Rottnest Island best whale watching was on display today as the bachelor male Humpback Whales arrived in the sighting grounds with plenty of enthusiasm and energy. The morning was peaceful with a stillness in the air and a snug cloud cover escorting us out to the sighting grounds as our first pod was a surprising one, five big males travelling together in a bachelor pod. It was very interesting to watch as the boys meandered together with a bit of excitement as one of the male lifted his fluke high as another got a little too close to his belly. The boys seemed to be on the lookout for females and we noticed a few hundred meters away two mother and calf pods quietly slipping past. Achieving a low profile they managed not to be noticed as they settled in and found the perfect spot to rest as they drifted right alongside us while the bachelor pod moved out of the area.
The sun had come back out by the early afternoon as we could see mother and calf pods right throughout the resting grounds. It was a peaceful and relaxed energy amongst them all and we decided it was a great opportunity to go exploring as multiple blows erupted on the horizon. It was a competition pod well underway as some of the boys from this morning had succeeded in finding a female and were now competing for her attention but with even more challengers as the pod numbered 11 individuals. It was spectacular to watch as the males charged after each other with two of the males even lifting each other above the oceans surface before crashing back down. The female only had the option of keeping the boys moving forward with so much intensity she couldn’t stop or slow as she barrelled towards Rottnest Island seeking distraction in shallower waters. It was some of Rottnest Island best whale watching throughout our day today and wonderful to see the energy from the bachelor males still rumbling along the coastline.
