Where to See Blue Whales | Scuba Diving Blog

Here at Bluewater we don't just specialize in scuba dive travel. Many of our customers don't know that we also run whale snorkel trips, marine life safaris, and even topside African land safaris!

One of our favourite hobbies when not underwater is watching whales from the surface. And what better whale to encounter than the world's biggest animal - the blue whale. Here are some facts you may not know about blue whales:

1. Weighing up to 190 tonnes, blue whales are the largest creature ever to live on the plant - and that includes the dinosaurs!

2. Female blue whales are larger than males, reaching a length of 108 feet.

3. Blue whales dive below the surface for between 10 and 30 minutes at a time, and it is believed they have the ability to reach depths of over 1,600 feet.

4. The blow hole of a blue whale is very small but can shoot water 25 to 40 feet in the air.

5. There are only between 8,000 and 12,000 blue whales left in the world, earning the species an 'Endangered' classification on the IUCN Red List.

6. One of the best places in the world to see blue whales is from the California coast. Migrating whales can be spotted from dozens of designated whale watching lookouts, giving fantastic views while having no impact on individuals.

Make sure you get the best photos of your blue whale spot with a wide angle lens from the Bluewater Photo Store.

Check out these Top 5 Big Animal Encounters from the Underwater Photography Guide.