Rottnest Island Winter Whale Watching unfolded today with a change of pace and a lovely mix of both juveniles and adults on the migratory path. The rain had cleared through and a chilly winter breeze ruffled the waters surface as we made our way out to the sighting grounds and a keen eye from our Pod Member in the Captains Lounge spotted our first Humpback Whale who was in a hurry! A juvenile who was moving quickly and headed straight for another Humpback Whale who was resting quietly further ahead. The youngster seemed curious as he moved close and closer to the resting whale but as the distance decreased the resting whale slowly moved away. Picking up on this whales want to rest, our juvenile decided to continue on the move and came over to check us out instead.
Surfacing close with a powerful exhalation we could see that this youngster was on the thinner side and will certainly be one of the first wave of Humpback Whales to arrive back in Antarctica to begin feeding on delicious krill. A few adults were also around today and maintained consistent movement and steady downtimes, a big contrast to the energy observed yesterday. It will be an interesting couple of weeks ahead as we arrive in that transition phase of our season where the momentum of northbound Humpbacks begins to slow and the first southbound whales arrive and steadily grow in numbers as we countdown the days to spring. A great day out on the water for all the Gannets as well with many dozens gathering to feed on the plentiful schools of sardines and plummeting around us to capture their meal throughout the morning.
