Whale Sightings - 2009

26 May 2009	What a fabulous start to the whale season this year.  Very early, I know...but there have been consistent reports of whale sightings in our Sound over the last fortnight.  Three Humpbacks, yesterday morning, near Michelmas Island and one just off Seal Island yesterday evening.  Many thanks to Wayne Birss on board a fishing vessel LFB E25 Commando II, for the information, which included comment from him that the whales were feeding on a school of mulies....talk about David and Goliath! We are in the process of painting our boat in preparation for our own 'whaley visitors' but will be setting off on a tour - 9.30 Friday morning, 29 May - searching for whales.  We would love to have the company of anyone wishing to join us and we are very glad to say our prices are the same as last year...Recession Busters!!!
7 June 2009	There's a sense of urgency from the King George Sound Humpback whale visitors. Early in the season, a mother and calf stayed for days - moving near Goode Beach.  Then...coincidence?...Monday, June 1st, the mother was breaching massively while a small power boat hung close by.  Was her jumping a mark of stress - a reaction to danger?  Who knows...but we haven't seen her or her baby since. Other whales have been seen though, almost every day.  The storms of the 3rd, 4th and 5th made ocean-based watching too wet, cold and uncomfortable. Cosy Corner, Stoney Island, viewing from the Gap, King George Sound from WhaleWorld looking east, Rock Dunder, Doubtful Island, Point Anne...all these places had Humpbacks staying, then moving on.  Even Princess Royal Harbour had its visitors, so like our orchard trees, the whales are also 'blooming early' !! Some days, beauty defying description:  black glistening seals at Seal Cove, building harems....across to mother and calf Humpback in emerald waters off WhaleWorld...along the shore, drifting with 30 to 50 dolphin families....mother and baby in absolute synchronized swoops to breathe...others upside down, each side of "Sail-A-Way's" hulls, 'backstroking' without arms... Along Goode Beach, in one and a half metres of crystal water, "Sail-A-Way" gliding into a setting sun....the light a golden road on the water....around Possession Point in the gloom of the obscured setting sun, only to burst clear of shadow onto a harbour pool of fire, as the sunset lit Albany with its flame colours. Too beautiful to hurry - our tour ended an hour-and-a-half late.  Nobody complained.
8 June 2009	What extraordinary vitality.  Off Bald Head, Sail-A-way and its 12 passengers sat in the midst of 10 Humpback whales,....bragging, breaching.  Then, pausing around and beneath the humans' feet, the whales took a rest from their exuberance...Ahh spring! (not yet) but they got the applause and admiration they deserved.
11 June 2009	Forecast ---Rain, overcast, strong winds...but we had...calm seas, low swell, cloud and light winds. Ten people (8 returning as our guests for another trip; four staying an extra night to take up the chance...of a 2nd look free!) One kilometre south east of Breaksea Island...6 Humpbacks, two of them huge, and they jumped and jumped, moving ever closer to"Sail-A-Way". Finally, noticing the yacht, the two largest whales came directly to "Sail-A-Way" at high speed.  We were circled, eye-balled, found to be boring, then ignored....all this happening within a few metres of the boat. We sailed home into a gathering storm, relieved, enthralled and chastened. Check out the Passenger Feedback and Comments in this website.
week ending 21 June 2009	Judging the weather in this season of changes....very tough.  We, on "Sail-A-Way" are giving all our guests a free return whether they see whales or not - an effort to give Albany's visitors a taste of sun and cloud; calm and passion; energetic ocean and tranquility....and in all conditions....Whales! Every day the Humpbacks are putting on their show.  Always available out past Michelmas Island, they are also often closer to shore. This week, four adolescent Humpbacks and a calf have cruised the Sound.  Three days of the last five, the whales have been on the surface - playing with dolphins - lying on their backs, white bellies showing, languidly slapping at the nimble dolphins - coming to "Sail-A-Way" to check out the humans....Enchantment!! We try to meet our guests' needs every day, no matter the weather - generally finding enough calm water on the 'weather shore' to keep guests feeling well, as we search. Passenger feedback on this website helps us feel satisfied with even the rough water trips.
