---
title: "Breaching for the sky — a high and mighty whale display"
description: "A humpback whale breaches off St Croix Island in Algoa Bay in a spectacular display of power and grace. Photographer and Raggy Charters owner Lloyd Edwards captured every breathtaking moment."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "PHOTO ESSAY"
author: "Lloyd Edwards"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/lloydedailymaverick-co-za/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-11-09-breaching-for-the-sky-a-high-and-mighty-whale-display/"
published: "2025-11-09T21:08:02"
updated: "2025-11-09T21:08:03"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 168
---

# Breaching for the sky — a high and mighty whale display

> A humpback whale breaches off St Croix Island in Algoa Bay in a spectacular display of power and grace.  Photographer and Raggy Charters owner Lloyd Edwards captured every breathtaking moment.

By Lloyd Edwards · Published 9 November 2025, 23:08 SAST · Updated 9 November 2025, 23:08 SAST

## Key points
- In a spectacular display of acrobatics that would put any Olympic gymnast to shame, the humpback whale transforms the ocean into its personal stage, breaching, spinning, and gulping down water like a buffet-loving diner at an all-you-can-eat seafood restaurant.
- Humpback whales exhibit incredible energy during breaches, comparable to a human running a marathon.
- Their long flippers aid in aerial spins and serve as defense tools against predators.
- Rorqual folds on their bellies allow these giants to consume large volumes of water and prey in one gulp.
- Tubercles on their flippers enhance maneuverability, enabling efficient movement through water.

## Content

![The start of a humpback’s breach — an immense burst of energy comparable to a human running a marathon. These whales may breach dozens of times consecutively. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/clFqib0FE3LI6hz_3ptI588oMzU=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC0801_Angela.jpg)

*The start of a humpback’s breach — an immense burst of energy comparable to a human running a marathon. These whales may breach dozens of times consecutively. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)*

![The humpback’s flippers are among the longest appendages of any animal, helping the whale spin through the air, and can be used to fend off predators while protecting their young. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/M__D2p5AYL9xaVJkHth-jdXNi2Q=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC0802_Angela.jpg)

*The humpback’s flippers are among the longest appendages of any animal, helping the whale spin through the air, and can be used to fend off predators while protecting their young. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)*

![Distinctive pleats along the whale’s belly, called rorqual folds, expand like an accordion, allowing it to engulf massive volumes of water and prey in a single gulp. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/gqbzHDkZkopC_uFUfj7UZnL4BJU=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC0803_Angela.jpg)

*Distinctive pleats along the whale’s belly, called rorqual folds, expand like an accordion, allowing it to engulf massive volumes of water and prey in a single gulp. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)*

![The knobbly ridges along the leading edge of the flippers, called tubercles, improve manoeuvrability and help the whale move efficiently through the water. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/NuA6P6ydZT2cWvRUxuuLLLUFG04=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC0804_Angela.jpg)

*The knobbly ridges along the leading edge of the flippers, called tubercles, improve manoeuvrability and help the whale move efficiently through the water. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)*

![The dramatic re-entry: a humpback whale, weighing up to 40 tonnes, crashes back into the sea with a thunderous splash, marking the end of a breathtaking display of strength and agility. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/US1KmBd-IVKIwN_AJPNwaxjrLgY=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC0805_Angela.jpg)

*The dramatic re-entry: a humpback whale, weighing up to 40 tonnes, crashes back into the sea with a thunderous splash, marking the end of a breathtaking display of strength and agility. (Photo: Lloyd Edwards / Raggy Charters)*