Understanding Whale Blows: The Most Visible Sign of Whales at Sea
Well, if there is one thing you will see for sure is whale blows! That is one of their most essential behaviour and the easiest way to spot them. Whales are mammals just like us, which means they have lungs instead of gills. The consequence is that they are not able to breathe underwater. Therefore, their most basic and common activity at the surface is to breathe, creating a visible mist of humid air, known as a blow, that can be spotted from several kilometres away depending on ocean surface conditions. When they are active, they typically surface for air every 4 to 10 minutes, maintaining a consistent pattern. However, they can remain submerged for as long as 45 minutes when asleep. The air comes out of two holes that serve as their Nostrils; they are known as the “blowhole” (even though there are two of them), and they are heart-shaped, which causes the blow to form a beautiful heart-shaped mist sometimes!).
