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Blue Whale PicturesThese blue whale pictures show what you're likely to see if you're lucky enough to spot a blue whale. You'd think that the largest animal on the face of the earth would be easier to find. But blue whales are few in number (about 2,200 in California coastal waters) and move quickly. You can see blue whales if you look in the right places. They can be found off the coast of California - around Monterey Bay, Big Sur and around the Channel Islands in the Santa Barbara Channel. They may hang about to feed from June through October. The blue whale is, as the name implies, blue-gray in color, often mottled. In fact, individuals can be identified by their mottling patterns. The blue whale picture below shows the blow plume, which is tall and straight. The blow is over 20 feet high and can even reach as much as 30 feet.
Blue Whale at Surface, Blowing
Photo by Scott Hill, NOAA Corps The second picture shows the two blow holes, contained in a large raised area.
Blue Whale at Surface, Showing Two Blowholes
photo by Scott Hill, NOAA Corps The third picture shows the flippers, which are tapered and relatively short.
Aerial View of Blue Whale
Photo by Larry Hobbs, NMML The fourth blue whale picture shows the dorsal fin, which is small and triangular. The size and shape of the fin varies quite a bit, but it's about a foot at its highest point.
Blue Whale's Dorsal Fin
photo by Janice Waite, NMML
More California Whale Watching InformationWhale Watching California StyleBest Places for California Whale Watching Best Places for California Whale Watching Tours Whale Watching Festivals
All photos are courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Marine Mammal Laboratory.
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