Whales around the ice

I thoroughly enjoy calling Humpback Whales "The Ballerinas of Ocean", as their agility and grace in the water is literally second to none. For an animal of this size to have their maneuverability and their spatial awareness is beyond impressive - especially when they are curious enough to swim over and investigate your small zodiac vessel within inches but never touch the vessel once simply blows my mind!

Quite often when I am down here on the peninsula zodiac cruising around the ice it can be very common to find a humpback whale feeding on the edge of the pack ice (where the sea ice and ocean meet), as this is a good place to forage for humpbacks. Also, in regions where the ice has moved away, whether it be from wind or current giving these animals a larger region to forage more efficiently without ice overhead. Not to mention it is easier and safer to do so without being caught under the water with thick sea ice above you prohibiting you to surface in order to breath. A small detail for marine mammals when living in the polar environments, you know, having to breath from time to time and having access to the surface for this purpose.