Whale Video Company - Olympia The Humpback Whale

Olympia

Olympia was named for five barnacle scars that looked like the rings of the Olympic symbol. These scars have since faded and are no longer visible. But her tail pattern is unique and I have seen her many times on Stellwagen Bank. She is one of the most favorite grandmothers of the dozens known.

Olympia's History

Mother: Unknown	First Sighting: 1979
Year Of Birth: Unknown	Last Seen: 1999

Olympia's Family Tree

Calves	Year of Birth	Grandcalves
Anchor	1983	Tribble 1990 (Anchor)
Hummingbird	1985
Cascade	1987	Touchdown 1996 (Cascade)
Elbow	1991	Not Named 1998 (Cascade)
Not Named	1993
Sparta	1996
Jota	1998	s

Pictures of Olympia

Olympia's Calves

Olympia's fluke pattern is well-known. Compare the pattern in all the photographs.

Here Olympia is diving with her 1991 calf, Elbow. Notice the black mark that looks like an elbow on the left side of the calf's tail.

Many times, Olympia can be seen flippering and lobtailing with her calves. There are excellent looks at both behaviors on Salt & Friends.

How can I see more of Olympia?

Olympia on DVD ($18.99)

Salt & Friends: Humpback Whales With Names

The story of Olympia and her family is six minutes in length. You will meet five of her calves (Anchor, Cascade, Elbow, Sparta and Jota). Fourteen other whale families round out this hour long program.

Highlights of this segment include Olympia showing her calves different behaviors, Elbow playing with seaweed and Sparta lobtailing just a foot or two from the boat!

You also meet two of Olympia's grandcalves: Tribble and Touchdown.

Olympia on VHS (Each title just $12.95)

Salt & Friends: Humpback Whales With Names

(Same program as on the DVD above)

Your Favorite Whale: Olympia ($12.95)

19 minutes of excellent footage of Olympia flippering and rolling on her side. You will see Olympia lobtailing and when she swims up to the boat, you see her head and blowholes.

Olympia is also on several of our tapes in the eleven volume series "Wonderful Whales"

Wonderful Whales Volume 1 and 6

(All Volumes $12.95 each, Volume 1 Special $10.00)

Volume 1 (Olympia with Elbow on a close approach where Elbow sticks his head out of the water and Olympia feeding with Salt, Spoon and two other humpbacks)

Volume 6 (Olympia with Sparta lobtailing together)

Back to the whales on Salt & Friends

Back to the adoption whales at OA/WCI