Whale Sightings

The Winter Solstice has arrived, marking the shortest day of daylight for the year – and what a spectacular way to spend it, surrounded by the incredible migration of Humpback Whales off the coast of Port Stephens. With cooler temperatures settling in, warm winter layers, scarves, and beanies were certainly appreciated by guests heading out…

Hooray for the weekend! Today’s whale watching adventures delivered plenty of excitement as the annual humpback migration continues along the Port Stephens coastline. Our first sighting of the day was a pod of three Humpback Whales making their way north. Before long, one of the whales surprised everyone onboard with an unexpected breach, launching its…

From the moment we arrived offshore for this morning’s cruise on MV Osprey, it was clear that the migration was in full swing. Everywhere we looked, there were whales. In fact, passengers were treated to an incredible 350-degree panorama of whale activity, with blows, backs, and splashes visible in almost every direction around the vessel….

🐋 Another incredible day out on the Humpback Highway! We were treated to several groups of whales on both our morning and afternoon cruises, with the afternoon trip delivering an unforgettable show. Guests found themselves surrounded by active humpback whales, witnessing spectacular breaches, pectoral fin slaps, and head lunges throughout the afternoon. Every day on…

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…

What is considered an acceptable excuse to take a sickie when the winter sunshine is shining, the ocean is sparkling, and humpback whales are putting on one of the best shows of the season. There’s some serious FOMO happening in the Moonshadow-TQC office today as our whale watch crew enjoys an incredible day on the…

What an incredible way to start the week! Monday morning’s Whale Watch Cruise delivered a spectacular display of humpback whale activity, with the whales seemingly waiting just offshore for our arrival. As we made our way out to sea, we were greeted by three to four separate pods of migrating humpback whales, all putting on…

What a magnificent day on the water for Moonshadow-TQC Cruises! With brilliant blue skies and sunshine gracing Port Stephens, Sunday provided the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable day of whale watching. For many passengers aboard Hinchinbrook Explorer, there could hardly have been a better way to round out the weekend. Our morning Whale Watch Cruise…

What an incredible Saturday on the water for our whale watching guests! The day began with absolutely perfect sea conditions, providing ideal viewing opportunities as our vessels headed out into the sparkling waters of Port Stephens. It didn’t take long before we were treated to an unforgettable spectacle, with our very first sighting of the…

Today delivered everything that makes whale watching in Port Stephens so special, with spectacular autumn sunshine, glassy sea conditions, and some of the most exciting whale activity we’ve seen this season. As we cruised along the famous Port Stephens Humpback Highway, guests were treated to incredible wildlife encounters from the very beginning. Friendly Bottlenose Dolphins…

Our morning cruise began with a special welcome from some of our local residents, as a pod of bottlenose dolphins was spotted offshore on our way out to sea. Their playful presence provided a fantastic start to the day and had passengers smiling before we had even reached the whale grounds. Once offshore, we encountered…

What an extraordinary afternoon on the water with Moonshadow-TQC Cruises! Our first wildlife encounter of the day came as we rounded the headland, where a pod of local Bottlenose Dolphins greeted us and set the tone for what would become a truly spectacular cruise. Not long after heading offshore, whale blows began appearing on the…