The whales have not faulted on their annual migration as we wrap up the first month of ‘whaley-good’ action. This last week we have laid witness to the unreal power of the male Humpbacks as they compete for the attention and then more importantly the affection of a female.
The competition pods have been coming through Flinders Bay in droves this past week. We were able to witness FIVE separate competition pods yesterday in a single tour – the largest containing 7 males!! This doesn’t include the uncountable amount further off in the bay!!
The 40-tonne whales will push and shove the competitors out of the way, trying to impress the females with their strength and stamina! Typical behavior includes peduncle throws, breaching, chin slaps and more!
A peduncle throw is a rapid burst of energy where the whale essentially pivots on its head and rather violently throws its tail and peduncle (back end of the whale’s torso). It then sweeps through the air, crashing back into the water – you would not want to get in the way of this terrific force!
Breaching is probably the most recognised and sought after by passengers where the whale propels itself skyward. We were lucky to witness a FULL BREACH yesterday, where a juvenile humpback’s entire body cleared the surface! As it hung in the air for what felt like a full 5 seconds the reality of ‘what goes up must come down’ hit as gravity took hold. A few tonnes of ocean was moved as it fell back to the water and left a lasting splash and impression on our passengers.
These whales are moving through quickly as Humpbacks are being sighted as far North as Broome already. The population on the west coast here is reaching approximately 45,000 individuals which means that there will be an overlap of north and south bound whales!!! You can see why we call it the Humpback Highway…
This is the largest population of whales in Australia – meaning West truly is best!! So, lucky for us here in the southwest we are expecting a full season of unreal whale action with plenty more whales still to move past us in Flinders Bay.
The first of the Southern Right Whales have made their way into the bay too. They couldn’t let the humpies have all the fun! Its a good indication of what’s yet to come for the remainder of the Augusta Whale Watching Season.
Be sure to get out and experience this natural Western Australian wonder for yourself. We know the whales are ready to leave you SPEECHLESS! A must for your family since we move closer to school holidays and mentally prepare to have the kids at home for 2 weeks! Who wouldn’t want speechless kids?! Our specialised onboard Marine Biologists are equipped to answer ANY and EVERY question your kids throw their way – this is one feature we offer that the competitors don’t… and one reason why you should choose Naturaliste Charters to take you on an incredible adventure!
We hope to see you out there!
