Whale Sightings

Spring time is magical at Port Stephens and the wonderful sighting of Humpback Whales with their beautiful calves are increasing day by day. It’s a spectacular sight to watch the energy and enthusiasm as the Humpback Whale Calves are in the process of learning all their behaviours from the adults and becoming stronger as they journey past our coast line.

MV Osprey has cruised towards Big Island as we headed out on the 10am Whale Watch Cruise. The first pod of the day was a mum and her calf that we actively tail slapping together before they swam in closer towards Mount Tomaree and Murphy’s Gap. We have moved onto to view the second pod which consisted our a Humpback mother, calf and another adult escort. All three whales were very playful putting on a wonderful display of pec slapping and tail lobbing. As this pod slowed down with their activity the crew have sighted a third pod of mother and baby pair a little further off,the calf in this pod was breaching often before slowing down to rest.

Before turning to return home we have swung past Cabbage Tree Island to say hello to the seals basking on the rocks. The whale sightings were not over with a pod of three whales including a calf makings their way into the Bay coming in half a mile on inside the Yaccaba Headland close to Jimmy’s Beach.

Departing on the 1:30pm Whale Watch Cruise we have headed straight out the headland from Shoal Bay in the direction of Big Island and spent time viewing a mother and calf Humpback Whale; as we approached the calf was breaching repeatably but has then stopped not long after we got closer. There was the strong possibility that the calf was feeding so we have left the pair and turned south traveling along past the Fingal Island Light House to find a pod of three Humpback Whales. All three whales were quite active, and seen taking turns in pec slapping the surface of the water and head lunging themselves above the water line.

As the time came to head back to the marina we have spotted the mother and calf from earlier near to the Tomaree headland – the pair were quite relaxed and content in their environment as we cruised back in the entrance of the harbour.