Around this time of the year I begin to suffer from cabin fever….the dark nights, the endless wind and rain and the freezing cold make me CRAVE a little sunshine. I mean…what IS a blue sky??? I find myself googling things like weekend getaways, cheap city breaks etc etc etc….but then I think of the hassle of kenneling the dogs and abandon the idea….so to cheer myself up I spent a few hours today looking at pics from my six week adventure in Australia last year.
Ever since I saw my first documentary on whales I’ve wanted to see one close up, so my main reason for going to Australia was to see the humpbacks, and all I can say is that to see these creatures close up is truly amazing. I spent two weeks following the whales, which proved quite tricky in terms of finding hotels especially at short notice!!! But heyho, it adds to the fun, especially if you find yourself sleeping in your car! But that’s a story for another day!
The humpback, Megapteranovaeangliae [great wings of New England] was named by the early whalers, due to the humped appearance of it’s back and it s prominent dorsal fin, and each year 14,000 humpbacks are found in Hervey Bay. Due to the tourist trade there, their numbers are now steadily increasing every year, which is absolutely brilliant news.
A humpback whale’s gestation period is almost twelve months and they give birth to their calves in the warmer waters of the northern great barrier reef. The mothers and their calves remain close to shore where they can rest and nurse. One local guy told me that he thought the mothers came to the great barrier reef to show their calves a beautiful garden, as once they head off to the antarctic there is little flora and fauna to be found. What a lovely thought!!!
The mothers actually brought their calves close to the ship, I was in no doubt that they were showing the youngsters what people look like!!! The older whales are still a little suspicious of ships, remembering the hunting days….a whale, like an elephant, never forgets!
Each humpback can be recognised by a unique pattern of marks and coloration on its tail flukes, and the forceful slapping of their tails against the water can be heard underwater and is thought to be a form of communication. While on the whale ship I had the pleasure of hearing an escort whale singing!!! One of the most beautiful and eerie sounds I’ve ever heard! The male escorts often accompany a female looking for an opportunity to mate. At one point I saw up to three males battling for a lady s affection, but they don’t stay together after mating and don’t form long term pair bonds.
An adult humpback weighs 35-40 tons….no small wonder then that when they they beach their body collapses without the water to keep it buoyant… and…they are 13-15 meters long! I was in awe when a whale came alongside of the boat and matched it in length. The calf is 4-5 meters long and weighs up to 2 tons.
I think the humpback looks almost alien…and it took my breath away seeing one this close up…..the hairs actually stood up on my arms…..wonderful!!!
The humpback often lunges head first out of the water and then pounds it s massive mouth on the water’s surface….no-one is totally sure why…
I saw many a whale breach, but sadly my camera never caught it…when one whale breaches many can be seen following suit in the distance.
During the summer humpbacks can consume a ton of food a day, yet the mother’s don’t tend to feed while in the breeding grounds.
I was absolutely heartbroken to leave the whales behind……but I will always have my memories. The humpback is such a strange creature, a gigantic mammal travelling enormous distances and depths in a world we know so little about. An intelligent creature that’s as curious about us as we are about it.
what an amazing experience you have had – I am very envious! Sounds just the most wonderful thing to have done and I’m not surprised you turned to the memories and photos of that time for some wonderful reminiscences. Whales are just so extraordinary – not that I’ve seen them for real… just on the tv of course.
All wonderful! am sure you’ll be off on more adventures before too long! Good for you! xxxx
I think you would have enjoyed them as much as me….and the singing!!!! The good thing about that kind of a trip is looking back at the pics and videos now and then, it’s like having your own animal documentary.xxxxx
Wonderful creatures. They have a whale watch at Kaikoura in the South Island, about 100 miles south of Christchurch. They take you out in boats to get close to whales and dolphins
Wow….I am SO jealous of you Peter….if I lived there I think I’d be living on a whaleboat! I can’t wait to visit NZ.xxxxx
I’ve always been fascinated by whales too, SB – ever since I lived on an island as a child and I could hear the whales blowing out to sea, and we could see them feeding on the kelp. There is such a mystery about them. So glad you had that wonderful time – what lovely memories to cheer you up on grey days!
Y’know Gilly…..I can’t get over all the places you have lived in and the adventures you’ve had…..I do wish you would post on them, until your book comes out!!!!xxxxx
We were out of season for the whales, we went in Aussie summer, February. We saw some turtles and loads of different sorts of birds.
