Blue note

 

We were fortunate to see a few Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) near Cordell Bank on 10 September 2017.  [Click on the photos for larger versions.]

Here's another example of the very long back and the very small dorsal fin (relative to the size of the whale, that is).  Compared with the first photo (above), note the slightly different shape of the fin, as these are different individuals:

 

Sometimes the mottled patterning on the back was visible:

 

Below, on the right, look for the large "splashguard" surrounding the blowholes:

 

From a slightly different angle:

 

And one more, this time of the flukes, with the impressively thick caudal peduncle, or tail stock:

 

For more photos and information about Blue Whales, review the following posts:

• "Long backs and tiny fins" from 31 August 2013
• "Even longer backs and smaller fins" from 1 August 2016
• "Uplifting" from 9 October 2016