Whale Sightings

Today delivered exactly what winter whale watching in Port Stephens is all about – beautiful calm seas, clear conditions, and plenty of whale activity offshore.

As we ventured beyond the heads this morning, we were once again greeted by numerous pods of migrating Humpback Whales making their way north along the coast. We spent time following a lone Humpback Whale that was travelling steadily but appeared to be in no particular hurry. The whale remained on the surface for extended periods, allowing everyone onboard fantastic viewing opportunities.

As the encounter continued, the whale became increasingly relaxed, rolling about on the surface and treating us to several pectoral fin slaps. This behaviour is always spectacular to watch, but it’s equally impressive to hear. The sound created when a whale’s enormous pectoral fin crashes onto the water echoes across the ocean and reminds us just how powerful these animals are.

Further offshore there was no shortage of excitement, with reports of random breaching whales keeping crews and passengers scanning the horizon in every direction.

Before heading home, we cruised past Cabbage Tree Island where today’s seal count reached six to seven Australian Fur Seals basking comfortably in the winter sunshine.

The afternoon cruise delivered even more action. As we exited the heads, our skipper was faced with a decision – head left or head right. Choosing left, we set course towards an area where another vessel, Envision, had located a Humpback Whale. However, while tracking this whale, the crew spotted something even more exciting behind Hinchinbrook Explorer near Point Stephens Lighthouse.

A whale was breaching.

And breaching.

And breaching again.

We quickly changed course and made our way back towards Point Stephens as the whale continued its spectacular display. What followed was one of the most active whale encounters we’ve seen so far this season. The whale repeatedly launched itself clear of the water, thrilling everyone onboard. By the end of the encounter, we estimate we had witnessed more than 40 breaches.

The Captain summed up the afternoon perfectly:

“Should’ve turned right!”

Days like today remind us that nature always has a way of surprising us, and every whale watch cruise offers something unique. With calm conditions forecast to continue and more whales arriving on the migration highway each day, the season is certainly heating up.

Photo credit: Lee Matthews Photography