Complete Guide to Humpback Whale Watching

Having the opportunity to view a humpback whale is the experience of a lifetime. Whether you've never seen a humpback before or have had the luck to see many, booking a whale watching trip during humpback whale season is a fantastic way to spend a day!
If you're considering a whale trip, and would like to learn about humpback whales and how you might see one, you're in the right place. In this humpback whale viewing guide, we'll cover everything you need to know in order to book a whale watching excursion during the right time of the year and what to expect when you finally get out on the water.
To start this guide, let's cover a few humpback whale basics.

About Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae)

The humpback whale is a baleen whale and a member of the rorqual family, much like the blue whale, fin whale, and minke whale.

Humpback whales have two blowholes, fins on their backs and ventral pleats that go from their lower jaw to their stomachs. They are one of larger whales. Humpback whales can reach lengths of 40-50 feet and weigh 25-40 tons. The four-chambered heart of the average humpback whale weighs about 430 pounds.

Female humpback whales are slightly larger than their male humpback whale counterparts. This is due to the need for the female whales to give birth and care for their young.

The head, fins, and fluke of a humpback whale have a bumpy texture to them and may be covered with barnacles. Their bodies are rounded and are black on the upper (dorsal) side and mottled black and white on the under (ventral) side.

The coloring and shape of a humpback whale's dorsal fin and fluke are completely unique to each whale. The flippers are between 1/4 and 1/3 of its whole body length. The name Megaptera from their species name means "giant wings".

Now that you understand a few basic facts about humpback whales, let's answer the question of where to watch humpback whales.

Where to See Humpback Whales

Humpback whales are found in every ocean except the polar seas. They prefer shallow waters. Humpback whales migrate on a regular schedule every year. Humpback whales travel from colder climates, where they eat, to warmer climates, where they give birth to their young.

The humpback whale migration can be thousands of miles each year. They are the longest traveling marine mammals.

Although the majority of humpback whales do migrate in response to water temperatures, there is one group of whales that does not migrate. These whales remain in the Arabian Sea year round.

One location where you can view the humpback whale migration is in Southern California. Pacific humpback whales pass along the California coast each year. The best time to travel to California for a humpback whale watching trip is from May to mid-November.

If you'd like to book a Southern California whale watching trip during the summer months or fall months, contact Newport Landing. We can accommodate groups of all sizes on our boats and make whale watching trips out to sea nearly every day, leaving from Newport Beach in Southern California.

Booking a whale watching trip where humpback whales occur, like California, is just the start. It's a good idea to learn a little more about humpback whales before your trip, so that when you get out to sea, you know what you're looking at!

This next section deals with the behaviors of humpback whales and can help you learn what you might see when you go whale watching!

Humpback Whale Behavior, Mating and Breeding

Behavior

During the summer, the humpback whale eats krill and small fish by ingesting large amounts of food and water through its baleen plates. The water is expelled through the plates and the food is left behind for the whale to eat, a process like other baleen whales.

Humpbacks are the only whales that use a technique called bubble net feeding. A group of whales swim in a circle while blowing bubbles. They get closer together while other whales scare the bait closer with slapping or vocalization. Once the bait is in a tight enough ball, the whales propel through it with their mouths open.

During the winter, humpback whales move to warmer climates for mating and giving birth. At this time, they fast and live off of fat stores.

Humpback whales are extremely acrobatic. They are known for breaching or throwing their entire bodies out of the water. They will also slap their fin or fluke on the water, or swim on their backs with their fins in the air.

The most interesting behavior of the humpback whale comes from the males and their "whale song". These whales sing long complex songs that can last 20-30 minutes and will be repeated continuously for hours at a time. The songs change gradually each yeah. Each section of whales will sing its own song. Those located in the North American Pacific sing the same song but it is different from the song the North American Atlantic whales all sing. Some scientists believe that this song is used for mating.

Mating and Breeding

Female humpback whales reach sexual maturity at age 5 and usually breed every 2-3 years with an 11.5 month gestation. Male humpback whales reach sexual maturity at age 7.

The lifespan of a humpback whale is 45-100 years. Groups of two to twenty males will follow a single female and show off to establish dominance. Newborn humpback calves are 10-15 feet long and they weigh 1-1.5 tons. Calves nurse on their mother's milk, which is 45% - 60% fat content, for about 6 months after which they begin to introduce solid food into their diets. Young humpback whales are usually weaned off the milk by the time they are one.

To wrap up our guide to humpback whales, let's cover the status of humpback whales and whether or not they are an endangered species.

Are Humpback Whales an Endangered Species?

Yes, humpback whales are currently considered an endangered species. However, their numbers have increased since being hunted to near extinction.

Like most large whales, humpback whales were victims of commercial whaling. They are slow swimmers and remain in shallow water for feeding, mating, and birthing so they are easy targets. In 1966, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) granted them worldwide protection. Their numbers are steadily growing from a vulnerable state to one of almost pre-whaling population.

Other Common Humpback Whale FAQs

It's common for whale watchers to have questions about humpback whales. Here are a few of the most common questions about humpback whales, and answers to each.

Do humpback whales have teeth?

No, humpback whales do not have teeth. Humpback whales are baleen whales. This means they use baleen plates to filter food from the massive amounts of water they take in through their mouths.

Do humpback whales travel in groups?

Yes, humpback whales do travel in groups. In addition to humpback whale migrations, humpback whales also may hunt their food in packs.

Can humpback whales eat humans?

No, humpback whales can not eat humans. The throat of a humpback whale is too small to swallow a human whole. Even though humpback whales appear massive, their throats are only about the size of a human fist!

Humpback Whale Guide Overview

Seeing a humpback whale while on a whale watching trip is a real treat. Book your whale watching trip with Newport Whales, located in Newport Beach, California, and have the opportunity to see a wide variety of marine life. Depending on the season, our whale watching trips encounter a variety of whale species including minke whales, blue whales, killer whales, fin whales and gray whales. Other marine animals are also visible on whale watching tours with Newport Landing along the Pacific coast including bottlenose dolphins and sea lions.

If you're in the United States, travel to the west coast and join us as we travel out to see what the Pacific Ocean has to offer!

 

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