Today, a Humpback Whale was spotted in Augusta Boat Harbour, leaving everyone nearby in awe and surprise! Late this afternoon, around 4 PM, a solitary Humpback Whale surfaced in the harbour while navigating along the breakwater. Moving slowly and appearing curious, he eventually reached the end of the harbour, near the service wharf, drawing the attention of all onlookers eager to witness this extraordinary encounter.
Initially, the whale appeared disoriented, swimming in circles and exhaling loudly—a sound known as a trumpet—indicating a spike in his adrenaline. Fortunately, he remained calm, and after about ten minutes, he managed to steer away from the service wharf and began his slow journey back toward the harbour entrance.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they watched him safely exit the harbour and return to Flinders Bay. While it is not common for a whale to enter the harbour, the unique location of Augusta and the annual migration of Humpback Whales make such occurrences possible. With over forty-five thousand Humpback Whales on their migratory route and more than 200 individuals in the bay during peak times, the area can get quite busy. Many whales tend to hug the coastline for shelter and safety in these protected waters.
Today, this young Humpback swam a bit too close to the shore, leading him directly into Augusta Boat Harbour. It was an exhilarating experience to be in such proximity to this magnificent creature, and we were all relieved to see him successfully navigate back to open waters to continue his migration.
