Blue whale underwater closeup photo. This picture of a blue whale, the largest animal ever to inhabit earth, shows it swimming through the open ocean, a rare underwater view. Since this blue whale was approximately 80-90' long and just a few feet from the camera, an extremely wide lens was used to photograph the entire enormous whale, Balaenoptera musculus

Blue whale close-up underwater portrait, taken breath-hold diving just a few feet away from the enormous blue whale with a fisheye lens.

 North Pacific humpback whales, a mother and calf pair swim closely together just under the surface of the ocean. The calf will remain with its mother for about a year, migrating from Hawaii to Alaska to feed on herring, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui

North Pacific humpback whales, a mother and calf pair swim closely together just under the surface of the ocean. The calf will remain with its mother for about a year, migrating from Hawaii to Alaska to feed on herring. Megaptera novaeangliae, Molokai, Hawaii.

 Humpback whale breaching, near Molokai, Hawaii. Megaptera novaeangliae. It is suspected the breaching often has a communicative purpose which depends on the behavioral context of the moment, Megaptera novaeangliae, Maui

Humpback whale breaching, near Molokai, Hawaii. Megaptera novaeangliae. It is suspected the breaching often has a communicative purpose which depends on the behavioral context of the moment.
Two blue whales, a mother and her calf, swim through the open ocean in this aerial photograph. The calf is blowing (spouting, exhaling) with a powerful column of spray. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue Whale Aerial Photo. Two blue whales, a mother and her calf, swim through the open ocean in this aerial photograph. The calf is blowing (spouting, exhaling) with a powerful column of spray. Balaenoptera musculus.

 Humpback whale in Antarctica. A humpback whale swims through the beautiful ice-filled waters of Neko Harbor, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica, Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpback Whale In Antarctica, Neko Harbor

 Atlantic spotted dolphin and Olympic champion swimmer Matt Biondi, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic spotted dolphin with Olympic champion swimmer Matt Biondi, Bahamas. Stenella frontalis.
Hawaiian spinner dolphin, resting herd swimming along reef, Stenella longirostris, Lanai

Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin, Lanai

 Blue whale, exhaling as it surfaces from a dive, aerial photo. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth, exceeding 100' in length and 200 tons in weight, Balaenoptera musculus, Redondo Beach, California

Aerial photo of a blue whale. Blue whale, exhaling as it surfaces from a dive, aerial photo taken off the coast of California.

 Fin whale underwater. The fin whale is the second longest and sixth most massive animal ever, reaching lengths of 88 feet, Balaenoptera physalus

Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) underwater photo, full body shot, note distinctive white coloration on the right side of the whales rostrum.
Fin whale underwater. The fin whale is the second longest and sixth most massive animal ever, reaching lengths of 88 feet, Balaenoptera physalus

Fin whale underwater photograph. Note the thickness of the caudal stem, one of the world's most massive assemblages of musculature that drives its huge fluke up and down and powers it through the ocean on its epic travels.

 Blue whales, adult and juvenile (likely mother and calf), swimming together side by side underwater in the open ocean, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue Whale Mother And Calf Underwater Photo, Balaenoptera Musculus, Southern California, San Diego

 Blue whales feeding on krill underwater closeup photo. A picture of a blue whale with its throat pleats inflated with a mouthful of krill. A calf swims behind and below the adult. Over 80' long and just a few feet from the camera, an extremely wide lens was used to photograph the entire enormous whale, Balaenoptera musculus

Blue whales (mother and calf) underwater feeding, the adult blue whale's throat is inflated after engulfing a huge mouthful of krill.
Blue whale 80-feet long, full body photograph of an enormous blue whale showing rostrom head to fluke tail, taken at close range with very wide lens, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue whale 80-feet long. Kapow now that's a photo!

 A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this underwater photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue Whale Underwater, Balaenoptera Musculus, Southern California, San Diego

 Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion, Orcinus orca, Zalophus californianus, Palos Verdes

Killer Whale Orca Attacking Sea Lion, Palos Verdes
Blue whale skeleton in Antarctica, on the shore at Port Lockroy, Antarctica. This skeleton is composed primarily of blue whale bones, but there are believed to be bones of other baleen whales included in the skeleton as well, Balaenoptera musculus

Blue whale skeleton in Antarctica, on the shore at Port Lockroy, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica.