2 July 09	15 Humpbacks all out deep near Bald Head and limestone Head
3 July 09	4 Humpbacks off Mistaken Island and 3 near Bald Head
4 July 2009	What a fabulous whale season we are having!  17 Humpbacks today.  A large pod came kilometres across the ocean to surround 'Sail-A-Way', adrift on the ocean off Bald Head...and they were leaping, tail-slapping and flipper-whacking all the way....courtship between the world's behemoth wonders! Twenty eight humans on board 'Sail-A-Way' were 'guests at the wedding'....watching while the star whales leapt together from the water - 80 tons....airborne. One of our guests filmed the show and we have a computer on board now.  Not only does this show where our boat is, moment by moment, on the cabin screens, but it also records whale position and is available to download photos and film "of the moment".  Today's video will be screened soon on our website.  Lucky for me, because I've been away for two days, buying guitars.  My turn for the fun on board tomorrow. Guests wishing to join us for a tour need to book early to ensure they get a turn...our passenger list is filling up early, nowadays. We are still offering all guests a free return - as many are so thrilled, they want to go again.  Extra days in Albany.....good for the humans, our town and the whales!
Monday 6 July 09	Fierce northerly winds and driving rain. Low swell with spume driven from the chop.  Face stinging, vision blurring, runny nose, cold.  Why on earth 36 people would brave such conditions a mystery - but in between Breaksea Island and Michelmas....the reward. I have never seen such a small whale jumping.  New born - a pathetic little leap and plop!...but to hear my guests....an Olympic victory.  Straight after the calf....a towering thump from the air-borne mother's landing...and on and on.  Simple pleasures.
Tuesday 7 July 09	Two trips today, am and pm. Some guests returning for another pleasure.  Eight Humpbacks in the morning, 10 in the afternoon.  And again, active breaches, leaps and flipper flapping tomfoolery with one noticeable addition....the whales adopted "Sail-A-Way" as a site for celebration; turning, churning, rolling and caressing, 20 to 30 metres from the floating fans.  Fabulous! PS  See website for our guests' descriptions.  Arriving soon - photos of the intrepid baby and mother.  Watch the photo gallery.  Email us if you'd like some free copies.
Sunday 12 July 09	1 Southern Right sighted.  First for the season.  4 Humpbacks mid King George Sound.
Monday 13 July 09	8 Humpbacks sighted.  Much breaching and thrashing about.
Tuesday 14 July 09	10 Humpbacks from Channel to Bald Head
Wednesday 15 July 09	4 Humpbacks, 2 in the middle of the Sound and 2 more past Michelmas Island
Thursday 16 July 09	1 Humpback near Middleton Beach and 2 in rough water off Breaksea Island
Friday 17 July 09	Blowing a gale.  Trip of Sail-A-Way cancelled due to the rough weather.
Saturday 18 July 09	The hardy souls take to the water again....2 Humpbacks near Mistaken Island; four more in turbulent seas (but worth it!!) off Breaksea Island and Gull Rock.
Sunday 19 and Monday 20 July 09	Many many Humpbacks....too many to count accurately as they moved around causing high probability of individual whales being counted twice...distributed randomly throughout the southern half of King George Sound.
Tuesday 21 July 09	King George Sound:  The wind...storm strength;  lulls between the gusts calm enough to stand on deck, with occasional sun bursts warming our bodies.....then the gusts double,  the average wind speed 100...110 kms/hour and the ocean boils.  Surface water breaks free in tiny droplets as small as steam and swirls and rises in a grey cloud...the ocean it leaaves is blown flat as glass. Worth a trip on "Sail-A-Way" just to experience the extraordinary...not to mention the Humpbacks who don't seem to give a hoot about storms.  Every day - oceans tame or torn - we are seeing and being seen by whales as we travel all four corners of the Sound....and beyond. Three or four hours of constantly changing ocean - usually changing whale company.  Just lately ...a more quiet surface..Two Humpbacks logging.... in the distance, a few breaches, and coming home two heading purposefully from Mistaken Island towards Bald Head.  We wait for the Southern Rights.
Wednesday 22 July  09	The following listed sightings are going to be brief.  We have been so busy taking people out to see whales, we have not had time to list all of them here. Apologies. 1 Southern Right past Michelmas Island.
Thursday 23 July 09	7 Humpbacks and 1 Southern Right
Friday 24 July 09	We saw 12 Humpbacks today - many coming close to our boat on a day of curiosity and calm.
Saturday 25 July 09	What a day.  5 Humpbacks being played with by dolphins - a game of hide and seek where the Humpbacks would rather not have been found, I suspect!
Sunday 26 July 09	Morning and Afternoon sightings of 6 Humpbacks in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.  A total of 10.
Monday 27 July 09	We watched 5 Humpbacks breaching near Breaksea Island.
