Whale Watching Coolangatta/Tweed Heads Sun 21st & Mon 22/9/08
Conditions too rough on Saturday – no trip
Sunday – A reasonably quiet day from our humpback whales – we had plenty of whales around 8 pods with 2 in each pod, bar one which had one whale – we believe they were all having a rest day – no activity to speak of. The lone whale gave us a couple of breaches and one other some pectoral fin slapping – the rest – all resting peacefully. A great day out off the Gold Coast with plenty of Humpbacks. No calves today. Sea conditions were good compared to yesterday.
Monday – the spring weather off Coolangatta was pleasant, straight off we had one breaching whale over near Cook Island, pod of two, out wider another pod slowly moving in a southerly direction, as the morning passed more whales coming down from the North. One pod had three, last year calf, very large adult and a smaller one – around 10 metres. Another pod travelling North !! Another pod happily playing over near Cook Island again and this time we were blessed with a new calf – around 2 months old – practicing it’s breaching – over and over and over – around mum – what a delight, not travelling south, but out to sea enjoying the choppy conditions – excellent day out – 100% success in seeing whales
Lost 3 days due to high winds and rough seas.
Fri 25th – had two trips today – quite difficult to find them in the morning, but eventually came across whales off Coolangatta. The afternoon trip was excellent – on our way out to sea, we came across 100′s of dolphins – what a sight as they came to the boat and stayed with us for over 10 minutes then we headed out to breaching whales who were showing off with double breaches, pectoral fin and tail slapping and a very relaxed whale that swam within meters of our boat a few times – pods joined up and there was loads of fun to be had. We headed back to Coolangatta and we came across the dolphins yet again, same again heaps of them to the boat !!
Sat 27th – two trips with very calm seas – like a pond in fact – whales not at all active, just happy swimming along in a southerly direction and quite slowly. This trip we had around 8 pods with two in each pod all very quiet. No calves. The afternoon trip, once again like a pond, the sun was out the conditions perfect, had around 4 pods but all diving for extended periods then we had a cow, calf and escort, the little one happily breaching, we estimated he was around 2 months old. A great day out.
Today Sun 28th – here’s that wind again – no trip
There are plenty of whales going past, not a lot of calves so far and they seem to be slow in their travel off Coolangatta, they seem very restful and relaxed and certainly not in any hurry.
This has been Carol ‘The Whale Women’ till next time.