Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) lunge feeding and raising Pectoral Flipper in the air. This image is www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/7363224332/   Thanks to Jonas270 www.flickr.com/photos/77540369@N02/ for his clarifying comments and for researching the identification challenge here. www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/7363224332/comment7215763...  www.flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/7363224332/comment7215763... Jonas says in his profile he's "Just another whale nerd. I like to count whales every week for kicks and giggles."  So, I agree, this is a Blue Whale flipper (Not a Humpback, as initially reported). And, that makes sense, as that's all we were observing and following at the time.   Thanks also to Rouvaishyana for the earlier ID research.  Scenes from a Dos Osos Whale Watching boat outing 11 June 2012, Morro Bay, CA.  Photo © 2012 "Mike" Michael L. Baird, mike {at] mikebaird d o t com, flickr.bairdphotos.com, Canon T1i, with a Canon 300mm f/2.8 lens, circular polarizer, handheld, RAW. (On a foggy "soft-box-like" windy day). Photos this day were all intentionally overexposed to about one full stop, using exposure compensation. See EXIF for more photo-specific exposure settings.  To use this photo, see access, attribution, and commenting recommendations at www.flickr.com/people/mikebaird/#credit - Please add comments/notes/tags to add to or correct information, identification, etc. Please, no comments or invites with badges, images, multiple invites, award levels, flashing icons, or award/post rules. Critique invited.  ****