Humpback whales are incredibly distinctive with their knobbly faces and huge 17 metre bodies flanked by long, white pectoral fins which are around a third of their body length. The “knobbles” on their faces are known as tubercles and are enlarged hair follicles which can be used as sensory receptors. Humpbacks are arguably one of the most charismatic whale species, known for their energetic displays, breaching out of the water, lobtailing and slapping their pectoral fins on the water.
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Male Humpback whales can create vocalisations which can be heard from 20 miles away and are around 150 decibels equivalent to an aircraft taking off!
Book a boat trip for a chance to see these beautiful creatures in Cornwall. Humpback Whales are more elusive than minke whales but much bigger so they should be easier to spot from the coast. We have had many whale sightings over the years and our sightings have increased year-on-year over the last 5-6 years. Padstow Bay is quickly becoming one of the best places to see whales in Cornwall.
Top Tip: look across the horizon. Make sure you scan your eyes slowly from left to right while on the boat and take note of anything that breaks the surface of the open water.
Humpback whales are incredibly distinctive with their knobbly faces and huge 17 metre bodies flanked by long, white pectoral fins which are around a third of their body length. The “knobbles” on their faces are known as tubercles and are enlarged hair follicles which can be used as sensory receptors. They get their name from the small “hump” on their back on which their small dorsal fin sits.
Like many other baleen whales, humpbacks gulp feed on their prey which mainly consists of krill and schooling fish. Unlike other whales, however, humpbacks have evolved a unique feeding technique of “bubble netting”. Swimming in circles around their prey, the whales will blow bubbles to create a curtain or net of bubbles that confuse and trap their prey, allowing them to gulp huge quantities of fish at once.
The Humpback whale gets its name from the distinctive hump on its back.
Humpback whales are commonly found feeding off Iceland, southern greenland, Norway, Svalbard and east of Canada and the US. The best places to spot humpback whales in Cornwall are typically along the west coast. However, in recent months, sightings have also occurred on the north coast, particularly in areas stretching from Padstow to Newquay.
Humpbacks are arguably one of the most charismatic whale species, known for their energetic displays, breaching out of the water, lobtailing and slapping their pectoral fins on the water.
They can dive for up to 40 minutes at a time and when they dive they raise their tail flukes out of the water. Each whale’s pattern on the underside of their flukes is unique, so can be used by researchers to identify individuals.
Humpbacks used to be seen regularly off our coast historically, but their numbers depleted through years of hunting. Since a ban on commercial whaling was introduced in the 1980s, whale populations have finally started to recover and the last 5 years have started to show increasing sightings of humpback whales around the UK coast.
The prime time for Humpback whale watching in Cornwall is during their migration season, which runs from December to March.
Humpback whales have a unique pattern on the underside of their tail flukes can be used to identify individuals like a fingerprint. There are two individual whales that have already been confirmed as returning visitors to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; but there is a strong likelihood that there are more who have visited our coast, but not been identified.
The most recent Humpback whale sighting in Cornwall was on 19th January 2025, off the west coast, spanning from Padstow to Trevose Head and Bedruthan Steps.
Padstow Sealife Safaris give you the chance to get up close and personal with these fascinating creatures. Depending on the time of year that you choose to visit, you’ll have the chance to see a number of different species.
