Whales in the Gulf of Mexico

[JAN 1974]

I saw some kind of whale a last summer at Alabama Point jetties while I was snorkeling-freediving. After about a 30 sec dive I surfaced,then turn my head back around and I saw a big something swimming towards me. My first thought : SHARK ,but I didn't see a dorsal fin( maybe missed some small one) It was swimming calmly and slowly right next to me and it didn't care about me even when I put my hand on its body. It just kept swimming.I remember his eye looking at me......then I started screaming-it was just unbelievable.

Grey-brown colour,a lot of bumps and scars on its about 12'-15' body. I also saw a vent on its back. I spent a few days in the public library and at the internet to find out what it was. But I give up. Still don't know.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Never heard of them coming so close(not to say they don't). I have heard of manatees running up the pass though...

 

[mstevens]

There's an endemic population of sperm whales in the central gulf. I guess it can't really be said that they "come into the gulf" if they're always there.

 

[JAN 1974]

Never heard of them coming so close(not to say they don't). I have heard of manatees running up the pass though...




I'v been swimming with manatees before. It definitely wasn't a manatee. This is my guess.....
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/PygmySpermWhale.htm

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

That would be awesome!

 

[tom wicker]

Never heard of them coming so close(not to say they don't). I have heard of manatees running up the pass though...




I'v been swimming with manatees before. It definitely wasn't a manatee. This is my guess.....
http://www.acsonline.org/factpack/PygmySpermWhale.htm

Didn't one of them beach them self down by Flora Bama about a year or so ago?

For the last few years the Manatees (a small group) has came up into fowl river

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Not that I recall, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen