Friendly humpback whales greet Zamami visitors

Friendly humpback whales greet Zamami visitors

Two humpback whales are spotted from a whale-watching boat off the coast of Zamami on February 18. (Taken by Hirokazu Otsubo)


February 23, 2016 Hirokazu Otsubo, Correspondent of Ryukyu Shimpo

Whale watching season has taken off at Zamami Bay. Two large humpback whales were spotted from a whale watching boat on February 18. They occasionally peeked their heads above the water and swam together playfully.

In the morning, there was only one humpback whale. In the afternoon, a second whale appeared. The two whales were seen raising their heads above the water together. Occasionally a whale blow was spotted right next to the boat. The two-hour tour, which had participants from all over the world, was filled with excitement.

Taizo Shibata, a 48-year-old visitor from Kochi Prefecture, commented, “This is my fifth year whale watching in Zamami, and never have I encountered such a spectacular scene. The two whales went around, greeting each boat. This is what keeps me coming back to Zamami.”

Whale-watching tours hosted by the Zamami Whale Watching Association will continue until April 5. However, visitors are advised to plan their tours early, as the number of whales will decrease during the latter half of the season.

(English Translation by T&CT, Kaya Doi)

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