Author Archive | Curt Jenner

After a whale has come to the surface and taken a breath, the body rounds out and the dorsal fin shows very clearly as it does a peduncle arch.   The unique dorsal fin of a pygmy blue whale.   This pygmy blue whale has a distinctive hooked dorsal fin with a barnacle hanging off […]

With great splashing and exuberant sounds, some humpback whales display a behaviour called an Underwater Blow.  They exhale in the water before surfacing which creates noisy and showy splashes.   Releasing air just beneath the surface makes huge white splashes!   With each surfacing this whale exhaled before fully coming out of the water.  This […]

Escaping from the lungs at over 300 mph, the blow of a whale can be seen for miles.  In light wind conditions, an humpback whales’ blow can rise between 6-7 m high. From the rigging the whalers would cry out “Thar she blows!” when sighting a blow and thus evidence of their quarry.  Nowadays, we […]

After surfacing to breathe, whales round out, arching their peduncle in a Peduncle Arch.     Pygmy blue whale-sized Peduncle Arch.   Males on the loose, dorsals all around…   Peduncle Arch of an humpback whale in the green water of the Kimberley.      

Cetaceans are mammals, they are marine mammals and as such are air breathers.  Whale researchers can observe cetaceans, (whales, dolphins and porpoises) when they surface to breathe, spotting their blows from afar.              In deepwater near Christmas Island, young males travelled together. A single, left-angled blow totally indicative of sperm […]

Studying cetaceans in Australian waters, the CWR Team has had a chance to encounter many species. Here are just a few of our encounters.     An humpback whale in the turquoise water of the Kimberley.   Carrie keeps tabs on who’s who, doing what! These humpback whale males are looking for girls.   More […]

The CWR Team has been fortunate to travel in a range of locations around Australia and the world, including our delivery journey from Malta to Fremantle. We sailed from the Mediterranean around west Africa, the long, safe journey home! Here are a few photos from Malta where we prepared our small ship for the 5 […]

The Ross Sea, called the “Lost Ocean” is truly an unique and vital ecosystem in the cool nutrient rich waters of the Antarctic.  CCAMLR has created a Ross Sea sanctuary, at 1,550,000 square kilometres, it is the largest marine protected area on Earth. The Ross Sea is known as the most pristine shallow ocean left […]

Birthplace of the Giants Join the crew in the remote Kimberley studying humpback whales. Watch out for Skipper! Here is the YouTube link uploaded by Nat Geo Wild – enjoy!   Kingdom of The Oceans ‘‘ Birthplace of the Giants – National Geographic Documentary Birthplace of the Giants Birthplace of the Giants is an epic […]

Just a reminder… Tonight the documentary filmed in the Kimberley on humpback whales will air again (Oct 26, 2016) on Nat Geo Wild at 830pm AEST. Follow the antics of humpback whales on their northern tropical breeding ground in Western Australia. Experience the highs and lows, the boisterous times and the quiet times.  It’s busy […]