Whale, Porpoise or Dolphin?

[YAYoHamble]

Just come back from my first Cherbourg trip (of which, more later).

We left around 2030 from the Hamble on Friday and at first light on Saturday we saw a whaley-porpoisey-dolphiny type thing. Just the one; no group so far as we could make out. It seemed to be simply swimming in a straight line that cut our course close enough to make us make a small alteration. It was big; very hard to tell the size but maybe 4m. Maybe bigger. Curved fin. Very dark colour with no obvious markings.

Anyone got any idea what it might have been?

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[PaulJ]

'Sounds like it might have been a Pilot Whale. They are black all over with a curved dorsal fin and have a blunt round nose rather than the pointed/bottle style more associated with some of the other dophins, porpoises etc.

At 4 mtrs it certainly COULD have been a pilot whale but not a particularly big one.... I saw some Pilot Whales off Newhaven a few years ago and I would guess they were nearer 6 mtrs. One went right under the boat so it was fairly easy to estimate!

Hope this helps.

Paul.

<hr width=100% size=1>I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.....

 

[snowleopard]

if it went past without interacting with you it wasn't a dolphin. if it was more than 2m long it wasn't a porpoise. must have been a small whale, pilot or minke.

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[Sybarite]

Almost definitely a pilot whale because of the curved fin and the dark colour.

I came across a pod of about 25 in S. Brittany a few years ago. As I left, they came up vertically to have a look. I later spoke to a fisherman who told me that this pod migrates westwards about the same time each year - early August.


John

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[actionoptics]

Swimming in a straight line on the surface with a fin showing could have been a Basking Shark. Lots around Cornwall/Lands End and I have seen them occassionally between Plymouth and Lyme Bay.

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[AndrewB]

Though pilot whales will certainly interact if they feel like it. I came across a pod of six or so during a flat calm in the Atlantic, which played around the yacht for several hours. When I peered over the side to see if they were still there, one abruptly surfaced and squirted straight at me with its blow-hole. This was accompanied by much chirping from the others, which sounded for all the world like laughter.

 

[LittleShip]

Most likely a Pilot whale, Minkewhales tend to stay in deep water and only surface to breath then dive, or so I'm told. Basking shark normally show 2 fins (dorsal and tail) when swimming at the surface.
I once entered Strangford loch to see Orca chasing the seals, I was really glad I wasent in the water with them.
Whatever it was, it's good to know that the wildlife is returning.

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I wish I'd been born rich instead of good looking ?

 

[starboard]

Did it stay swiming on the surface at a very slow speed...about 4 kts if so and two fins were present would suggest a basking shark. We see many here on the Clyde however you will always see its dorsal fin and tail fin, these generally wallow from side to side in the opposite direction from each other as it cruises at slow speed filitering plankton.

Paul

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[MarkV]

How do you tell the difference?

I know that whales, dolphins and porpoises (mamals) have horizontal tails where as sharks being fish have vertical tails, but apart form that ???

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[dulcibella]

Re: How do you tell the difference?

4m would be small for a solitary (so presumably adult) minke - the pilot whale diagnosis sounds right.

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[peterb]

There's a very good book, called (surprisingly) "Dolphins and Porpoises" by Jean-Pierre Sylvestre, dealing with the behaviour and identification of the various species. The one most fitting your description is the long-finned pilot whale.

The average male is about 6m long, and the average female about 5m. The head is blunt and has a pronounced 'melon' above the upper jaw. The dorsal fin is low and extended (about twice as long as it is high), and is hooked at the back. It tends to remain on the surface for several minutes between dives. When it surfaces the 'melon' appears first, and an easily visible blow up to 1.5 m high is given. Before diving, it arches its back and shows its tail. It's generally indifferent to ships, but may remain in their vicinity. It's very gregarious (groups of up to 3000 have been reported) and is totally non-agressive.

Sound reasonable?

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[YAYoHamble]

Thanks for all the comments. I'll stick with the pilot whale theory, I think. The only inconsistency with this ID is that I don't think it was in a group.

Next time I see something I'll be better prepared knowing what to look for (fin shape, colour, length etc) rather just seeing a generic marine mammal.

I feel rather lucky to have seen such a creature on my first trip out of the Solent.

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