Finback Whales
Mother and Calf Finback Whales (Jeffery's Ledge)
While Humpback Whales are usually the main focus of our whale watches out of Gloucester, there is another species which (in my humble opinion) is equally as spectacular, although in a more sublime way... the elegant Finback Whale.
Finbacks are giants, even amongst whales. Adult Finback Whales reach lengths of over eighty feet, easily making them the second largest animal on the planet (only the Blue Whale is larger). Many of the Finback Whales in our population are double the length of the Humpback Whales we see. However their sleek design, fast speed, and elusive nature make these "greyhounds-of-the-sea" more difficult to observe than the slow-moving Humpbacks. When you do get a close look at a Finback Whale, however, you will undoubtedly be struck not only by the sheer size of the animal, but also by its subtle yet intricate patterning. Fin Whales (you can call them either "Finback" or simply "Fin" whales) are much lighter gray overall than the Humpback Whale is. However if you look close you will see a swirling pattern consisting of different shades of gray over the entire length of the animal (except for its belly which is pure white). One of the most unusual attributes of the Fin Whale is its asymmetrical coloration. The right side of the Fin Whale is much lighter than the left. Some Fin Whales can even be pure white along their upper lip and lower jaws on the right side, but all are dark gray (sometimes almost black) on the left. Many researchers have theorized that this may be a feeding adaptation. As Fin Whales feed they are often seen lunging on their right sides to catch prey. By keeping the right jaw (the lighter jaw) pointed into the water and towards the fish the whale may be able to concentrate prey for more efficient feeding (just as Humpbacks do with bubble clouds).
Left-Note the asymmetrical coloration on this Fin Whale's head as it surfaces to breath (Stellwagen Bank) Right-A Feeding Fin Whale. The back of the animal is towards the camera so you are actually looking into the lower jaw/mouth of the whale. The baleen is lighter brown and can be seen suspended from the upper jaw. Note the whale has its right side (the lighter side) facing down into the water, presumably to scare and concentrate fish (Jeffrey's Ledge).
Finback Whales are not nearly as well understood as Humpback Whales are.
Whereas the Humpback Whales are easily recognizable as individuals by the pattern
of black-and-white pigmentation on the under-side of their tail flukes, Fin
Whales have no such easily recognizable marking by which researchers could
separate one Fin Whale from another. Slight variations in dorsal fin shape
and size, as well as other subtle clues can help separate individual Fin Whales,
but these non-descript variations are difficult (if not impossible) to discern
at sea. As a result the mighty Finback is one of the most poorly
understood whales in the world. 
In fact, we don't even know where these
whales go to breed! Each Fall the entire Finback population of the
southern Gulf of Maine simply disappears. We know that the Humpback Whales
that feed in our area each Summer migrate to the Caribbean because photos taken
of the tails of Humpback Whales here in New England during the Summer clearly
match those taken by researchers in the Caribbean during the Winter. But
where the Finbacks go to breed is still a mystery. We can assume that they seek out
warmer waters in which to give birth... just like the Humpbacks. But which
warmer waters? If they congregated somewhere close to shore we would have
probably found them by now. Perhaps they head far off shore each
winter. Even as far north as Gloucester, if you head far enoughout to sea
(about 250 miles) you will encounter the warm waters of the "Gulf
Stream". The Gulf Stream is a warm water current (actually part of
the "Global Conveyor Belt" of water that circulates ocean water all
around the globe) that flows through the Caribbean Sea and then along the
southeast coast of the U.S. At about Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the
Gulf Stream turns eastward and crosses the Atlantic, eventually bathing the
United Kingdom in its warm water (that's why the British can swim in the sea at
the same latitude that Canada has Polar Bears). There is some evidence
that Fin Whales may visit these distant, off-shore waters in the winter to breed
which would explain their apparent disappearance. It is incredible to
think that the second largest animal on the planet has the ability to all but
vanish for half of each year. Despite the fact that whales are huge creatures,
compared to the vastness of their ocean environment they are still proverbial
needles in a giant blue haystack.
Telling apart Fin Whales and Humpback Whales is easy when the whale happens to be close to the boat. From a great distance it away, however, it is not always a simple identification to make and I still get fooled after 16 years on the water! Both species are very common, very large, and feed in similar areas (often on the same prey). So if you should see a spout in the distance how would you recognize it as a Fin Whale or a Humpback? Often times the shape of the spout is your best clue. The "blow" or "spout" produced when a Humpback surfaces to breath is generally low and bushy-shaped. The Fin Whale blow, by comparison, is taller (~20 feet tall as compared to the humpbacks 10 to 15 feet) and much columnar. High winds, however, can distort the shape of the spout very quickly so spout shape is most useful on calm and wind-less days at sea.
Fin Whale spout on a glassy sea (Stellwagen Bank)
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