Blue Whales

Blue whales are large, loud, noisy, fast and fascinating. Just imagine, the largest animals that ever lived upon this earth are splashing around in our oceans today. That indicates their importance. These white spotted, blue gray skinned, mammoth sea creatures with yellowish silvery underbellies, are still a delight to behold.

At birth they are twenty five feet long, and weigh over five tons. Compare that with a five or six pound human baby, and you can see how we stand up next to them. Well, of course we don't stand up next to them, nor swim close to them, but adventurous whale fishermen, and those studying whales, have gotten close enough to get pictures, and to record some interesting whale facts for us.

Mother whales keep their babies close to them the first year, suckling them well. Each day they consume one hundred pounds of milk, more or less. They need this since within minutes of their birth, they are out swimming alongside their mothers, watching, observing and learning. By the time they are full grown, at around ten to fifteen years, they have lengthened to near fifty feet.

They can be heard for miles and miles. Imagine if you will, a jet that flies over with a loud boom that you fear will burst your eardrums. Whales make even more noise than that. Yet, overall, their noise is more like a whistle than a loud boom, yet is probably more piercing.

Their breathing is by far their most interesting feature, and one most watched for by observers. Ordinarily, they swim underwater but their expirations shoots water high into the air. Their breathing apparatus is near the top of their head and when they breath out a spray of water, it is a gusher indeed. In seaman lingo, "thar she blows", is more descriptive.