The Beacon
A Whale for Wales
It's safe to say these whale watchers definitely got their money's worth, when one ostentatious 40-ton humpback whale opted to put on a little show. Lucky for us, a wildlife photographer happened to be aboard the boat off the coast of New South Wales.
No one knows for sure why whales perform these stunning aerial maneuvers, breeching the surface a rate of 25 feet per second. Some say it's a means of communicating with the rest of the pod, others say it helps with breathing, while others, still, say the big splash helps remove parasites from the skin.
For all their mystery and beauty, it's hard to believe some people still insist on hunting these often endangered or threatened creatures. Oceana continues to act as a watch dog in the open ocean, while on land we've successfully lobbied on behalf of many marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and sharks.
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