Tuesday 28 July 09	8 Humpbacks - they appear to be meeting in groups - all whales were showing high activity, but had no interest in the humans on the boat.
Wednesday 29 July 09	5 Humpbacks near Bald Head ignored us as they played and circled each other.  Our guests were delighted.
Thursday 30 July 09	7 Humpbacks.  What a month!  209 whales sighted for July - what a fantastic month for Albany and WA.
Sunday 2 August 09	7 Humpbacks
Monday 3 August 09	5 Humpbacks travelling to Bald Head, breaching and slapping tails.
Tuesday 4 August 09	5 Humpbacks on the southern side of King George Sound
Wednesday 5 August 09	3 Humpbacks in the morning and 4 in the afternoon
Thursday 6 August 09	7 Humpbacks from Whale World to Bald Head
Friday 7 August 09	A morning and afternoon combined sighting of 16 Humpbacks from inside Princess Royal Harnbour to Breaksea Island.
Saturday 8 August 09	Rough seas by Bald Head made the very active Humpbacks at Limestone Head a very welcome distraction.
Sunday 9 August 09	3 Southern Rights and 3 Humpbacks
Monday 10 August 09	2 Southern Rights and 2 Humpbacks.  The Southern Rights are slowly moving deeper into the Sound, coming closer to Albany town.
Tuesday 11 August 09	2 Humpbacks
Wednesday 12 August 09	3 Humpbacks - one a young adolescent
Thursday 13 August 09	2 Humpbacks - lolloping along between Breaksea Island and Bald Head.
Friday 14 August 09	2 Humpbacks breaching and playing in rough seas near Limestone Head.
Sunday 16 August 09	Too rough to go out yesterday, (Satuday 15).  Today we saw 3 Humpbacks - 2 adults and 1 young calf playing close to Mum.  Lovely.
Monday 17 August 09	3 Humpbacks - 2 adults and 1 young calf
Tuesday 18 August 09	2 Humpbacks in the middle of the Sound and 2 Southern Rights near Michelmas Island.
Wednesday 19 August 09	4 Southern Rights in the morning.  In gathering chop and threatening rain we set off for an afternoon cruise with 30 young children and 10 adults...We needn't have worried...the children were enchanted by the Southern Right calf that lay quietly waiting...close to Middleton Beach in the only calm piece of ocean in King George Sound:  the parents enchanted with the children's enchantment.  Then, to cap it all, a seal surfaced by the rocks by Skippy Reef and played with the boat while the children watched.  Joy! Home safe and dry - mission accomplished.  Just as we docked and the children left...the heavens opened and rain poured.  We didn't care.
Thursday 20 August 09	1 Southern Right at Nanarup - very, very quiet.
Saturday 22 August 09	2 distant sightings - Humpback we think.
Sunday 23 August 09	Many people who come to Albany to find whales, also want adventure.  Aug 23 - gales forecast - but early morning travellers came to Albany Whale Tours 'Sail-A-Way' hoping for success. We welcomed them with a cup of coffee - sat on board and chatted in our ship lounge.  Using the vessel's two TV screens and a computer model of current weather, we talked of probable ocean behaviour and possible safe search areas.  Following the briefing, ten of our twelve guests voted strongly to go for a whale watching adventure. 'Sail-A-Way' is an ocean-going charter vessel.  It's 28 foot width (widest on this area of coast) and very low windage makes it an ideal design for secure ocean voyage. For three hours, our guests were enchanted by the beauty and power of the stormy ocean wilderness on Albany's King George Sound.  Nobody felt ill and we all finished our adventure revitalized.  On our website we print our passengers Visitor Book comments. (see Passenger Comments and Feedback). The two people who chose not to go??? The male partner came to see us at the end of our voyage...congratulated us on having included them in the decision-making and has booked on for next week. All passengers received a 'free return voucher' to enjoy a different opportunity....eight of the ten people who booked on board today could not have travelled any other day than this.  Four of the ten people on our boat came to Albany for the weekend, just to go whale watching.  All have promised to return to use their free return tickets.  All appreciated being included in making the decision about the day's adventure.  Good for them....good for Albany!
Monday 24 August 09	Three Humpbacks in heavy winds and waves near Limestone Head
Tuesday 25 August 09	Two Southern Rights in the middle of King George Sound.
