Narwhal

Narwhal

In 2003, I had the opportunity to photograph a narwhal in Conception Bay. It is very rare for narwhals to be seen this far south. I was told there had only been one report sighting previous to this one. This particular narwhal hung around Conception Bay for a few weeks and I photographed it at least 3 different times from a boat!

Today, I started a new Facebook album in which I will share my photos of this beautiful animal. You can follow it here - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10163189122590329&type=3

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Narwhal

Narwhal

In 2003, I accompanied Captain Ed Kean on board the Mottak to photograph his crew collecting icebergs.  To everyone's surprise, a narwhale approached our boat.  I photographed it on 2 different occasions over a period of a month.  It was hanging around a huge iceberg that eventually became grounded in Spaniard's Bay.  

The first photo has been published in several magazines and books around the world.  Seeing a narwhal this far south is very rare.  I consider myself lucky to have seen one.  

This sequence of photos was taken as I sat on the gunnels of a small boat and the narwhal came up to look at me.  I kept shooting photos and I believe it was hearing the "beeps" each time the camera focussed!

Feel free to share with family and friends.

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Photos of the Day are for sale as:

• Stock Photographs
• Photographic Prints

You can view more of my photos on my website and Facebook Pages:

• K. Bruce Lane Photography
• K. Bruce Lane Facebook
• K. Bruce Lane Photography Facebook Page
• K. Bruce Lane Travel Facebook Page
• K. Bruce Lane Flowers and Plants Page

Narwhal 3

Narwhal 3

This is the last in my Narwhal Series. Today's photos were taken the last time I saw the narwhal. When it surfaced, I noticed several deep cuts on it's back. Not too long afterwards, another boat approached asking if we had seen the narwhal. A vet had heard it was hit by a propeller and came out with antibiotics for it. I told him I had photos and he came aboard to see them. After seeing the images he didn't think the cuts were too serious. Soon, the narwhal returned and, after seeing the cuts, he was convinced that they were superficial and didn't pose a threat to the whale.

Rick Stanley, owner of Ocean Quest Adventures in Long Pond, also arrived and got in the water with his video camera. Within seconds, the narwhal approached him. You can see how close the whale's tusk is to him. He told me he got some good footage that day.

Not long after I made these images, the whale disappeared from Spaniard's Bay. There were no other sightings of it in this area. A scientist who was interviewed on a radio show speculated that it had headed back north. Hopefully this interesting animal made it!!

Photos of the Day are for sale as:

• Stock Photographs
• Photographic Prints and Enlargements
• Slide Shows
• Wallpapers/Screensavers

Narwhal 2

Narwhal 2

Thanks for the interesting comments regarding yesterday's photos. The second  photo this morning is the most popular image that I made of the narwhal. I assume it is because it shows a good view of the tusk as well as the shape of its head. The eighth photo was taken when the narwhal stopped in the water and raised its head as though it was curious about me. At the time, I was sitting on the gunnels of the boat with camera in hand.

Once, when the narwhal dove deep, I leaned over the side of the boat and saw it swimming straight up - directly towards me. To be honest, I was a little nervous that it was going to keep coming, but it slowed down and surfaced nearby. To capture the ninth image, I was shooting into the ocean and though the photo is not totally clear (the whale is moving through the water nearly 30 feet below), I've always liked the abstract image.

Photos of the Day are for sale as:

• Stock Photographs
• Photographic Prints and Enlargements
• Slide Shows
• Wallpapers/Screensavers

Narwhal 1

Narwhal 1

Narwhals are rare in this part of the world, but one showed up near an iceberg located in Conception Bay and stayed for several weeks in the summer of 2003. I was lucky enough to photograph it on three separate occasions and will share photos of it over the next three days.

The first thing you need to know is the narwhal has a tusk extending from the front of its head. I remember sharing photos back then and people asking what the white thing was in front of the whale.

This particular whale was very sociable and always followed boats in the area. In fact, it spent quite a bit of time underneath them and I was worried it would be hit by the propellers. On a few occasions it actually stopped in the water, raised its head and seemed to be looking at me.

I plan to share photos of this narwhal over the next three days. As usual I'll upload more to my Blog each day.

Photos of the Day are for sale as:

• Stock Photographs
• Photographic Prints and Enlargements
• Slide Shows
• Wallpapers/Screensavers

N - Narwhal

Today, I chose photos of a narwhal that visited Conception Bay in the summer of 2003. You can imagine my excitement at the opportunity to photograph this rare whale (in this part of the world) . On each of four different trips to photograph icebergs, this whale surfaced near our boats and even stopped to take a look at me a few times. This narwhal's tusk was about 2.5 feet long and its body was around 18 feet long. It was very curious about boats and seemed to like hanging out underneath them, especially when boats' motors were running.

To capture the above shots, I sat in the bow of a small boat and waited for the whale to come up for air. It followed our small boat for quite a while and I was able to make several images. I think it was as curious about me as I was about it.

Feel free to check my Narwhal Galleries: http://www.lanephotography.com/whales/narwhale2.htm

Narwhal

Narwhals are very rare around the island of Newfoundland, but in 2003, on four of several of iceberg photo shoots in Conception Bay, I had opportunities to photograph one at fairly close range. I was told this was only the 6th sighting of a narwhal this far south.

I am sharing three photos this morning. The first shows the narwhal surfacing near ice that had broken off a nearby iceberg. The second one was taken as the narwhal stopped and floated in the water near the boat. (I thought it was looking at me). The third photo was taken as it came up for air right next to the boat. The white tusk is a distinguishing feature of this whale.

I have 3 Narwhal Galleries on line ... http://www.lanephotography.com/whales/narwhale2.htm