Astonishing pictures show how a Devon kayaker got up close and personal with a humpback whale feeding frenzy



When you’re in a tiny kayak and a 40-ton giant of the deep decides he’s a bit peckish, the sensible option is to scarper as fast as your paddle can carry you.

But wildlife photographer Duncan Murrell does the opposite. To capture images of humpback whales feeding and surging through the surf off Alaska, he often ventures within 15ft of the fearsome creatures.

The humpbacks, which can grow to more than 50ft, spend most of their time under water and can dive for up to 30 minutes, so being in the right place at the right time to see them requires skill and luck.

Lunging out of the water this humpback takes part in a feeding frenzy off the U.S. coast

Duncan pauses in his kayak as he prepares to photograph the whales. Some days he has to paddle for 30 miles to keep up with them to get the images he wants

Duncan in his kayak in the Phillippines

Mr Murrell, 56, from Paignton, Devon, anticipates where they will surface by watching out for bubbles – a sign that a group of humpbacks are working together to capture a shoal of herring.

One whale swims in a circle while blowing bubbles under the fish. When the bubbles rise, the herring form into a tight ball in the centre of the circle.

Other whales grunt and scream to scare the herring to the surface, and in a wall of spray they all then rise with their huge mouths open to enjoy their feast. On average, one humpback eats around 5,000lb of plankton, krill and fish a day.

‘When the feeding group explodes into view I have only a split second to decide whether I should either have my camera in my hands or my paddle to take evasive action,’ said Mr Murrell. ‘Their habit of leaping out of the water without warning provides the ultimate adrenaline rush.’

Other whales grunt and scream to scare the herring to the surface, and in a wall of spray they all then rise with their huge mouths open to enjoy their feast. On average, one humpback eats around 5,000lb of plankton, krill and fish a day

By getting so close to the whales the images convey the drama and power of these magnificent creatures

After spending 20 years learning about and photographing humpbacks, he has earned the nickname ‘Whaleman’ for his dramatic shots. While they can do severe damage to the herring community, humpbacks would not actively attack a human. But there

are obvious dangers in getting too close, especially when they are feeding.

A blow from such a massive tail could prove fatal, while getting too close when they breach the surface could cause the kayak to capsize.

‘I could not have chosen a more demanding and challenging subject to photograph than the whales,’ said Mr Murrell, who paddles up to 30 miles a day to keep up with them.

Three humpback whales blast air and water through their blowholes in Tenakee Inlet, South East Alaska

Humpback whale 'lobtailing' in Alaska. The whale brings its tail down hard on the water's surface. Its sound can be heard underwater several hundred metres from the site of a slap. This has led to speculation that this is a form of communication







