The Whale season is changing in Augusta as the energy of the northern Humpback Whale migration begins to settle earlier than expected for Season 2021. The intensity we have seen over the last couple of months has started slowing as fewer whales now migrate past Cape Leeuwin and a calm settles over Flinders Bay. Travelling through the sightings grounds a few pods were sighted but they were a fair distance apart. Humpbacks having so much reactionary distance in-between each other can easily keep a low profile without the need to communicate with other whales approaching them. A breach every so often appeared throughout the afternoon at a distance, it appeared these whales were calling out to see who else was in the area.
The closest pod to us was a lone traveller content on keeping a low profile. A second pod moved past a few hundred meters away and the young whale we were travelling with quickly launched into some inverted fluke slapping. This Language of the Whales was being used as a dominant display in this situation for the young whale to defend the area around him. Inverted tail slapping complete he continued on his way into the afternoon winter sunshine. Wishing him well for his journey ahead we continued with ours, the next couple of weeks will be interesting to see how the last of the northern Humpback Whale migration unfolds for the Augusta season.
