Whale Sightings - 2007

With fourteen lovely guests on 'Sail-A-Way'.... our fifth day without a whale sighting.  Yesterday, beach sightings of two Humpbacks playing near Whale World - two days before that.....Gull Rock and Mistaken Island.  The stormy day before that.....one at Middleton Beach....but they are hard to find and, after fleeting blows, disappear below the surface to erratically appear hundreds of metres away....elsewhere.

We are giving all our guests 'Free Return' cards for next year - and telling them news of the reduced chances of whale interaction this season.  Many shrug with a smile of thanks and 'goodbye', but other wilderness-lovers come cruising for the dolphins and seals.....and peace.

Today, 'Sail-a-Way' was blown all over the wind-swept south west corner of King George Sound.  Sixty to seventy kilometre winds and freezing cold, with 24 guests, having an average age of 70 years....and they were such fun to be with.

I think this whale season is coming to an early finish.....Sad.

Despondency at the waterfront.....Three days wailing and gnashing of teeth - just after the earthquake - no connection of course.  But no whales.

Anyway, Tuesday, and the most horrible weather-front drove "Sail-A-Way's" guests below to party and chat, while I sat in the gale, steering.  Like they say, 'What a great job!"

While the storm lashed.....compensation.....Five whales sat at the harbour channel and Middleton Beach, then, Wednesday, after the sotrm, four Humpbacks playing near Mistaken Island and Whale World.

What a relief to know the season continues.  The whales are great company for folks on a boat!

Strong westerly winds over the sound yesterday stirred a slightly choppy sea which was highest-energy mid-Sound.  "Sail-A-Way's" guests didn't seem to notice.  They were too engrossed by the 2 Humpbacks which were moving in, apparently, effortless slide across the sound.

They seemed to have no destination - often changing direction 90 degrees.  The timing of their surface blows was fascinating...synchronised swimming....for the 40 minutes of our viewing.

Then, for us, a peaceful sail home.  Lovely!

Mid whale season and the Southern Right whales have been with us for several weeks.  Today, off Gull Rock we were surrounded by whales...one very large, strangely-coloured male - a closely-attendant female and several juveniles, logging.  On the way to the whale 'party' we saw our first Southern Right breaching for the year...quite a young calf, still with its black and while splotches, leaping 4 times, delighted 'Sail-A-Way's guests.

The strong winds from the north don't interfere with whale watching when the whales, so conveniently, choose the smooth water of Mt Martin's shore.

Fifteen minutes into the whale watching tours of Albany, and the urban area becomes wilderness of some Antarctic wildlife.

Middle of King George Sound....of the 33,000 people in Albany, 9 on board 'Sail-A-Way'.  Out of sight and hearing of the city, we sat in isolated amazement.  For an hour and a half a Southern Right whale lay under, against, beside our boat.  It splashed us with its tail...blew amazing breath odours over the humans leaning out 1 metre above the shiny back.

Amongst the people, very young children in their parent's grip - fascinated by the huge animal...we adults fascinated by the children's awe and responses.

On the trip home....a tinge of sadness and a sense of disbelief.  Nobody wanted to leave the boat...people sitting...quietly reflecting.  Whale watching in Albany today.

Though subject to many weather fronts, Albany, fortunately, does not suffer for too long.  They move on and give us the opportunity to go out once more in search of 'heart' moments...whales.

We were unable to go out yesterday, but this morning encountered six Southern Rights, mid Sound, towards Harold Point.  Magnificent viewing for all aboard "Sail-A-Way".

Two Southern Rights and one Humpback fulfilled the desires of our guests to see whales.  Unfortunately, one pregnant Southern Right appeared to be sick.  Calm seas and clear skies.....joy at being out in wilderness, so close home.  Folk in Albany are so lucky.

Out once more in the afternoon....winds strengthening with a south-westerly front fast approaching.  High swell...chop...and a sleek, shiny humpback leaping near Limestone Head.

A fine, clear, still morning.  Humpbacks cavorting in the centre of the Sound...all around the boat.....up close.  Thrilled passengers...hearts singing....Ain't life grand?

Went out again in the afternoon....life changes so quickly.....no whales.  I guess they were resting after the energetic morning activities.

What wind....from the west.....persistence interrupted with endurance, teasing gusts and salted with rain.

Saturday:  some would not give in.....nine steely guests - most (you guessed it) from England.  Smiles to die for and fixed resolve......so we went to sea.

I don't know why whales choose the highest-energy patch of ocean.  3-metre swells,  2-metre seas and Bald Head turmoil.  In the worst of it.....7 juvenile humpbacks playing larrikin games around us.  Sweet and sour.....cliff and beach.....black whales......green-white water and the caressing slide of whales in ocean tumult. 

Exultation!

Too windy.....too wavy for two days...so here on 'Sail-A-Way' some time for research.  I was amazed to discover how long whales live.

