While divers are captivated by a bait ball, a Bryde’s whale suddenly appears, eager for a share. Unfortunately, the whale’s attempt fails, but it will be back for another try soon.
We often get Bryde’s whales surprising us by lunging through bait balls from the depth of the ocean, creating an epic feeding spectacle right in front of our eyes. Our crew and divers were treated to an incredible encounter when a Bryde’s whale made a stealthy appearance, mouth agape, to devour a bait ball of sardines and then disappear into the ocean again. The Bryde’s whales are one of the most majestic visitors to the Sardine Run in Port St. John’s. These gentle creatures, known for their sleek bodies and striking presence, become the stars of the show as they feed on the abundance of the silvery fish.
A few facts about the Bryde’s whales:
- They inhabit temperate waters around South Africa and are also distributed across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
- They are sleek, large baleens known for their distinctive three ridges on the top of their heads, a small dorsal fin positioned far down their back.
- Females can grow to about 16.5m and males slightly shorter at 15m and can weigh up to 40 tons.
- They feed primarily on three things, fish, krill and plankton.
- They are shallow divers, typically staying within the top 10m of the water column.
- Bryde’s whales are named after a Norwegian whaler that worked in South Africa, Johan Bryde and is actually pronounced “Broodah’s”
Rare above & below footage captured by Steven Surina & 1Ocean
