Whale Watching
Today we hoped on a boat to go whale watching. There are several species of whales that call these icy waters home- at least for part of the year. We found the big marine mammals we were looking for- YAY!
Southern Right Whale Fun Facts:
- These baleen whales can grow up to 59 ft and weigh up to 99 tons.
- There baleen plates grow out of the upper jaw and are over 9 feet long.
- They have white callusites on their heads and mouths. These are home to whale lice- which are related to shrimp.
- These whales never leave the Southern Hemisphere.
- They have large heads. The head makes up a 1/4 of their body length.
- Southern right whales are also most identical to their Northern right whale cousins.
- Southern right whales are more acrobatic. They are known to do “head stands” in the water and wave their flukes.
We had fun spotting the whales. They are often seen near boats and ships. Unfortunately that can lead to run ins, so it is important for boats to watch for them.
The Adventures of Ellie and Edmond 
Whales are fascinating. How something that large is so graceful. I think it might be time to see them in the wild again. It’s been too long.