Ten of the Best Whale Videos
Posted on Mon 7 Sep 2020 · by Paul Sharman
Our researcher Sophie Ranson has put together a selection of 10 of the best whale videos from around the world to make us smile this week - we hope you like them. Over to you Sophie...
Whales are - well, to put it simply - 'whale-y' awesome, spectacular creatures! I've selected ten of the most amazing whale videos I could find from across the globe and compiled them in a list just for you. Please enjoy them as you count down to number 1!
10. Blue whale drone footage in San Diego
What’s not to love about these gentle giants? The largest species that has ever lived in the world in fact! Watch up to 100 sightings of blue whales swimming, playing and breaching off the shores of sunny San Diego in California.
Species: Blue whale
Location: San Diego
Video credit: DolphinDroneDom
9. Humpback whales breaching in Maui
While all whale species breach, humpback whales have a reputation for breaching more frequently -- usually to communicate. Skip on to 1:05, for example, when they just can’t get enough of it!
Species: Humpback whale
Location: Maui, US
Video credit: DolphinDroneDom
8. Beluga whale plays rugby
You’ve heard of playing ‘fetch’ with a dog… but what about with a beluga whale? That’s exactly what this group of South African rugby fans did. This sociable Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean is one of the smallest whale species and loves playing in groups; clearly rugby is no exception.
Species: Beluga whale
Location: The Arctic
Video credit: The Guardian
7. Hundreds of Beluga whales gather in the Arctic
What's better than 1 beluga whale? How about 800! Watch as up to 800 beluga whales congregate in Arctic waters, travelling north in warmer temperatures for mating season. If this spectacle doesn’t give you goose-bumps, then we don’t know what will!
Species: Beluga whale
Location: Lancaster Sound, Canada
Video credit: Nat Geo WILD
6. Two Humpback whales dancing
Catch a glimpse of this rarely observed or documented phenomenon in nature: dance. Signalling the male’s interest in the female, the elegance of humpback whale ‘dancing’ is something not to be missed. And who said romance was dead, eh?
Species: Humpback whale
Location: Unknown
Video credit: BBC Earth
5. Whale song
What is one of the most infamous traits of a humpback whale? Why their whale song of course! Hauntingly beautiful, this clip captures the whalesong of a humpback whale and her calf.
Species: Humpback whale
Location: Unknown
Video credit: Hindustan Times
4. Swimming with whale sharks
Ever wondered what it would be like to swim with a whale shark? (Yes we know technically this is a fish and not a whale but it was too good not to include it!) Here’s biologist and freediver, Ocean Ramsey, giving us a taste as she swims blissfully alongside a whale shark - and showing us wee humans how ‘wee’ we really are!
Species: Whale shark
Location: Philippines
Video credit: GoPro, Ocean Ramsey
3. Surprise! Humpback whale jumps out of nowhere during boat tour
This one makes a splash so big it lands itself a spot in the ‘top three’. Watch as this humpback whale pops up for a surprise visit during a sightseeing tour... mind you don’t get wet! The main action is at 1:55 - I hope those expensive looking cameras at the front were waterproof!
Species: Humpback whale
Location: Macquarie, NSW, Australia
Video credit: Maasai Sightings
2. Sperm whales meets GoPro VR
While not everyone will get the chance to experience dreamy deep-sea adventures, GoPro ‘virtual reality’ is making sure no-one misses out. Get the spectacular 360° picture of a sperm whale pod sleeping close to the surface of the water -- something they do 7% of the day, napping 10-15 minutes at a time. Nature is rather marvellous, huh!?
Species: Sperm whale
Location: Mauritius
Video credit: GoPro, Liam Ballfish
1. Orcas in Scotland
Where better than the coastal waters of Scotland to see some of the world’s most majestic creatures, the orca? Skip on to 1:25 where the real magic begins (and don’t forget to have the sound on!) (Yes we know - again a bit of artistic licence here as orca are actually a dolphin and not a whale but come on, they deserve to be included on a par with their whale cousins right!?)
While Scotland’s north and east coasts host migratory orca pods that visit from Iceland and beyond, the ‘West Coast Community’ orca population are resident year-round and can often been seen travelling through the Minch where we operate our wildlife watching cruises.
Species: Orca whale
Location: North Sea, Scotland
Video credit: Slater Sports Buckie
How to get your chance to see some whales in Scotland.
We really hope you have enjoyed this little run down of these amazing videos and the spectacular whale species they feature. For a chance to see some of these beautiful creatures in the wild, make sure to book on to a Hebridean Adventures guided whale and dolphin watching cruise today and come join us around the stunning coastlines of the Outer Hebrides and the West Coast of the Scotland! Species we see each year include minke, humpback and fin whales plus the orca on very special days. There can be surprises at any time of year too with rarer species of beaked whales and even sperm whales making appearances. Our 2021 cruise calendar is online now.