|
Welcome to all the friends of Imagine Cruises, Port Stephens. Every year we produce two newsletters updating info on the season's upcoming events and any changes to our scheduled cruises. Your comments are valuable so please send us your feedback. If you are interested in more information or becoming a booking agent, call (02) 4984 9000.
Download May 2005 Newsletter in PDF (450 kbytes)
Want to see something absolutely awesome?
It's autumn again & now is the time to plan a sail with Imagine Cruises in Port Stephens to see the mighty Humpback whales. The Australian Humpbacks make one of the world's most massive migrations, swimming close to the coast for much of their journey, they conserve their energy supplies as very little feeding happens on their incredible voyage. Birthing mothers often travel last as they know they will use a lot of energy suckling their newborn calves with an amazing 300-400 litres of milk a day guzzled by junior for over 6 months!
The 10,000-kilometre round trip from the tropics to the Antarctic and back again to mate & give birth is completed annually. Humpbacks, sometimes referred to as the merry whale due to their acrobatics are Baleen whales, that means they have bristle filters instead of teeth. Having spent the summer months in the freezing waters around the ice shelf, the whales will have eaten many times their weight in Krill, a small shrimp like creature that abounds in the Southern Ocean at this time of the year. The whales have now put on a 250mm thick reserve of fat under their skin that will sustain them throughout their 8-month journey.
How big are they?
The Humpback is the worlds 4th largest whale. An adult female can grow to 17 metres & weigh up to 50 tones, that's like 40 small cars! And did you know that when they "breach", that's what it's called when they jump clean out of the water, the splash can be seen from 15 kilometers away. Like all the great whales the Humpback is protected as an endangered species. They may not however be safe for long as the 1986 moratorium on whaling may be overturned this year. The Japanese government sponsored whalers are committed to controlling the IWC. By encouraging third world countries such as Mongolia to join the IWC and vote with Japan in exchange for foreign aid programs, the Japanese whale fisheries are now set to take the simple majority in the IWC.
The original population of East coast Humpbacks was estimated to have been close to 20,000. When whaling collapsed in 1963, as few as 200 animals were left. A recent population estimate of the East coast Humpbacks puts this population now at about 6,000 still a long way off the original population but a great recovery.
Port Stephens is one of the best whale-watching points on the east coast! The whales swim close inshore to avoid the strong, localised south setting currents. Whether you cruise with Imagine or stand on a headland, there is a good chance you will see some spectacular mating behavior as the males try to impress the females. If you want to get up close though both Imagine Cruises and Moonshadow Cruises run a number of 3 hour trips out of Nelson Bay daily, a truly memorable experience. Don't forget to dress warmly & bring your camera!
How can I book?
Imagine sails twice daily on a 3 to 3 ½ hour Dolphin & Whale Watch cruise from D'Albora Marina, Dock 'C' at 10:00 am and 1.30 pm.
- Adults ...$49
- Concession ...$44
- Children ...$30
Call us at 4984 9000 to book your cruise!
Read more information about Imagine Cruises Dolphin & Whale Watching Tours.
Festival of Whales
The "Festival of Whales" celebrates the arrival of the Humpback Whales and is to be held in Port Stephens on the weekend of June 4th and 5th with a $40pp fundraising whalewatch cruise at 11am on Friday 3rd. Half the proceeds are going to save the whales and half to help fund the festival.
The festival comprises two days of fun, music, great bargains and a chance to raise desperately needed money to help fight for the protection of not only our beautiful Humpback Whales but other species all over the world in danger from whaling countries.
Further information and schedules for the Festival of Whales weekend 2005 can be found in the News section at nelsonbay.com
Get Into The Festival Spirit!
Ray Alley's Book: Humpbacks off Port Stephens
Local Port Stephens resident and photographer, Ray Alley has recently released a beautifully put together book containing the best photos to date of his own work featuring whales.
 Titled "Humpbacks off Port Stephens - a pictorial guide to their migration past the Blue Water paradise", Ray's book contains around 25 full colour photos of his best captures of Humpback Whales performing some of their most breath taking stunts including a spectacular triple breach believed to be a "one of a kind". Accompanying the photos are all the facts about Humpback Whales you will need to impress your friends. The large photos and large print make this book an excellent companion for school projects and an inexpensive gift for all to enjoy at $10 a book on board.
Copies of Ray's book are available on board all Whale Watch vessels including Imagine Cruises as well as many local retail outlets.
You may be lucky!
Ray is a regular on board Imagine and if he happens to be cruising on the same day as you he is always happy to personally autograph your copy of his book as well as answering any questions you may have about getting that great shot.
IWC 2005, Ulsan Korea.
 The (IWC) International Whaling Commission meets in June this year in Ulsan Korea. This is a country with many whale meat restaurants and has traditionally voted with Japan and the pro-whaling countries. There are no whale or dolphin watch operators in Korea although there are populations of dolphins and a small highly threatened population of Grey whales migrates along its coastline. