The Song of a Humpback Whale
Humpback whales are known for their beauty, size, and dramatic leaps in and out of the water. These gorgeous animals are frequently found near Sitka Alaska. Humpback whales are accessible on good viewing days with a comfortably outfitted charter boat. Sitka Whale Watch has a specially outfitted 35-foot charter boat with hydraulic downriggers and exhaust systems to keep the fumes away.
Hydrophones Let You Listen on Deck
Our hydraulic additions and other modifications to the boat enable our customers to move through the water very slowly as we get closer to the whales while staying comfy on deck and in the cabin. Making a day trip of it in Sitka Alaska is a great way to relax and listen to the humpback whales swimming underwater as well. Visitors can use our hydrophones, which will provide audio access to the whale singing while you sit on the deck. Normally, you would need to snorkel or dive and keep your head underwater to hear the songs.
The song of the humpback whale is estimated to be audible underwater for around 10,000 miles in many cases. Our hydrophones let you listen as though you were in the ocean swimming. The human ear cannot hear the entire vocal range of whale song, because some of the sounds are below our hearing range. However, a significant amount of the whale song is audible above water with a hydrophone.
How Do Whales Sing?
Singing is one of a variety of things whales do to audibly communicate with each other. They also make clicks, chirps, and whistles. The songs are known to have a huge impact on people that hear them. The vocalizations are sometimes described as eerie, but they are unlike any other sound in the world.
Whales make impressive noises as they sing, but they don’t sing using the same vocal techniques that humans do. In fact, whales don’t have vocal chords. They utilize several air sacs and other things to sing. Scientists have surmised that they are using cavities between their sinuses, a larynx, and various other unidentified soft tissue to sing. It’s hard to say exactly what they use because whales cannot get MRIs or other scans to find out what body parts they vocalize with.
Whales sing more frequently during the breeding season. Their songs can range in duration from around 30 minutes to 22 hours at a time!
Sitka Whale Watch is proud to offer relaxing and memorable sightseeing trips on our 35-foot boat. Outfitted by Captain Cody to provide comfortable day trips without exposure to diesel exhaust, the boat is also equipped with hydraulic downriggers so that the boat can move slowly once we get near the whales. Contact us today to plan your next trip to see the whales in Sitka!
