4 OCTOBER 2026
It was a busy morning out on the water! Although conditions were a little rolly, there were certainly no complaints when it came to the amount of wildlife around. Our crew located around 15 or more humpback whales travelling south, spread throughout the waters around the islands.
One particular whale decided to make our morning extra special! It surfaced nice and close to the boat and seemed quite happy to stick around. For approximately 50 minutes, this curious humpback cruised alongside us, popping up regularly for some fantastic surface time and treating us to several beautiful tail dives. Just when we thought the morning couldn’t get any better, we came across a massive pod of oceanic dolphins! They were having an absolute ball in the swell, surfing the waves and riding around the boat as we watched from the vessel.
And then came a little surprise! In the middle of all the action, one lone humpback suddenly launched into a spectacular breach – a single burst of energy before disappearing beneath the surface again. You certainly have to keep your eyes peeled out there, because the whales can surprise you at any moment!
A lively whale calf, beautiful tail dives and dolphins nearby made for a memorable afternoon aboard Moonshadow-TQC Cruises’ 1:30pm Whale Watch Cruise.
With swell offshore, we followed a route close to the shoreline and offshore islands, taking advantage of the protection they offered as we searched for whales.
Our first encounter was on the inside of Fingal Island, where a mother and her very playful calf quickly captured everyone’s attention. The little one appeared to be practising its breaching skills, putting plenty of enthusiasm into its attempts and treating passengers to an entertaining display.
We spent time watching this active pair before they began heading towards open water, making their way past the Fingal Island Lighthouse.
Closer to Fingal Island Spit, we spotted another mother and calf. This pair offered a different but equally beautiful sight, revealing their magnificent tails as they slipped beneath the surface.
Throughout these encounters, dolphins were also nearby – a wonderful addition to an afternoon of marine wildlife watching along the Port Stephens coastline.
Every whale watch brings something different. Today’s encounters gave our passengers a lovely glimpse of mothers and calves in their natural environment, from playful activity at the surface to graceful dives below.