Humpback whale sightings in Cornwall are few and far between, usually only recorded sporadically in the winter months. In 2023, there have been 29 sightings recorded, but it is likely that there have been around 10 separate whales/occasions where a humpback has been passing. However, on the 5^th of June, couple Linda and Ryan from Evocean Sailing recorded this incredibly lucky whale encounter in Falmouth Bay. (Video at the bottom of this article.)

Linda Cassidy, sailing blogger for Evocean Sailing said:

“We were sailing from Plymouth to Falmouth when we witnessed this incredible sight. We were approximately 2NM south/southeast of Gull Rock when we noticed some splashes ahead. Our first thought was a jet skier - though this did seem unlikely with the current sea state - then we saw the fin and realised we were witnessing a whale in its natural environment!

It was an incredible sight to witness this beautiful creature and totally unexpected. At best we were hoping to see some dolphins so this was a real treat.

We are embarking on a two-year sailing adventure around the British Isles and had hoped to maybe catch sight of a whale in the waters around Scotland so to see one this early on and in Cornwall was fantastic - a great experience!”

Abby Crosby, marine conservation officer for Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said:

“This is a very special sighting as humpbacks are usually sighted here in Cornwall only sporadically in the winter months.

Some people in the world think the tail slapping seen in the video is communication – whales talking to each other. It is also thought to help stun prey in the water column or used in dominant behaviour in males.

Our Seaquest Southwest group at Cornwall Wildlife Trust is cataloguing humpback sightings in southwest waters, so this fantastic sighting will be a great addition to our records.”

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is encouraging members of the public to record marine wildlife sightings with them via its ORKS app or online at www.erccis.org.uk/share-sightings.

In UK seas, humpback whales are normally spotted alone or in pairs and are most often seen between the months of December and March according to data from the Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (ERCCIS).

Look out for the 5m long pectoral fins (front flippers) and knobbly head. Their body is black or dark grey with a white underside, and the first sign of a whale is often the blow as they exhale at the surface; in humpback whales the blow is around 3m high.

If you are interested in finding more about this magnificent megafauna, Cornwall Wildlife Trust is hosting a talk on Thursday, 15th of June titled ‘Humpback Whales in Cornwall - with Dan Jarvis’. This will be held at 19:00, in the Hall for Gwinear, Hayle. To find out more, visit: https://www.cornwallmammalgroup.org/upcoming-events----  

Watch the video below to see the exciting and rare footage captured by Evocean Sailing.