Breaching Humpback Whale
Feature Image – Alaska Beyond your Dreams Group
On a Kenai Fjords charter the wildlife abounds. We were rewarded with many species including this enthusiastic Humpback Whale.
Wikepedia “Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The park covers an area of approximately 1,760 mi2 on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska, near the town of Seward. The park contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States. The park is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier.[1]”
From a day on the Kenai National Park Alaska June’08
Nikon D40X
Breaching Humpback Whale belongs to the following groups:
Alaska ~ Beyond Your Dreams, AMERICA's National Parks and WILDLIFE Habitat, National Parks of the World & Great Parks Of The World, Nikon D40(x) Users, SEA and The Woman Photographer **7 Submissions a week only please** Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters
DanDumas
amazing capture i would love nothing more than the chance to get that shot
Barbara Burkhardt replied
Thank you Dan. Timing is everything – too soon can be too late etc. I am so lucky I was able to nail it!
melbourneguy75
Great shot, and very nicely timed also :))
Barbara Burkhardt replied
Thanks David, can you imagine the force it takes to get their weight out of the water like that!
DJ LeMay
Fabulous capture, Barbara!! I’m sooooo jealous! I’ve lived here in SE Alaska all of my life and while I’ve watched these beauties since I was a very small child, I haven’t had the opportunity to get a shot of them breaching! My family’s tooooo busy in the summers to take me out for a shoot… boo hoo…. Perhaps I’ll have to “borrow” an idle boat this coming summer, eh? ;) Really… a GREAT SHOT you’ve got here!
Barbara Burkhardt replied
It was a very memorable day as was – every – day we were in your great state. We love Alaska and everything Alaskan especially the wildlife.
whalegeek
Barbara, this is so lovely an image! Sheer magic is in this capture. Well done!
Barbara Burkhardt replied
When ever I see – your – icon it reminds me of the moment I captured it. Thanks whalegeek.
jwinman
spectacular moment! great capture.
Barbara Burkhardt replied
Lovely to see you have had a stroll through my images, this one was special, timing it just right was soooo critical. Glad you enjoyed it too.
Al Bourassa
I would kill for a shot like this.
Barbara Burkhardt
ahhh it is good to get a shot at least once!
Rick & Deb Larson
Barb, This is an AWESOME capture!! WOW …. !! Maybe someday Rick and I will get out and do the Kenai Fjords tour and get some shots like this (we can only hope). Take Care friend … ~ Rick & Deb ~ :)
Jan Timmons
Somehow I missed seeing this shot, Barbara. It’s as great as the orca shot that graced the cover of the newspaper the day we had high tea here. Beautiful preparation and timing!
Barbara Burkhardt replied
I did get to see the Orca on the front page, it was a good shot for someone lucky
Juilee Pryor
wow that is amazing!
Barbara Burkhardt replied
Hi Ya Juilee, yes it was memorable
Rick & Deb Larson
Hey Barb … HUGE CONGRATS on your Top Ten (well that would actually be Top 8) finish in the challenge!! Take Care ~ Rick & Deb ~ :)
Barbara Burkhardt replied
Funny for us all eh
Sharon Mau
It is always thrilling to see the magnificent Humpbacks. They are returning to the islands soon from Alaska, on their way now, and I look forward to seeing them again. This is a beautiful shot Barbara.
Barbara Burkhardt replied
They are heading south back to the Antarctic with their calves here too. We love the migration and often see them just Nth of us off the Sunshine Coast. Next yr we will go up to Harvey Bay and visit a RBl’er who runs a charter – just missed it for this season I think.
Sharon Mau
Aloha Barbara, mahalo for your kind reply. I am delighted you saw them. They are truly magnificent and very beautiful and I love hearing their ocean song. We look forward to their return to Maui.
They don’t actually migrate to the Antarctic.
“Most North Pacific Humpback Whales begin their annual migrations from the Gulf of Alaska in early fall.
What results is an exodus to three primary locations in the southern latitudes of the North Pacific. One group will travel to the coast of Baja in Mexico. Another will migrate to a group of islands south east of Japan. But the largest population (over 60%) will find themselves in the Hawaiian Islands, a distance of nearly 3500 miles from their feeding grounds in Alaska. This migration takes the Humpback approximately 4 to 8 weeks to complete.
The majority of the Humpbacks that travel to Hawai’i end up in the waters off Maui. It is a “trickle” migration with the juveniles usually arriving first, followed by the adult males, adult females, then the pregnant females.” Read more fascinating facts about the beautiful Humpbacks here
Sharon Mau
Congratulations on your feature this morning in Alaska ~ Beyond Your Dreams
Aloha e Malama pono,
Sharon
11 October 2009
Barbara Burkhardt replied
Sharon thank you so very much. This shot is one of my favourite memories from our time in that area of Alaska
whalegeek
Miss B…CONGRATULATIONS on your Feature!!!! Happy Dance, Happy Dance!!!
Barbara Burkhardt replied
.. you make me smile :-)))))
Rick & Deb Larson
Hey Barb … How Exciting!! Is the dancin’ still goin’ on?? HUGE CONGRATS dear friend on your well deserved feature … WTG!!!! Take Care ~ Rick & Deb ~ ☺
Barbara Burkhardt replied
.... and you make me laugh, can’t remember so much partying!!i
:-)))
GraceNotes
Wow!
Barbara Burkhardt replied
Grace, thank you, love your reaction! B-)
Shelagh Linton
Just looked through your amazing portfolio Barbara – wow! your work is amazing, beautiful shots all of them, what a talent. Love this whale shot how lucky you are to have been able to capture this. :)
Barbara Burkhardt replied
The whole day was magic .. Thanks B-))) for your comments!