Thursday 27 August 09	Two adult Humpbacks and one calf in between Michelmas and Breaksea Islands
Saturday 29 August 09	Two Humpbacks
Monday 31 August 09	One Humpback breaching by Seal Island came closer and closer to pass under our boat.  Then, what a way to finish the month; we saw two Southern Rights at Gull Rock
Tuesday 1 September 09	A very quiet Southern Right at Nannarup
Thursday 3 September 09	One Southern Right at Michelmas Island
Sunday 6 September 09	Two Humpbacks east of Breaksea Island
Monday 7 September 09	One Humpback at Seal Island
Tuesday 8 September 09	One very big Humpback past Bald Head was to be joined by a mother and calf.  We travelled beside for thirty minutes or so.
Wednesday 9 September 09	A fabulous visit from two Southern Rights today.  Early visitors to King George Sound, the whales came alongside 'Sail-A-Way', staying hard alongside and in front of the twin hulls.  Utterly fearless, they gave every impression of enjoying the human company. After a week of the Humpbacks ignoring our existence, a great relief.  Both the Humpbacks and Southern Rights seem to be avoiding the close-to-shore flood of fresh water that is floating above the salt water over half of King George Sound.  I look forward to the Southern Rights entertaining us in the weeks ahead.
Sunday 13 September 09	Today we had wonderful whale sightings.  Our guests' comments in our Visitors book were so beautiful, they said it all much better than we could, so here they are: Absolutely awesome - a Southern Right came alongside and "played" with us, circled the boat 3 or 4 times watching us and finished off by blicking its tail against one of the hulls and took off.  One of the best encounters in our whale watching trips.  Food great too.  Thanks to all concerned - especially the Southern Right!  David and Wendy Whyte, Scotland. A flirtatious encounter with a Southern Right whale ...ended with a playful slap on the bow and a cheeky grin.  We also saw two Southern Right lovers who had far more time for each other than they did for us.  The most wonderful morning.  Many many thanks.  Kate and Tom xxx First time on a whale watch tour and we saw a Southern Right.  It came up close and "played" with us.  Unforgettable!  Jason and Marsela, Singapore.  Finally, from members of the Albany Vintage and Classic  Motorcycle Club.           Unforgettable.  My first time on a whale watch cruise and we saw whales, birds sea lion.  What an amazing place is Albany!  We are so lucky to live here. A wonderful time.  Good company and most of all we were gifted with a close encounter with a whale.  Thanks, John and crew for this day. Thanks, mate.  Great day - got close up to Southern Rights - very enjoyable.
Wednesday 7 October 09	Today, Albany Whale Tours "Sail-A-Way" took 30 guests to sea:  It was choppy - 3 metre swells and half metre seas;  the wind to 20 knots east south east.  A cold, drab, ugly day - but 30 guests sat in our boat lounge as we discussed the wind, the waves, the cruise and the whales. Offered a choice - come today and again tomorrow free, or, come and see if you've liked it - then pay... They all chose to come to sea. 'Sail-A-Way' is designed for world-wide, open ocean adventure.  It is designed to be low to the water so that the wind blows over and around it;  close to the water because that is how excess sea-sick motion is avoided on a boat. The 30 passengers saw a mother whale playing with her calf at the channel entrance. Then...I asked our guests to vote...should we go to Gull Rock through the fiercest waves or to Whale World where the water was calmest.  One hundred percent chose Gull Rock wildness.  Our boat slid through the breakingwaves, no fuss, no commotion, no spray, no slamming, no fear - just smiling faces and mutual exhilarated joy. Then, as a reward for courage - in the middle of King George Sound - a whale head standing....breaching in crashing foam...and ....as we stopped, squatted in the storm - 4 Southern Rights came to play by our feet as we slid...still...in the ocean troughs. Eventually - a jib surf home astride Albany Whale Tours giant 'surf board'. Scuttlebut from those who sit on land and watch...."oooh, it is too wild today..."that boat is reckless and shouldn't go to sea"..... Well, thank you to all our guests for their confident support.  I believe some people like challenge, and when we all returned to shore exhilarated and I asked our guests...did they regret their choice?...not one.  All emphatic, delighted. As guests Steve and Emma wrote....An amazing adventure..one that will stay with us forever.  We felt very privileged to have seen 5 whales so close to the boat;  delightful running comments from the skipper (John Woodbury) and great tucker by Geoff.  Thank you for an unique experience. There are many more visitor comments and feedback to be read in our Visitor Feedback page, which should warm your confidence and support of us at Albany Whale Tours. Although the season is ending soon, Albany's generous wilderness still feeds whales...there for you all to see.