Continuing with my efforts to make progress with photo editing...thought I'd share this image.
There are 23 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) here.
There are 23 sperm whales in this photo!
There were more in the area, up to maybe 100 or so, but it was difficult to establish a firm count, given how spread out the whales were.
The reason this shot is from behind the whales is that they passed all around me. In other words, there were on all sides, too scattered to get into a single frame until they passed and coalesced into this formation.
Besides the fact that there are 23(!) whales in one image, the whale with the open jaw makes the shot for me. Sperm whales are the largest odontocetes (toothed whales), which the open jaw underscores nicely.
This is one of the stories I intend to share (complete with wild gesticulations and punctuated expletives) at my upcoming presentation in Nantucket.