10 June 2023
The Port Stephens Whale Highway is thick with King’s Birthday Long Weekend traffic – there are whales in all directions, north, south, and east. The whales are making the Captain of the Hinchinbrook Explorer very easy today with multiple pods of Humpback Whales waiting for the vessel to cruise out through the headland at Shoal Bay and there they are! All pods are very active this morning with breaches, tail slapping and more…….
Passengers aboard the Hinchinbrook Explorer have an amazing tale to tell of the time they were mugged by a pod of two Humpback Whales. It is the only time in life that being mugged is a positive experience. The cruise started with multiple sightings of pods of whales off shore, but we have stuck with a pair of whales that appeared to be quite lively. This is when the mugging part of the cruise occurs; when two inquisitive whales decide that they want to be friends with the vessel we are in the hands (or pectoral fins) of the whales, the Captain has disengaged the motors and all that is left to do is enjoy the encounter. Both whales were circling the vessel, crossing along the bow, floating on their backs and backstroking their way through the water, and we even had a couple of very close breaches. Simply an amazing afternoon on the Humpback Whale Highway of Port Stephens.
Photo Credit – Lee Matthews Photographer