Three Humpback whales in the Monterey Bay named CRC-12422 “Checkmarks” & her calf “Chex Mix” with a third unknown adult humpback were seen breaching, tail slapping and tail throwing for several minutes.
Suddenly the two adult whales breached simultaneously not once but twice. Then the calf Chex Mix followed, coming high up out of the water.
Fortunately I reframed quickly and captured the calf breaching just a second or two following the adults.
It’s very possible this Humpback mother was displaying active behaviors to protect her calf and encouraging the male to leave them alone.
Researchers at Happywhale.com named the mother Checkmarks for the four distinctive checkmark shape markings caused by Orca teeth on the right side of her fluke.
Her calf Chex Mix was reported with a fishing gear entanglement in June 2025 but fortunately the calf managed to free itself in October.
-Loriannah
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