Perth Humpback Whales southbound journey has been underway since late August and the last of the mothers and their calves are now focusing in on the last few weeks of the season. Today we met a beautiful mother and calf pod who were moving through the resting grounds with focus and purpose. The young calf seemed pleased to see us as she twisted and rolled at the surface, relaxed and curious as she lifted her small pectoral fin to wave a quick hello. It was lovely to watch this young mother whale gently escort her calf carefully through the sighting grounds and over to a preferred area to rest in. Her young calf kept a close eye on us the whole time and seemed fascinated by us, coming over every so often for a closer look with mum.
The Perth Humpback Whales southbound journey is an important part of the migration as mother whales who are running low on fat reserves are pushing all the way to the finish line to ensure their journey is a successful one. Travelling on average 100-150 kilometres per day, the pathway to Antarctica is still a long one but with plenty of resting stops along the way at least little calf will handle the trip perfectly. The local Bottlenose Dolphins also ventured over to our bow to say good morning and we smiled to see relaxed dolphins on the lookout for their next meal. The last few thousand whales are set to finish the season in the coming weeks and we are enjoying every moment with these precious calves and their protective mothers. A joy to meet the next generation of WA Humpback Whales and get to know each of their gorgeous personalities as we watch them grow from strength to strength under the watchful eye of mother Humpback Whale.
