Tale of a Whale is a story every Humpback will share as their tail is the equivalent of a fingerprint with every pattern, scar and marking unique to that individual. Shortly after arriving in the sighting grounds a powerful tail slap could be seen to our starboard side as a pod of two Humpback Whales surfaced together. Similar to our previous tour these adult whales were using the sound footprint of the ships at anchor to keep a low profile. It appeared to be an escort pod as a dominant male tail lobbed before lifting his fluke high to show off his enormous size and coordination. The female he was escorting seemed unfazed by all the fuss and continued on her journey through the ships at anchor and towards Fremantle with her protective male escort following her every move.
Humpback Whales can live for 50-70 years and with each migration they gain knowledge and experience. The female looked to be leading the way and as she moved towards the shallow ground close to the reef line we wondered if she had previously visited this protected area before. The male kept close as both began to swim in our sound footprint while moving through the channel towards Rottnest Island showing off their ability to navigate around vessel traffic very well. A long migration is still ahead for this pod as every day they will continue to edge closer and closer to their beloved feeding grounds in Antarctica where a feast of krill is waiting. The incredible tale of a whale is a lifelong journey unique to each individual we have the privilege of meeting.
