Whale Sightings Report Monday 25th July 2011

Found our first pod by 9.30am then didn’t see this pod again, divers, spent a fair bit of time trying to see them again, but gave up and headed off further north to other pods.  We had two pods close together, 2 in one pod and 3 in the other, eventually they joined up and were chasing each other, a bit of mating behaviour going on here.  The pod eventually slowed up and one of the whales doing the chasing turned around and headed south to a single whale that had just come to the boat, rolled over and had a big look at us with his big eye!!  This whale was also heading south, then north, then south, a bit confused and eventually the two single whales joined.

We had one Green Sea Turtle, heaps of dolphins today, common terns, non breeders.  One Albatross and Ganets and heaps and heaps of Prions resting on the water.

Plenty of whales about but not at all active, no breaching today.

Whale Sightings Report Friday/Sat/Sun 22-24th July 2011

No trips for these days as the sea was too rough

Whale Sightings Report Thursday 21st July 2011

7 pods with 9 humpbacks in total - found our first pod by 9.20am – 8 miles off shore – pods in closer at 5 miles with a couple of pods together, whales breaching behind the boat, more whales in closer at 4 miles with whales pec fin slapping, plenty of whales about again. 

At around 11am we visited a pod of two humpbacks who came straight over to the boat and boy was everyone excited – this pair of curious whales DOUBLE SPY HOPPED the boat (that’s when they poke their big heads straight up out of the water and they did it together) everyone was screaming with joy by now and then they did it again, one of them so high his head was level with ours !! Oh my god that was FANTASTIC – then they rolled over right next to the boat, in front of the boat, under the boat and kept coming back to the boat and then finally they had seen enough of us and went on their merry way – we all stood there in total amazement – did that just happen? I was so excited I jumped all over the deck with joy and everyone was so happy with their up close and personal experience with these amazing humpback whales – a whale watching experience that everyone will remember – AWESOME once again

This has been Carol the Whale Women until next post

Whale Sightings Report Friday 15th July 2011 – too rough didn’t go out today

Whale Sightings Report Saturday 16th July 2011 – too rough and wet didn’t go out today

Whale Sightings Report Sunday 17th July 2011

A great day out on the water this morning with 3 pods of Humpback Whales to entertain us, all whales around that 6 miles off shore again, travelling slow and not active.  We then left these two pods who were having a snooze or the Sunday off and headed out to a pair of Humpbacks double breaching at the 8 mile mark – what a show with so many breaches – together too!! and pec fin slapping, they came to the boat and rolled over for us and continued to show off around the boat – WHAT A SHOW – great morning.

The afternoon trip didn’t disappoint either with 7 pods with 14 whales, found whales pretty much straight away off Cook Island, but very quiet in the water, having a rest day, but we had another pod breaching off Cook Island and another pod to keep us entertained, so off we went to see those whales.  We had a very friendly pair of whales that came straight to the boat, swam under us, in front, behind and around us having a great look at us – what beautiful humpbacks they were as we spent around 30 minutes with them – FANTASTIC

On the way home we came across another 4 pods – all quiet – GREAT DAY

Monday 18th July 2011

6 pods of humpbacks with 11 whales in total – found our first pod by 9.25am around 4 miles off shore, very quiet whales, but then we had one humpback same distance off shore breaching, stayed with this single whale for 30 minutes.  Then another 4 pods during the morning with tail lobbing and pec fin slapping – a very very nice morning indeed with plenty of whales about.  Todate we have seen some 484 whales since the 29th May on our trips.

Tuesday 19th July 2011

7 pods with 15 whales, found our whales by 9.30am in closer today but very quiet and divers, so left them and joined other pods which were all in a big group spread over a small distance, at one stage we had 7 whales all swimming together and then 2 more joined in now we had 9 – great to see so many whales together and then the last pod of 2 whales started breaching and on this day we had the Tweed Daily News onboard and we made the front page of the paper on Wednesday with these beautiful whales – WHAT A DAY – awesome stuff here off the Gold Coast

Wednesday 20th July 2011

8 pods with 10 whales, finding our first pod at 9.25am – 5 miles off shore – first few pods very very quiet, all swiming quietly and not active, plenty of them though and then we hit the jackpot with pod number 6 with two whales breaching around the boat, rolling over next to the boat, swiming under the boat – FANTASTIC

Whale Sightings Report Thursday 14th July 2011

Found whales by 9.30, 4 pods this morning, one pod of 3 close in off Coolangatta Bar, another pod off to the right, giving us a couple of breaches, we followed the two pods north, whilst keeping an eye on other pods coming up from behind off to the left, at one stage we had all four pods off to the left of the boat all swiming in a line, what a sight!!  The two later pods joined up and began chasing and playing in towards Kirra.

Great morning, whales everywhere

The afternoon trip, 5 pods with 11 whales, first pod in close off the Coolangatta bar, tail lobbing and the second pod doing the same thing – having a chat!!

Our third pod had 2 adults and a brand new baby, they were very quiet in the water and we noticed the calf just near mum and we left them to travel north on the Gold Coast

Our next pod really got everyone excited, two very inquisitive whales straight to the boat, swiming around us, behind us, and then kept on coming back to the boat several times – fantastic whales

Another pod around 2.30pm breaching.  Weather turned quickly from the south and we headed home.  Great Day

Whale Sightings Report Wednesday 13th July 2011

Another great day out with my whales, we had them by 9.30 again about 5 miles off the bar.  They seem to be out on this mark everyday and plenty of them.  Our first pod had 1 whale, second pod had 2, our second pod was moving far too quick, so we left them and headed out to another pod about 6 miles out to sea, what a great pod, this pair came straight to the boat and played around the boat for about 45 minutes, going to the front, to the back, to the side, had everyone screaming today – pure magic!!

