Humpbacks northern migration 2021 is in full swing as today an incredibly intense competition pod roared through the bay and our afternoon was spent in the company of three playful whales. Tall exhalations indicated this morning that these whales were working hard and as we approached the pod we could see them exploding through the ocean. The males surged after each other and at one point were travelling at 23 kilometres per hour as the female led the way. The high intensity was further increased as the males leapt over each other and fresh scars that were red raw began to show. They barrelled towards our bow before pivoting underneath and around us, an electrifying experience to be this close to competing Humpback Whales.
The afternoon settled as winds eased and a gentle cloud cover created an afternoon glow to Flinders Bay. A relaxed pod of two whales moved towards us, easy going and extremely curious. They approached our starboard side a few times, each surfing saw them come closer and closer to investigate. A young whale just ahead seemed slightly nervous as the pod of two approached, a quick tail lob seemed to assert his dominance towards the others. A short time later all three Humpback Whales surfaced together and it was now social time as they twisted, turned and rolled together in the afternoon sunshine. A beautiful and gentle interaction that we were welcomed into as they surfaced within meters of our bow looking back our way. The Humpbacks northern migration 2021 is proving to be yet another wonderful season with the Humpback Whales of WA.
