to decipher by the experts. They are quite photogenic and popular among whale watchers.
Also Read: Ocean Noise: Meaning, Causes, And Consequences On Marine Life
A fishing ban was held in 1985 to stop its poaching as their numbers kept reducing. The numbers have increased since then and the only critical thing that these Humpbacks face are collisions with other ships and getting entangled in fishing nets.
The Story Behind The Photo
Baja Sueno, a small fishing boat, left its shore to look for newer fishing grounds. It had no idea that the small vessel would become an internet sensation.
Douglas Craft, a photographer, was in another boat looking for an opportunity to click some pictures. It was then that the opportunity presented itself. He spoke to the media about his encounter and joked that if he was the fisherman in Baja Sueno, he would have required a new pair of underwear.
Douglas moved under the deck of his boat and looked through a porthole that was in line with the waterline. He took his camera out and clicked some pictures of the Humpback Whale which breached the Californian waters to get some air. He shot the picture at an upward angle which made the whale look even larger. The perspective at which the photograph was clicked was incredible. The whale was observed to be towering over the tiny boat.
Kate Cummings was on board, along with Douglas. Kate was a whale watcher, by hobby. She had keenly observed that the whale had breached the waters a couple of times and was heading in a certain direction. While the Humpback was building its momentum for the next breach, Kate estimated that the next breach would be quite close to the Baja Sueno and she was absolutely right about that. She was not certain about the lining up but she too was taken by surprise at this phenomenon. The Humpback whale lined perfectly with the fishing boat as Douglas took the pictures. Kate took a small video of this encounter.
The video became viral in no time as the Humpback Whale looked majestic in front of the tiny man-made fishing boat.
Also Read: Plastic Bags Found Inside The Stomach Of Whale Becomes A Cause Of Concern For Norwegian Scientists
Nature surely has a way to show its beauty and elegance. The splendor and extravagance of nature remind us of how small we really are and we should do our best to protect Nature, its resources, and its children. No matter how big or small we are, every little thing that we do affects the World in a large way!!
