Whale Sightings

What an incredible morning out on the Humpback Highway with Moonshadow-TQC Cruises!

We headed straight out through the spectacular Port Stephens headlands this morning and it wasn’t long before we were treated to a fantastic encounter with a pod of humpback whales enjoying the beautiful sunny conditions.

The whales appeared to be in a relaxed and playful mood, rolling around at the surface and repeatedly slapping their enormous pectoral fins on the water. It was wonderful to watch them seemingly enjoying the calm conditions as much as we were!

The excitement really picked up when the whales began breaching and tail lobbing, giving everyone onboard some spectacular views. There really is nothing quite like watching a humpback whale launch its enormous body out of the ocean and come crashing back down with a huge splash. When you consider these incredible animals can weigh around 30 tonnes, seeing one airborne is a sight you don’t forget!

As if the whales hadn’t already provided enough excitement for one morning, we were treated to one final wildlife encounter on our journey back into Port Stephens. As we cruised past Yacaaba Headland, we caught a quick glimpse of some of our local bottlenose dolphins the perfect way to finish a successful morning on the water.

With sunshine, playful humpbacks, spectacular breaches, tail lobs and a surprise dolphin appearance, it was another memorable morning of whale watching in beautiful Port Stephens.

Our afternoon Whale Watch Cruise aboard the Hinchinbrook Explorer delivered another memorable encounter off the Port Stephens coastline.

Between the offshore islands of Cabbage Tree and Boondelbah, we located a beautiful humpback mother and her calf slowly making their way south. The pair travelled calmly together, giving passengers a wonderful opportunity to observe the special bond between a mother and her young calf.

Further offshore, we spotted another pod of two or three humpback whales travelling south at a much faster pace, adding even more excitement to the afternoon.

As we cruised back into Port Stephens Harbour, the local bottlenose dolphins made a welcome appearance near the entrance bar—the perfect ending to a fantastic afternoon on the water.

Every cruise brings something different, and today’s combination of migrating humpback whales and playful local dolphins was a wonderful reminder of the incredible marine life found along the Port Stephens coastline.

Photo credit: Lisa Skelton Photography