The following is from an email from the Mouton family, who were recent guests aboard 'Sail-A-Way'.  Originally from South Africa, they sent me this information.

WHALE DIES AFTER A CENTURY AFTER THE FIRST HUNT:  DIE BURGER, 18.06.2007

BOSTON: A fragment of a weapon was found in the neck of a baleen whale of 50 tons, which was caught at the coast of Alaska during last month, which proves that the whale survived a similar hunt more than a century ago.

A missile of 12.7 cm was found under the skin which proved to scientists that the whale was between 115 and 130 years of age.

Mr John Allen, a marine biologist of Port Elizabeth, was stunned by the news.  "I was under the impression that whales reached an age of 60-70 years, but this is news to me!" he said.

"No other discovery has been this accurate," said Mr John Bockstoce, vice curator of the New Bedford Whale Museum in Massachusetts.

It is quite a problem to determine the ages of whales as it is normally done by testing the amino acids of the eyes.  It is extraordinary to find a whale of more than a century but some scientists reckon whales can reach an age of 200 years. (My own comment on this:  this is a whale of a story!!) 

The harpoon fragment which was found in the bone of the whale between the neck and the shoulder was probably manufactured in New Bedford in 1890.  This city is situated on the southeast coast of Massachusetts and used to harbour a huge whale hunting centre.  The small metal cylinder was filled with explosives, shot with a heavy shoulder harpoon and was designed to explode a few seconds after impact.  According to Bockstoce, this device was designed to kill the whale instantly, but in this case it struck the whale in a safe spot.

"The device exploded and it surely hurt the whale, but apparently it was not such a bother as this whale lived for another century!", he said. 

The 15 metre whale was killed with a similar missile during last month.

Lastly, it is mentioned that the fragment will be displayed in the Inupiat Centre in Barrow, Alaska.

Toeks Erasmus.  Shell Voorbaai Bookings.  Mossel Bay, South Africa.

Three Southern Right whales together in the Sound today.  One of 'Sail-A-Way's' passengers remarked "only a mother could love them"...but that was before the whales lay beside the boat and under it and one 'spy-hopped', lifting its head to watch the passengers, to stay metres away, keeping company for half-an-hour.

We also saw a humpback at channel's entrance....too many dolphins to count, mid Sound.  Nobody minded the deteriorating weather.

Out again in the afternoon with winds too strong to raise sail.

Uwe, from Albany Dive.com saw that 'Sail-A-Way' was Albany's only whale watching boat working that afternoon.  Icy cold wind whipped the chop....the Sound was covered with lines of froth, air full of drift.  Too cold to stay on the viewing platform for long, but Uwe rang 'Sail-A-way' on his mobile.

Two hours of searching with guests for whom this was their last chance before leaving Albany; two for England.  Uwe saw a mist amongst the spume 2 kilometres from shore.  Leaving the lookout, he returned to Albany for his binoculars.  Fifteen minutes later he rang again with news of 3 Southern Rights.   Venturing out from shelter, we searched and found them.  Several of my guests were overcome with tears at the generosity of the great Antarctic beasts as they lolled near our boat.

The conditions did not spoil our visiting British guests' delight.  They had to leave for Perth and said the challenging conditions made the whale encounter even more valuable....no wonder they ruled the waves!

As I told my guests of Uwe's care, they left Albany knowing of service.  Uwe's only profit was other people's pleasure. 

King George sound was ablaze today - dazzling........dark-glasses and T-shirt young people able to show their "cool" without being frozen.

Boats packed to the gunnels.  On 'Sail-A-Way' the guests made great commujnity, arranging their seating and standing so no one had their view blocked.

The view...two humpbacks in the morning and in the afternoon, nothing - till one leapt vertically from nowhere, directly in front of startled passengers.  Then, of all things, a one-metre-wide turtle, stolidly plodding its way into the sound from deep sea.

Later, on Vancouver Peninsula, seals streaming into the water from their rocky, sun patios.

Brian is an old mate of mine and a very experienced sailor.  He has been up and down the West Australian coast on countless cruises, and I thought he was the person to tell about seeing two whales in the air together.

Sure enough, he, of all my sailor mates, had seen it before ...."off Carnarvon"  he said.  "I think they were mating.  They stayed in the air on their tails for a very long time".

That comment reminded me of a research paper I read that said humpbacks avoid sperm-killing salt water by mating above the water.

Amazing...well, today we on "Sail-A-Way" saw this airborne show again - only this time 3 humpbacks were in the air all at the same time - 5 metres apart - not in Carnarvon, but in rolling swells off Bald Head, Albany.

A happy mob came home unaffected by the strong winds and half hour of rain.

Ahhh...the beauty - the peace - the silence and the solitude of watching whales in wilderness....but not today!

Today....power....unbelievable from an animal.

The seas past Bald Head were already a maelstrom of Southern Ocean swells - small wind chop - energy rebounding from the rock faces and a lowering, overcast sky - nobody was complaining.

