Humpback Whale Tail, Juneau, Alaska #3363

Last Thursday, on October 1, the skies cleared and the ocean calmed, a rare combination in this part of the world famous for fall storms that soak us. I took advantage of the moment and hopped on a large open skiff with my friends, Paul and Rick, to look for humpback whales. There was plenty of room for self-distancing in the fresh air. We started looking for humpback whales. This time of year, most humpback whales in Alaska have started their annual migration to Hawaii, but there are always a few stragglers that hang out in the Inside Passage into winter. This whale was feeding in the deep, which meant he took long dives. We hung out with the whale during sunset. The whale’s exhale coming out of its blow hole left a very tall vapor cloud backlit by the setting sun, which made for a dramatic and dynamic image. Thank you for visiting and please share. Be well – Camera: #Nikon #D850, Lens: # Nikkor 80-400mm, Digital Capture, Handheld ©Mark Kelley