Sardine Jetty Whale Tours are departing daily and today was a fantastic mix of high morning energy while our midday tour observed a rare sighting of a yearling Humpback foraging on sardines! Overnight a few new pods had moved into the area and it was great to see them settling in but with a reported Great White Shark lingering off City Beach over the last few days we know this predation could cause conflict for our whales trying to rest. One whale in particular was busy this morning launching into enormous tail lobs and tail slapping for over forty minutes to clear the area within its vicinity. Other pods joined in briefly but it was this one particular Humpback Whale who was most determined to claim the area as its own for some rest and to do that sometimes a clear message is needed to be sent.
The tail lobs and inverted tail slapping did a very good job of that and after a very long time of this surface language it was good to see this Humpback settle in for a well deserved rest. The midday tour was a very different change of pace as the morning winds had eased and the energy amongst the pods was relaxed. It was lovely to meet a very young Humpback, likely a yearling who was very interested in us and came over to say hello. Observing this young whales movements we were excited to see foraging behaviour with the same cycling movements and one surfacing with throat pleats or ventral pleats as they are know expended as a mouthful of water and likely pilchards was captured. It has been fascinating this season to observe these yearlings visiting these waters and pursuing the pilchards in the area. Opportunistic feeding is certainly not something we see amongst the visiting adult pods, a good example this afternoon as nearby adults were snoozing in the sunshine.