 Humpback whale lunge feeding on Antarctic krill, with mouth open and baleen visible. The humbpack's throat grooves are seen as its pleated throat becomes fully distended as the whale fills its mouth with krill and water. The water will be pushed out, while the baleen strains and retains the small krill, Megaptera novaeangliae, Gerlache Strait

Humpback Whale Lunge Feeding On Krill, Gerlache Strait

 Water falling from the fluke (tail) of a humpback whale as the whale dives to forage for food in the Santa Barbara Channel, Megaptera novaeangliae, Santa Rosa Island, California

Humpback whale waterfall, Megaptera novaeangliae, Channel Islands, California.
A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this aerial photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth, Balaenoptera musculus

A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this aerial photograph. Balaenoptera musculus.

 Aerial photo of gray whale calf and mother. This baby gray whale was born during the southern migration, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place, Eschrichtius robustus, San Clemente

Gray Whale Mother And Calf, Aerial Photo, San Clemente

 A humpback whale raises it fluke out of the water, the coast of Del Mar and La Jolla is visible in the distance, Megaptera novaeangliae

A peduncle throw, or tail lob, this humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) uses its long pectoral fins as levers to swing its fluke and caudal stem out of the water, flinging water everywhere.
Pacific white sided dolphin carrying drift kelp, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, San Diego, California

Pacific white sided dolphin carrying drift kelp. San Diego. Lagenorhynchus obliquidens.

 A neonate gray whale calf, born just hours before, still exhbiting embryonic folds in the skin along its side. This baby gray whale was born in the cold waters of Big Sur, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place, Eschrichtius robustus, Monterey

A neonate gray whale calf, born just hours before, still exhbiting embryonic folds in the skin along its side. This baby gray whale was born in the cold waters of Big Sur, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place. Monterey, California, Eschrichtius robustus.

 Humpback whale breaching, pectoral fin and rostrom visible, Megaptera novaeangliae, San Diego, California

Humpback whale breaching near whale watching boat
Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue Whale Spout, Balaenoptera Musculus, Southern California, San Diego

 Blue whale, exhaling in a huge blow as it swims at the surface between deep dives. The blue whale's blow is a combination of water spray from around its blowhole and condensation from its warm breath, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue Whale Spout, Balaenoptera Musculus, Southern California, San Diego

 Aerial photo of gray whale calf and mother. This baby gray whale was born during the southern migration, far to the north of the Mexican lagoons of Baja California where most gray whale births take place, Eschrichtius robustus, San Clemente

Gray Whale Mother And Calf, Aerial Photo, San Clemente
Gray whale blowing at the ocean surface, exhaling and breathing as it prepares to dive underwater, Eschrichtius robustus, Encinitas, California

Gray Whale Aerial Photo, Encinitas

 Adult male killer whale, tall dorsal fin, Palos Verdes, Orcinus orca

Adult Male Killer Whale, Tall Dorsal Fin, Palos Verdes

 A humpback whale raises it fluke out of the water, the coast of Del Mar and La Jolla is visible in the distance, Megaptera novaeangliae

A Humpback Whale Raises It Fluke Out Of The Water, Del Mar
Saddle patch and dorsal fins of killer whales, Palos Verdes, Orcinus orca

Saddle Patch And Dorsal Fin Of A Killer Whales, Useful For Identification Of Individual Whales, Palos Verdes

 Fin whale dorsal fin. The fin whale is named for its tall, falcate dorsal fin. Mariners often refer to them as finback whales. Coronado Islands, Mexico (northern Baja California, near San Diego), Balaenoptera physalus, Coronado Islands (Islas Coronado)

Fin Whale, Coronado Islands

 Bottlenose dolphins swim through red tide, hunt a school of fish, lit by glowing bioluminescence caused by microscopic Lingulodinium polyedrum dinoflagellate organisms which glow blue when agitated at night, Lingulodinium polyedrum, La Jolla, California

Bottlenose Dolphins Swim Through Red Tide, La Jolla
Blue whale, the largest animal ever to inhabit earth, swims through the open ocean, underwater view, Balaenoptera musculus

Underwater photo of a blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, the largest animal ever to inhabit earth, swims through the open ocean, in this underwater photograph.

