That's a mouthful (of water!)

August, 2007
One of the most powerful strengths in making photographs of animals in motion is that it gives you the chance to really study an event in great detail. This is the same animal breaching as in the previous blog, only now it is doing a severe head-lunge.

Straight up out of the water with its eyes closed, falling forwards...

Now starting to open its mouth before impact, forcing water which it must have gulped before the head-lunge...

Only to land in a HUGE belly-flop! The interesting thing to note is how the mouth is open just at the split-second of contact with the ocean. Why would this whale land in such a way as to have its lower jaw and throat hit the water first? Does it produce an even louder sound than just landing with its body? What is this whale conveying with this move? A very interesting move indeed, left open to our interpretation and appreciation!

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