Boaters between Nassau and Paradise Island saw a Humpback whale mother and her calf swimming together recently.

Readings from the boat's depth finder put them in about 30 feet of water when they spotted the two mammals. Kelly Neely said she could not believe she was so close to the whale.

"I'd never seen a whale in the wild and to see one that big, so close to the harbour, we were all amazed," she said.
Although the calf was jumping out of the water, the catchers saw only the mother's large tail.

Humpback Whales in The Bahamas. Photo from The Tribune.

Even though she was in a 51-foot vessel, Neely said "The tail was huge and we were in a 51-foot boat, she could have easily pushed us away with it," she said.

Humpback whales range from 39-52 feet and weigh an average of 79,000 lbs. Male Humpbacks produce a complex pattern of sounds referred to as a 'whale song', which lasts up to 20mins and is repeated for hours. The purpose of the song is not clear but it seems to have a role in mating.

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