When this pair finally left us, we headed off to another pod of 3 whales about 11am, all chasing each other, the mating season is well and truly on!!

Great morning – no fantastic

This afternoons trip we found 6 pods, with 13 whales, all around that 6 miles off the bar, with breaching and fast moving whales, they came to the boat and then left us, chasing more whales, doing what whales do in the mating season.  We had tail lobbing and pec slapping

Fantastic Day, had 24 whales today

Whale Sightings Report Tuesday 12th July 2011

found 2 humpbacks by 9.25am around 5 miles off Kirra, very quiet in the water, unusually quiet, with one of the whales holding up her tail in the air for several minutes at a time, rolling over – by looking at this whales behaviour I first thought there may have been a calf with her, but upon closer observation I think this whale was in labour and making ready to give birth, so we left her and went out to several more pods.

We found several pods, 7 in total for the morning, all whales pretty quiet this morning, with several of the pods joining to make a super pod of 6 whales playing chasing games – fantastic stuff.

Whale Sightings Report

Tuesday 5th July 2011

1 pod of humpbacks with 2 adults around 5 miles off shore, travelling calm, not active for a short period of around 30 minutes and then they started breaching, tail lobbing, pec slapping and began to chase each other, on the surface heaps, great trip.

Wednesday 6th July 2011

Lost my bookwork over the side, so can’t tell what really happened now, but we had whales and plenty of them int the morning.  The pm trip, have the records for this one, we had 6 pods with 13 whales.  Pods joined together and chased each other, they were all over the place in haste and it was a great show, we had one breach, head lunging and heaps of activity – great afternoon.

Thursday 7th July 2011

Beautiful clear and sunny day hardly any swell – great whale watching conditions.  Chopped up a bit later in the morning.  We had one pod that we had by 9.15am 2 miles off the bar travelling fast.

Friday 8th July 2011

10 pods with 17 whales, 3 pods joined together with breaching, breaching and more breaching nice and close to the boat, this huge pod were very active as they chased each other all over the ocean – fantastic show to say the least – one of the best trips so far this season.  3 whales came right by the boat.

In the afternoon we had 7 pods with 11 whales, with breaching constantly from one whale, rolling over, tail lobbing – put on a great show.  Quiet a few of the pods were quiet in the water but had plenty of surface time.

Saturday 9th July 2011

How many whales do you want, we had 4 pods in the morning and 10 pods in the afternoon, the morning found the whales by 9.10am, two pods joined and the chasing began  – what a show – possibly the best so far this season, everyone was so excited – what a great day.  Then we had another pod around 8 miles off and they came close to the boat – fantastic

Saturday afternoon we had the 10 pods and again – simply magic – words just can’t describe how good this season of whales has been – this afternoon we had whales to the boat, under the boat, behind the boat – great stuff.

Sunday 10th July 2011

The morning trip we found 7 pods, first pod by 9.30, heaps of chasing again and loads of fun again.  The afternoon trip we had 3 pods and plenty of chasing again – it is the mating season after all !!  All whales travelling fast and a great afternoon.

Monday 11th July 2011

First whales by 9.30am (we find them by 9.30 everyday) and we had our first brand new calf for the year, a mum and a baby just off Coolangatta, this calf would only be 12 hours old, she was travelling nice and quiet – fantastic to see our first baby for the year.  We spent 25 minutes with her and left her to travel north with her new born.

We headed out to sea and then found a pod of 2 humpbacks that mobbed the boat, omg what a fantastic pod of whales, they came to the boat several times, under the boat, blowing bubbles, and then one spy hopped right next to the boat, I was beside myself with excitement, this doesn’t normally happen until August, it was so fantastic – the boat was electric with excitement – money just can’t buy that sort of stuff – BEAUTIFUL

(more…)

Gold Coast Whale Sightings Report Sunday 3rd July 11

This morning we headed out to sea with great expectations here on the Gold Coast.  We came across a pair of happy humpbacks straight off the Tweed Bar about 4 miles off shore.  The pair were calm in the water with plenty of breaching throughout the morning, we didn’t see another pod of whales anywhere, but we didn’t need any more, our two whales were fantastic.  Great Morning

This afternoon quite a different story, plenty of whales, 7 pods with around 13 whales.  We had settled conditions and found whales very early in the trip.  We found all our pods straight off the Bar at Tweed Heads around that 4 miles offshore.  Most of the pods were very quiet and relaxed not active at all.  We may have had more whales than this morning, but they were mostly all sleeping !!  Just of the Tweed bar we came across another pod and we had breaching and more breaching, so to end the trip some great whales – thankyou.

Great day with plenty of whales and sunshine – who could ask for more !!

Whale Cheers – Carol – The Whale Women

Wow!! what a magic day – fantastic whales and plenty of sunshine here of the Gold Coast this morning.  We found our first pod by 9.20am and eventually had 4 pods and 8 whales and dolphins today, but not active, they were happy feeding about 5 miles off shore.

Humpback Whales off Coolangatta and what a treat, we had a pod of 2 breaching whales, they were double breaching all trip and didn’t we just love that.  They pec fin slapped, rolled over and plenty of breaching – everyone was very very happy.

Whale Cheers – Carol – The Whale Women