5 OCTOBER 2026
It felt as though the whales were waiting for us today! From energetic humpback calves to bottlenose dolphins surfing the waves, our Moonshadow-TQC Cruises passengers enjoyed a wonderful day of wildlife encounters off Port Stephens.
With much improved sea conditions offshore this morning, we headed through the harbour entrance and towards our first sighting near the sheltered side of Fingal Island: a trio of humpback whales comprising a mother, her calf and a female escort.
The little calf quickly stole the show, treating passengers to an impressive mix of head lunges, tail slaps, pectoral fin slaps and breaches. There was plenty to watch as this lively youngster splashed about alongside the adults.
As the trio began moving on and the calf settled down, we continued towards the Hawks Nest side of Yacaaba Headland. Here, another mother and calf were waiting to capture our attention, with the second youngster displaying much of the same enthusiastic activity. Two playful calves in one morning made for some memorable viewing!
The wildlife encounters continued on our journey back to the marina. Just inside the harbour, we came across a pod of inshore bottlenose dolphins visibly feeding – a lovely way to finish the morning cruise.
Our afternoon passengers were welcomed by another spectacular dolphin encounter. As we crossed the entrance bar, a large pod of approximately 20 – 30 bottlenose dolphins was surfing the waves, providing an exciting start to our time on the water.
Further towards Fingal Spit, we spotted another humpback trio: a mother, calf and escort. All three spent plenty of time at the surface as they travelled towards the open ocean, giving passengers excellent opportunities to watch them along the way.
Our second whale encounter of the afternoon took us south-east of Boondelbah Island, where another mother, calf and escort were making their way south. At one point, dolphins mingled with the whales, bringing two of Port Stephens’ much-loved marine animals together in one remarkable scene.
Every cruise offers a different glimpse into the lives of these wild animals. Today brought lively calves, travelling whale families and dolphins busy feeding and riding the waves—plenty of special moments for our passengers and crew to take home.
Join Moonshadow-TQC Cruises for a whale watching adventure and discover what’s happening off our beautiful Port Stephens coastline.
Photo credit: Lee Matthews Photography