We were based near the Gold Coast so we went to places like Currumbin, Byron Bay and of course Surfers Paradise & our favourite place, Southport.
Oz is the place to revisit for sure….I can’t believe we lived there and actually came back!!!
I couldn’t get over how clear the water was.xxxxx
Thanks Dessie. They truly were worth flying halfway across the world to see. If only I could hop back on a plane….sigh…xxxxx
What a great pleasure it was for me to read this post and see images of such remarkable creatures.
Gorgeous pictures! They’re such beautiful creatures xxxx
Thanks Scarlett. They are amazing.xxxxx
Lucky you getting to realise one of your greatest dreams like that. I’m sure that you’ll treasure the memories forever.
Thanks for sharing these in this post and terrific photos. xx
Thanks Flighty….I waited a long time to see them and my goodness it was worth it! As you say, memories for a lifetime.xxxxx
Definitely a worthwhile trip for you — such an exciting encounter with these gorgeous creatures. And the water… was it as turquoise as you’ve captured in camera? Six weeks. What else did you see and do? Let’s relive your holidays!!
Thanks Nikki. The water was as blue as could be and so clear you could see turtles and fish swimming in it.
During the six weeks we went to Dubai, Bangkok, Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Hervey Bay and Kuala Lumpar. It was a wonderful trip, our old dogs had died leaving us without dogs for the first time so we decided to go travelling. I got to see the Great barrier reef and rain forests…..I will pop in the odd post about it….thanks for the idea!!!xxxxx
Yes, it does sound like a great adventure. I agree with you too, about their seeming alien. Even though they are mammals, they live in such a different world, and they themselves are so very different from us. And knowing they are intelligent, it is very tempting to think of making some sort of contact.
Thanks Shimon. Yes their world is so different and so vast and they are so removed from us. I felt small and insignificent sitting in a boat in their huge watery world and seeing them swimming into the distance as the sun set, gliding effortlessly. They seem to enjoy contact with people which of course can be deadly for them. It’s fantastic that they are no longer hunted in some parts of the world.xxxxx
These are lovely pictures. I’ve seen whales and dolphins (briefly) in northern waters where the sea certainly wasn’t that blue. And I’m quite envious that you’ve heard a whale singing; I can imagine it was incredible. I’m pleased to read that humpback numbers in that area are increasing; they are such beautiful creatures.
Oh Wendy, the sound of a whale singing is the most astonishing sound that I have EVER heard…..it’s utterly haunting. You are lucky to have seen whales, I’m hoping to see some in Ireland this year.xxxxx
Such beautiful photos! Whales really are some of the most beautiful creatures in the world aren’t they? And to see them up close with their calf – how cute!
I had the pleasure of seeing a mink whale with her calf right by our boat in Thailand and I felt truly blessed! 🙂
Oh they are truly amazing and inspiring….I get goose bumps when I think of them. Wow, how wonderful to see a mink whale with a calf!!!xxxxx
Super array of pictures….certainly lifts us with those sunshine piccies. Bet you felt good afterwards…within yourself….Always worthwhile perusing past hol pics……Hugs! :)xx
Thanks Ell….ah….sunshine, now what is that???? I did feel much better after revisiting the whales.xxxxx
Wow – what an experience – the only whales I have seen were in America at one of those aquatic zoos – much better to see them in their natural surroundings.
Thanks Elaine. It was a wonderful experience, all the more vivid being able to see them in the ocean with their calves. They hold them up so they don’t drown….really moving.xxxxx
What a fantastic experience, one you won’t ever forget. I enjoyed reading all the facts about the humpback whales, very interesting.
Thanks Jo, yes, some wonderful memories for me.xxxxx
Hope you’re feeling brighter after reliving your recent memories of a remarkable venture.
Oh Menhir….totally rejuvenated I am.xxxxx
What a wonderful journey for body, mind, and spirit that must have been! Just looking at the photos got my blood flowing with a bit more zest…how wonderful that were able to travel and see these lovely majestic beings in person; thank you for sharing and giving us a vicarious vacation, too! Ah…
Thanks Catherine. It’s so humbling seeing these amazing creatures close up. And to get the chance to look directly into their eyes is indescribable. Their intelligence is obvious. It truly was a dream come true. I had a wonderful few hours watching videos of them today.xxxxx