A huge humpback - venting fury at the waves - towering from the ocean....arching it's back and exploding a pit into the ocean....displaced water driven skywards.....5...6..metres in stark white explosions.

Then - as I have never seen before....Two humpbacks exploding together - as if the sea was no longer acceptable to them.

Two whales - each 40 or 50 tons - in the air....together...?

Unbelievable - but a number of times, it happened.

Sail-A-Way had to earn its view.  We were all stunned.

Hi. There is a pod of juvenile humpbacks in King George Sound that is still learning whale behaviour!  A splash takes our attention...seven tons of boat "tiptoes" over expectantly...nothing for a while...a blow off to the left and 200 metres away a coy thump.  Turn...Sail-A-Way slides over again...wait...wait...chat about whale biology.  Then a ripple of excitement from some of our whale watchers...a hump or two, some 2-metre-high blows, then the lift of a tail and an effortless slide from the 40-ton mammoths...invisible once more.

Oily whale tears leave a footprint...the smoothed water evidence of the whales' passing.

This coy game continues as the whales circle, 100...200...metres away...then often, as we reconcile ourselves to their absence, a huge startling exhalation, right beside some guests' feet.

It is never boring...8 whales...seals and dolphins today.  Joy!

Twenty two guests - some children, who end up sitting on Sail-A-Way's cabin top...above adult heads...King of the Castle.  A great view for them...peace for mum and dad...pleasure for me, the skipper.

One clear-eyed boy - twelve years old - so wise - sitting on the roof looking at me, said...What was your "secret wish" today as you came with us on the boat, John?

Four young people sitting on the boat's roof in the middle of King George Sound...a dappled green sea with oiling ripples and sunlight gleams that came and went.  Motors off...sails down...still...slow motion...waiting for the whales to show again.

We had been talking about each of our secret hopes as we'd walked on board...but no child had ever asked me that before.  My gift was not the four whales we saw that day.

What pleasure.  Searching King George Sound for signs of humpbacks.  Any wind from north east around to south west leaves Sail-A-Way with hidden places to shelter.  Calm, while apparent tumult rages on shore.

Behind Seal Island or Mistaken, in the lee of the peninsulas, hiding behind Breaksea,  all eyes always searching for the thrill of a blown mist - a back and fin, 40 tons breaking the surface.  Today, dark grey water stirred by lines of squalls - turbulence and white caps - but following the irridescent green outline of a humpback's white sides just below the surface.

The warmth of another person's joy as she claps like a child at the sight of a whale's tail.

Hopeful guests should always ring and ask if a tour is possible.  Inexperienced seamen are surprised by how many times ocean wilderness can be explored safely and comfortably when land conditions seem intractable.

Since the start of our season on June 2nd, we have recorded 15 whales sighted from Sail-A-Way and over 30 from our region.

More whales than guests - sad to say;  we still cruise with two or more guests, happy for their company.  Each day we design a cruise to suit:

• our passengers
• the weather
• the wilderness
• the whales

Every day new...every cruise different and always, of course, hot scones, hot drinks, and a return free as a priority guest if we don't see whales.

Today, four energetic humpbacks.

There's a special focus jetty-visitors present when they ask me about whales - and the people are all happy to chat.

This last week we have enjoyed several sightings - always mid-King George Sound or closer to Limestone Head (past Whale World).  On one occasion, four or five dolphins were circling and 'cutting off' two juvenile humpbacks, whose tail-slapping and rolling did not look like they were enjoying all of the dolphins' antics.  Soon, two other humpbacks joined the first pair; then immediately, the dolphins were off....outnumbered, perhaps.

The closest "shore" whale viewing we have seen, so far, has been near Whale World and Mistaken Island....always a beautiful walk; whales or no whales.

Well....sightings are increasing in frequency slowly, and as we say to our guests..."come as soon as you can because you can keep coming back, free of charge until you've had an interaction you enjoy....and in the meantime there is stunning Albany wilderness! 

Day 1:  2nd June and King George Sound is a mirror of sunlight. 

Just outside the channel, 10 metres from the rocks,  a huge seal tearing something to pieces.  We drifted closer, watching in silence, as the seal threw it's head from side to side above the water surface - in it's jaws a cuttlefish, quarter the seal's length.  As the frenzy continued, the cuttlefish would tear and the seal would meal.

One 12-year-old - Jacob - was concerned for the cuttlefish and we explained the seal would only have caught it because the cuttlefish was sick and slow...

Then later in the day, our 12 guests were entertained by 15 or 20 dolphins intent on 'human watching'.  The dolphins leapt clear of the water...showing off...getting a better view?  Then they would drift below, beneath, around 'Sail-A-Way', upside down or on their side; stars of the show.

Much clapping from the humans - and all on calm, quiet seas.

No whales - we saw them the next day - two humpbacks at King George Sound entrance and one Southern right near Mistaken Island.