Double breach welcomes Southern Right arrival today as a beautiful Southern Right Whale surfaced amongst the Humpback Whales in Flinders Bay. It was a lovely surprise this morning to see the distinctive rostrum surface above the waters of Flinders Bay as this very healthy (and likely pregnant) Southern Right Whale said good morning. She was calm and relaxed, checking us out and continuing on with her journey as the stunning jet black fluke would be lifted during each dive. Spending some time with these special whales is always a privilege and we could have spent all morning with her but the Humpback Whales were starting to rumble through the bay. Firstly an interaction with a pod of three large adults who welcomed us into their pod as they swam right alongside us calmly with every exhale clear and crisp. A commotion just ahead had started and we noticed the three we had been travelling with diverted away from the pod ahead as it was now evident a competition pod was underway. Two males jostled for position closest to the female as Common Dolphins joined in on the fun, racing over to our bow and bringing the whales with them directly underneath our feet!
The beautiful afternoon melted into relaxation mode as the light winds now completely disappeared and the oceans surface took on a glassy hue. The whales also seemed very relaxed until a sudden flash of movement as the pod we were observing took flight. A picture perfect double breach erupted from the still conditions much to everyones amazement as further breaching and a big head lunge followed. Settling down to continue in migration mode, Grace could observe from the drone the immense size of the larger adult and she certainly looked to be heavily pregnant which was very exciting news. Pods converged and the flow of whales around the cape caused yet another pod to launch into double breaching in the spectacular afternoon conditions. Breach after breach continued as a few pec slaps were thrown in for good measure. A wonderful day celebrating the arrival of our first Southern Right Whale for Season 2021 and interacting with some of the most beautiful whales and dolphins who call this special part of the world home.
