Whales off Perth coast continue to enjoy their time in the resting grounds as mother Humpback Whales and calves enjoyed the perfect morning conditions today. A gentle breeze and turquoise ocean glided past as we ventured into the sighting grounds and began our search. The calm conditions provided excellent visibility and it didn’t take long for the slinky back of a Humpback Whale to rise above the oceans surface. The morning was peaceful and for the whales today it was all about relaxation. Our first pod was with the company of a mother whale, her cheeky calf and easy going male escort. The calf was enjoying scooping up the floating seaweed on his rostrum before rolling back over and diving down towards mum. Further mother and calf pods surrounded us and continued to fill the area with gentle exhalations.
A great opportunity to pop the hydrophone over and listen out for any Humpback Whale songs as this male escort looked like he was in the singing mood. Instead of a Humpback serenade we instead heard the buzzing sounds of foraging Bottlenose Dolphins which was very exciting. A short time later the Bottlenose Dolphins appeared and it was fantastic to see an example of just how quickly sound can travel in the marine environment. A wonderful morning spent with the whales off Perth coast during an exciting time of the season as Humpback calves fill the sighting grounds. Spring is certainly a time of babies and it is lovely to see the claves of this season looking so healthy and strong, ready for their first trip and summer feeding season in Antarctica.
