Flying Offshore Bottlenose Dolphins, the worlds largest animal the Blue Whale, unique Risso Dolphins and our very first Humpback for season 2019… what a Mother’s Day! Celebrating our final tour for Blue Whale Season 2019 we had an absolutely perfect day to spend exploring the Perth Canyon. Our first encounter was with flying Dolphins, literally launching themselves so high they almost seemed to land on the moon! These boisterous males were showing off skill and strength, within moments they noticed our arrival and raced to join us. Swimming around in circles on the bow they were focused on everyone looking back down at them and stayed with us for a very long time. Muscling each other out of the way to get a better view of their human admirers and find the best spot to bow ride with us as we continued towards the Perth Canyon. The schools of tuna were jumping and as Albatross, Shearwaters, Gannets and Storm Petrels glided close by the call went out for a Blue Whale to our port side, the enormous exhalation filling the sky. A beautiful Blue surfaced shortly after and we watched as the gigantic body of this lone Blue gracefully peeled through the depths of the Perth Canyon on a steady path.
A cheeky, slinky and remarkably familiar dorsal fin surfaced on our opposite side, certainly no Blue Whale this cetacean had snuck up behind us and we were over the moon to see our first Humpback Whale for season 2019! A young male Humpback who was covered from fluke to rostrum with many scars, typical of this age group. Getting a head start on the competition of other male Humpbacks also migrating to the breeding grounds is always a good idea or perhaps this young male was anxious to begin what is set to be an epic migration. Our day was set for one last and wonderful surprise as little white bodies bobbed up in front of us, the Risso Dolphin brigade was back. Forty plus individuals surrounded our vessel and joined us for an afternoon Sunday session as we sipped champagne and toasted to Mother’s Day while in the company of our Risso friends. An incredible last day for Blue Whale Season 2019 and a very special season it has been not only for the Blues but many special sightings of the unique and rare who call Perth Canyon home for a short time each year. We hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day 🙂
