Humpback whales
10 places to see and hear humpback whales in the wild, in 10 countries from Norway to Angola: when each one peaks, where to go on your own, what it costs and what you will hear. Wild animals only, no zoos.
Best time, place by place
| Spectacle | Country | Peak | On your own? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orcas and humpbacks on the winter herring, Skjervøy | Norway | 10 Nov – 10 Jan | Guide, ranger or boat needed |
| Fin and humpback whales from the south-coast headlands | Ireland | 1 Nov – 31 Jan | You can go on your own |
| Humpback whales breeding in Sal Rei bay, Boa Vista | Cabo Verde | 1 Mar – 30 Apr | Guide, ranger or boat needed |
| Humpback whales off Cape Three Points | Ghana | 15 Aug – 31 Oct | You can go on your own |
| Humpback whales off Ouidah and Grand-Popo | Benin | 15 Aug – 15 Oct | Guide, ranger or boat needed |
| Humpback whales off Kribi | Cameroon | 15 Aug – 31 Oct | Guide, ranger or boat needed |
| Humpback mothers and calves off São Tomé and Príncipe | São Tomé and Príncipe | 1 Aug – 30 Sep | Partly on your own |
| Humpback whales off Loango — the Gulf of Guinea breeding ground | Gabon | 15 Jul – 15 Sep | Partly on your own |
| Conkouati-Douli: humpback whales and leatherback nesting | Republic of the Congo | 1 Aug – 15 Oct and 15 Nov – 31 Jan | Guide, ranger or boat needed |
| Humpback whales off Namibe and Benguela | Angola | 15 Jul – 15 Oct | You can go on your own |
Where to go, north to south
Orcas and humpbacks on the winter herring, SkjervøyWith a hydrophone: orca calls, whistles and echolocation from several pods carousel-feeding, humpback social sounds and feeding calls, the hiss of a herring ball being tail-slapped; above water, blows, tail-slaps and the roar of a humpback lunge; fishing vessels' sonar and engines.
Fin and humpback whales from the south-coast headlandsFrom the cliffs: surf, gulls, choughs and the wind; on the calmest days a distant blow can be heard. The whales are a visual event; underwater sound needs a boat and a hydrophone.
Humpback whales breeding in Sal Rei bay, Boa VistaThe only place on the flyway to put a hydrophone on singing North Atlantic humpbacks: long structured songs that carry kilometres through the bay, plus the slap and crack of breaches and pectoral slaps on calm mornings. Above water it is wind, surf and the outboard.
Humpback whales off Cape Three PointsBlows and breaches from the headland; with a hydrophone from a canoe, song from singing males in the breeding season — the reason to come. Above water this is mostly a sighting.
Humpback whales off Ouidah and Grand-PopoBlows, breaches and tail slaps from the boat; with a hydrophone over the side and the engine off, humpback song in the breeding season.
Humpback whales off KribiBlows, breaches and tail slaps; with a hydrophone over the side and the engine cut, male song in the breeding season. Sousa dolphins hunt in the surf line off the estuaries.
Humpback mothers and calves off São Tomé and PríncipeBlows, tail-slaps and the slap of a breach carry over a flat sea; a hydrophone from a drifting boat in September finds singing males at depth. From the headlands it is a visual spectacle against the surf; the islands are quiet enough that a blow is heard from the cliff on a still evening.
Humpback whales off Loango — the Gulf of Guinea breeding groundBlows and tail-slaps carry over a flat sea; a hydrophone over the side of a drifting boat in August picks up singing males — the real sound event is underwater. On shore, surf and the roar of the Atlantic swell dominate; the whales are a visual spectacle from the beach.
Conkouati-Douli: humpback whales and leatherback nestingBlows and breaches from the beach, humpback song on a hydrophone from a drifting pirogue, and at night the digging and heavy breathing of a leatherback on a wild beach with no lights for 50 km; chimpanzees pant-hooting from the lagoon islands at dawn.
Humpback whales off Namibe and BenguelaBlows and breaches close inshore below desert cliffs, with a hydrophone over the side of a fishing boat: humpback song. Above water the Namib coast is fog, surf and cormorants.