Dall's Porpoise

Dall's porpoise is one of the many marine mammals living in Prince William Sound. These guys love to ride the bow wave of boats. Not only do the tourists get this view from cruise ships, but pleasure boaters are really lucky as the porpoise surface just below your feet. The following photos show 2 important identifying marks: #1, the triangular white patch on the dorsal fin and #2, the 'rooster-tail' splash.



These guys are really hard to photograph. Reaching speeds of 35 miles per hour and swimming in a crazy zig-zag pattern, you just have to point the camera at the water and wait for something to streak by. It is kind of like watching an F-16 make a sudden turn--from straight to 90 degrees different in an instant.







Once the boat stops, whe porpoise usually vanish back into the depths. They are a thrill to watch and are really fast moving. A few years ago I tried to get some photos of them. In the few seconds it took to retrieve my camera and scramble to the deck, they were bored with us and headed off. What a frustration!!

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