Bay of Biscay

Over the past few years I have had the pleasure of whale-watching from ferries travelling across the Bay of Biscay. This region has an abundance of marine wildlife and there is a real sense of anticipation as you scan the open sea from the deck not knowing what might appear close to the ship; from the mighty Blue Whale down to the tiny Storm Petrel.The wildlife here is not easy to photograph though. Firstly, because views of animals such as whales and dolphins can be fleeting to say the least. And secondly, the deck of ships such as the Pride of Bilbao are about 100ft above the sea. Nevertheless, here are a few shots from recent voyages.

Fin Whale, second largest animal on the planet.

Common Dolphins occasionally appear in pods numbering in
the  hundreds.

A beautiful Common Dolphin riding the bow wave of the Pride
of Bilbao.

A Cuvier's Beaked Whale logging just below the surface. Note
the scarring on the body. The males of this species are thought
to use their tusks when fighting.

Common Dolphin.

Fin Whale showing the remnants of its "blow". Also note this
species has an asymmetrically coloured jaw, the lower left
being dark and the right is white.