Whales in Cornwall
The Padstow bay area is becoming a sought after location to spot whales, especially on the Wavehunters sea safari
What is a Whale?
Known as Cetaceans, Whales are the largest animals on the earth. These aquatic mammals require oxygen to breathe, with their blowholes (equivalent to nostrils) connected to their lungs, allowing them to breach the water and breath. Ranging from Dwarf Whales that weigh around 180 kg to the Blue Whale that weighs on average 200,000 kg.
What Whale species live in Cornwall?
A few different whales live in Cornwall. However, the Minke whale is the most common whale in the UK. From time to time, you may also see Sperm whales, Humpback whales and the Northern Bottlenose Whale too!
Fun facts about Whales
There are two types of whales: toothed and baleen. Toothed whales are typically smaller, and as it sounds, they have teeth! The Narwhal has one large tooth that pokes through its lip, known as its “ horn”.The Baleen whales on the other hand are larger and don’t have teeth.
Where can you see Whales in Cornwall?
The Padstow bay area is becoming a sought after location to spot whales, especially on the Wavehunters sea safari as the skippers are on the water frequently and have the most up to date knowledge of sightings and locations. Tintagel has been a hotspot with sightings this year!
Dolphin FAQs
What time of year are whales in Cornwall?
During the winter, Humpback whales are most likely to show. Generally speaking between November and March, this is when you are most likely to see whales all around the Cornish coast.
What is the best time to see whales?
The best time to see Whales is in the morning as this is when they are most active and will begin to feed. Just like we do, as the day draws into the evening, Whales too will begin winding down to rest for the night.
Do Whales come close to shore?
Whales don’t often come close to shore, due to their size, the closest you’ll spot them is a couple miles off. Your best bet is by boat for a chance to see them, particularly on one of our safaris.
Are we guaranteed to see whales?
Just like any wildlife, Whales swim miles and miles a day, so you’re not guaranteed to see them. However, our Skippers are well trained and know the best spots, so you have the best chance by jumping on a Wavehunters Sea Safari.
Where do whales sleep?
Just like Dolphins, Whales can switch one half of their brain off at a time, allowing them to keep breathing. You will often spot them sleeping near the surface of the water so they can easily breathe while sleeping.
What’s a baby whale called?
Just like baby dolphins, a baby whale is called a ‘Calf’. The mothers are known as ‘cows’ and the males referred to as ‘bulls’.
What do whales eat?
Toothed whales – as the name suggests – can chew, so eat squid, fish, and seals. The majority of Baleen Whales, though larger than toothed whales, don’t have teeth so instead feed by straining tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill, through the fringed plates called ‘baleen’ which are attached to their upper jaws.
How long until a baby whale grows into an adult whale?
On average, Whales typically become adults between 6-9 years old. However, this can depend on their species and some whales can take up to 25 years to reach maturity!
How long can whales stay underwater?
A Whale can stay underwater for up to 60 minutes before needing to re-surface. This varies depending on the species and according to the natural history museum, the longest ever dive recorded from a whale was 222 minutes. That is longer than two football games!
How do whales sleep?
Whales sleep in a similar manner to Dolphins – they’re part of the same family after all! They will switch off half their brain, whilst the other half is still alert to danger. This is an evolutionary adaptation that has enabled them to never lose consciousness whilst still being able to rest. They are also air-breathing creatures, so this allows them to still be able to control their breathing through their blowhole whilst resting.
Has a humpback whale been seen off Cornwall?
This year two Humpback Whales had made Cornwall their home for several weeks, with most sightings along the stretch of coast from Watergate Bay all the way to Padstow. These whales enjoyed the quiet winter waters in January and the whole of February breaching, playing and feeding. These mammals became the highlight of our winter in Cornwall, spotted time and time again during morning walks, surfs and beach days out.
Is there a whale tracker?
There are a few different whale trackers out there. Our tracker of choice would be Whale track – this is a sightings map, made by the Heberden Whale and Dolphin trust.
How rare is seeing a whale in Cornwall?
In recent years, it’s become more and more common to see a Whale in Cornwall. So far this year in 2025, there have already been hundreds of sightings across Newquay, Watergate Bay and Mawgan Porth! By booking onto one of Wavehunters Sea Safaris, while it may be rare, you might just get lucky and see one too!