July 2001
Straits of Juan De Fuca, near Victoria, Canada

A Minke Whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
We saw this guy during the last 15 minutes of our whale watching expedition.  Our guide stopped
the boat in this position because he said that somebody earlier that day had seen a Minke Whale
here.  And sure enough five minutes later we got really lucky.  A Minke Whale surfaced and
spouted before I could turn around and take a picture.  Luckily it surfaced again and I got this one.
Our guide said that this expedition might have been the best he had ever led.  What an awesome day.