Majestic Whales - Antarctica 2026
- muse7699
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Conquering the White Continent - Part 3
In the last couple of blogs, I wrote about how I ended up in Antarctica, my love of animals especially marine mammals. During grad school, I volunteered in the education department in the New England Aquarium located in Boston. During the summer months I was volunteering as an educator on the whale watch boats. We arrived bright and early at the aquarium, hoisting up the traps set along the docks in Boston Harbor. Majority of the time there were crabs, mostly green and spider. Once in a while there would be a baby lobster. Carefully transferring them to the holding tanks on the top deck of the boat. Then off we went mostly north into Stellwagen Bank and occasionally south towards the cape.
Each season brought a different migratory whale to feed off the coast of New England. Early spring and late fall the highly endangered North Atlantic Right Whales migrated to and from Georgia. Summer months the waters were blessed with Humpbacks, Fins, Sperm and Minke. I loved watching the passenger reactions when the loudspeaker popped to action "Whale 10 o'clock"
Listen quietly and you will hear the heartbeat of the planet at the edge of the Sea - Wayland
Whales are highly migratory and adaptable marine mammals.
Cetaceans, which includes whales, dolphins and porpoises are found in all five oceans from the equator to the poles.
Classified into two main groups based on feeding adaptations. Mysticete or baleen whales include blue, fin, humpback. and the Odontoceti or toothed whales include sperm, orca and dolphins.
There are around 16 species of baleen whales with a population over 220,000 present in the southern oceans.
Baleen whales are larger and heavier than the toothed whales.
Humpback whales are highly adaptive to living in the extreme cold waters of the polar regions. Thick blubber layer, 10-15 cm thick insulates them from the cold waters. Large flippers help them maneuver through the icy waters. Baleen filters out the krill which are highly abundant in the Antarctic waters. Once they leave the waters, they slow metabolism down during the trek north to the breeding ground off Ecuador.
Whales are curious and vocal animals. Using various clicks and whistles in toothed whales and songs in baleen whales to communicate and establish social bonds.
Mid-winter in the Antarctica waters is a unique time. Not only are penguins giving birth to wonderful fluffy baby chicks, but the waters are teeming with krill. Thousands of humpbacks whales migrate to these waters. Waking up to whales floating on the ice filled waters was a sight never forgotten.
We line up at the landing zone, dressed in our parkas, waterproof pants and mud boots. We knew this morning would be special. Several humpbacks were seen feeding of the bow of the boat. We are all giddy with excitement, cameras and cell phones ready. It was the coldest day of the trip but we didnt care. Then off we go, speeding through the waters. Then......
I started writng this blog post several months, life and limited internet got in the way of completing. At that time it felt like a full circle moment. From the days as a whate watch educator in the North Atlantic waters to student, watching in awe these majestic mammals floating and breaching in the cold Antarctic. But there is one more chapter to my whales stories to complete. Swimming with humpbacks.... Coming 2027.
*both videos recorded by fellow passengers
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