Fin whales are giants of the seas

FIN whales are visiting the Celtic Sea between Wexford and Youghal.

According to Pádraig Whooley of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, this 80km stretch of coastline offers some of the best whale-watching in the North Atlantic just now.

Although these deep water creatures sometimes approach the shore, they are usually seen from boats. The long thin body is black but the underbelly is white. A pointed snout and tapered head resemble those of a fighter jet and the dorsal fin, which gives the species its name, is positioned well to the rear. Asymmetry is rare in nature, but the right side of the fin whale’s mouth is white or light yellow, while the left side is black. The steamy ‘blow’ is conspicuous; it can rise to a height of six metres.