Augusta Whale Watch tours are a fantastic way to spend some time during the school holidays and our Humpback Whales were busy today with dozens of whales moving through Flinders Bay every few hours. The Humpback Highway as it is often named is well underway as thousands of adult Humpbacks push north to their breeding and calving grounds located in the Kimberly region. The morning was busy with competition pods and surface activity as we watched bachelor males approach escort pods and the primary male escort respond with dominant surface activity. Tail lobs, inverted fluke slapping and trumpeting filled our morning as the big boys tried their best to deter the approaching competition. Their best attempts did not work though (as spectator as they were!) and the males still arrived as competition pods got underway in the bay.
The afternoon was beautiful and started off with sunshine and busy Humpback Whales as the afternoon Augusta whale watch tour began. Two enormous adults surged across the bay as a younger sub adult joined briefly before losing interest and swimming around our bow for a little while. The horizon darkened as the rain clouds surrounded us and the colours were stunning with blues, turquoise and greys all mixing into one beautiful scene. The rain began to sprinkle as four whales swam towards us and slowly approached as each took a turn to surface and look over everyone looking back at them. After their investigation work they focused on each other and began to socialise as the pitter patter of rain rolled off their dorsal fins. A very social interaction as the males trumpeted and the twisting and turning of white water and footprints followed them as they travelled. Once the clouds cleared a short time later the afternoon melted to gold as the blue water was highlighted by the reflection of gentle sunshine as relaxed Humpbacks glided by.