 A huge blue whale swims through the open ocean in this underwater photograph. The blue whale is the largest animal ever to live on Earth, Balaenoptera musculus, San Diego, California

Blue Whale Underwater, Balaenoptera Musculus, Southern California, San Diego

 Killer Whale, Biggs Transient Orca, Palos Verdes, Orcinus orca

Killer Whale, Biggs Transient Orca, Palos Verdes
Killer whale attacking sea lion. Biggs transient orca and California sea lion, Orcinus orca, Zalophus californianus, Palos Verdes

Killer Whale Orca Attacking Sea Lion, Palos Verdes

 Rissos dolphin. Note distinguishing and highly variable skin and dorsal fin patterns, characteristic of this species. White scarring, likely caused by other Risso dolphins teeth, accumulates during the dolphins life so that adult Rissos dolphins are usually almost entirely white, Grampus griseus, San Diego, California

Risso's Dolphin, San Diego

 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic Spotted Dolphin, Bahamas
Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, Sao Miguel Island

Sperm whale underwater, Sao Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal. Physeter macrocephalus.

 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Olympic swimmer Matt Biondi, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic spotted dolphin with Olympic champion swimmer Matt Biondi, Bahamas. Stenella frontalis.

 Pacific white sided dolphin, carrying drift kelp, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, San Diego, California

Pacific White-sided Dolphin, San Diego
Rissos dolphin, breaching. Note distinguishing and highly variable skin and dorsal fin patterns, characteristic of this species. White scarring, likely caused by other Risso dolphins teeth, accumulates during the dolphins life so that adult Rissos dolphins are almost entirely white. San Diego, Grampus griseus

Risso's dolphin breaching the water in a leap. San Diego. Grampus griseus.

 Gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus, Monterey, California

Gray whale raising its fluke before a dive. Monterey, California. Eschrichtius robustus.

 Bottlenose dolphin, breaching the surface of the ocean, offshore of San Diego, Tursiops truncatus

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) skims the ocean surface.
Bottlenose dolphin, bubbles forming in its exhalation just below the surface of the ocean, offshore of San Diego, Tursiops truncatus

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), bubbles forming in its exhalation just below the surface of the ocean, offshore of San Diego.

 Common dolphin at the edge of the ocean, Delphinus delphis, Santa Barbara, California

Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) cresting a wave.

 Water falling from a blue whale fluke as the whale dives to forage for food in the Santa Barbara Channel, Balaenoptera musculus, Santa Rosa Island, California

Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) raising its fluke to dive, Channel Islands, Santa Barbara, California.
Pacific bottlenose dolphin breaches the ocean surface as it leaps and takes a breath. Open ocean near San Diego, Tursiops truncatus

Pacific bottlenose dolphin breaches the ocean surface as it leaps and takes a breath. Open ocean near San Diego. Tursiops truncatus.

 Common dolphin leaping, Delphinus delphis, Guadalupe Island (Isla Guadalupe)

Common Dolphin, Isla Guadalupe, Mexico, Guadalupe Island

 Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis

Atlantic spotted dolphin, socializing group, Bahamas. Stenella frontalis.
Hawaiian spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris, Lanai

Hawaiian spinner dolphin, Lanai, Hawaii. Stenella longirostris.

 Sperm whale social group, Physeter macrocephalus, Sao Miguel Island

Sperm whale social group, Azores, Portugal. Physeter macrocephalus.

 Sperm whale blowhole (left side of head), Physeter macrocephalus, Sao Miguel Island

Sperm whale, Azores, Portugal. Physeter macrocephalus.
False killer whale, eating fish, Pseudorca crassidens, Lanai

False killer whales, eating fish. Lanai, Hawaii. Pseudorca crassidens.

 Adult blue whale surfacing, Baja California (Mexico), Balaenoptera musculus

Blue whale aerial photos, Adult blue whale surfacing, Baja California, Mexico, Balaenoptera musculus.

 Gray whale, Laguna San Ignacio, Eschrichtius robustus, San Ignacio Lagoon

Gray whale, Laguna San Ignacio, Mexico. Fluke raised during courtship competition. Eschrichtius robustus.
Short-finned pilot whale, adult and calf, Globicephala macrorhynchus, Sao Miguel Island

Shortfin Pilot Whale, Sao Miguel Island