Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Whale Shark Photos - Coyote Bay - March 2011
A very good friend and Coyote Bay neighbor, Dr. Vince Flynn of San Diego..and also a Nomad, sent me this photos taken
just a days ago in front of our houses in Coyote.
A beautiful creature ...to be approached as in these pictures, calmly and reverently.
These magnificent marine fish are annual visitors to our Bay about this time of year...and we welcome them back. Please do not disturb with
coming to close with your boat engine. These one showed signs of being injured on it's dorsal.
The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow-moving filter feeding shark, the largest living fish species. The largest
confirmed individual was 41.50 ft in length. The heaviest weighed more than 79,000 lb, but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks.
The shark is found in tropical and warm oceans, lives in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years. The species originated about 60 million
years ago.
Although whale sharks have very large mouths, they feed mainly, though not exclusively, on plankton, microscopic plants and animals, although the BBC
program Planet Earth filmed a whale shark feeding on a school of small fish.
The species was distinguished in April 1828, following the harpooning of a 15.1 ft specimen in Table Bay, South Africa. Andrew Smith, a military
doctor associated with British troops stationed in Cape Town described it the following year. He published a more detailed description in 1849.
The name "whale shark" comes from the fish's physiology; as large as a whale, it too is a filter feeder.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
fishabductor
Senior Nomad
Posts: 800
Registered: 5-29-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
very cool pict's. We have only seen one and it was all by chance. I just happened to stand up and look over the rail of the boat for no apparent
reason and was rewarded with panic...until I saw the dots
It was far, far bigger than my 15' 6" bayrunner.
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Cool sightings, are'nt they, fishabuctor?...this one would appear to be about 30-35 ft long.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
fishabductor
Senior Nomad
Posts: 800
Registered: 5-29-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
I wish we could of seen one in your photo location, which I know exactly where it is based on the background.
The one we saw was quick, as we were trolling when it happened, we tried to turn around but we couldn't find it again. I always bring a mask and fins
after that.
|
|
|
marv sherrill
Nomad
Posts: 462
Registered: 11-18-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Nice photos , although I have to diagree with the report on the largest weight- even the largest whales rarely exceed one ton per foot - and the
largest whale shark is rarely 45 feet-50 feet. check some more resources, but I could be wrong!
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by marv sherrill
Nice photos , although I have to diagree with the report on the largest weight- even the largest whales rarely exceed one ton per foot - and the
largest whale shark is rarely 45 feet-50 feet. check some more resources, but I could be wrong! |
marv....you could very well be right, too. I merely copied and pasted the info from Guiness Book of World Records and Wikepedia.
The photos, of course, are the main reason for this post, with a bit of reading/info on the whale shark.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Great!
|
|
|
captain4tuna
Nomad
Posts: 201
Registered: 9-3-2009
Location: Southern CA and BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
Wow...Great pics....Thanks!
|
|
|
Vince
Nomad
Posts: 446
Registered: 10-17-2006
Location: Coronado
Member Is Offline
|
|
Those photos were sent to me by Concha Diaz, of Coyote Bay. I saw one a few years ago in the same location, they certainly do get your attention!
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Hola, Vince......and Gracias, Concha!.....part of the NOLS crew.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13197
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
wow....great shots ...sure wish I could seen one so close by. thanx for sharing.
|
|
|
AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
|
|
VERY COOL photos!
They are really amazing creatures! Ive seen lots of amazing sea life on the SOC but have never seen one of those, I really would like to experience
one up close someday!
Miguelamo  
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
