Minke Whale Surprise
- Svalbard Photography Expedition
- How to Get to Svalbard (and what to do once you are there)
- Svalbard Photography Tour
- A Snowmobile Trip to East Svalbard
- Svalbard Photography Expedition on the M/V Freya
- Landscapes of Svalbard
- Harp Seals in the Sea Mist
- Falling in Love with the Arctic Walrus
- The Bearded Seal - A New Favourite
- Minke Whale Surprise
- Polar Bears (a.k.a. pixel bears)
- The Birds of Svalbard
- Reflections on Our Trip to Svalbard (and Svalbard Departure Tips)
We were at the front of the ship photographing a walrus when, out of nowhere, a minke whale sighting! It surfaced right in front of the bow. We heard the explosive exhale first, then saw its head break the surface — so close I could barely react. I pointed frantically but the only thing that came out of my mouth was a loud whisper of: “Holy shit!”
It was too close for my lens, but thankfully Andy had the right setup and managed to get a shot. Despite having done a minke whale diving trip years ago, this was actually our first proper sighting — and it totally took us by surprise.
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Minke whales are the smallest of the baleen whales, but still grow up to 10 meters (33 feet) long.
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They’re known for being elusive and fast-moving, often surfacing briefly and unpredictably — which makes sightings like this even more special.
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They can live up to 50 years and feed mainly on krill and small fish, using baleen plates to filter food from the water.
Next up — Polar Bears (a.k.a Pixel Bears)
