Anchor

Anchor is an individually recognized humpback whale whose distinctive right fluke carries an anchor-shaped mark. The mark makes the whale legible within a catalogue-based practice of identification, while a later glimpse of Anchor’s calf shifts attention from the adult’s identifying feature to the life and movement of its offspring.

Identification

Whale identities are debated aboard the whale-watching boats and checked against a thick catalogue of known humpbacks, whose flukes are indexed by their differing patterns. Anchor’s distinguishing feature is an eponymous anchor mark on the right-hand fluke: a visible sign by which this whale can be singled out among many individuals.

Family and observed behavior

The account later describes Anchor’s calf twisting acrobatically in the air above the sea. Its white, pleated belly catches the air like a sail as it rises. The brief observation adds a family connection to Anchor’s identification: the whale is not only a recognizable individual but also a parent, with a calf observed in energetic motion.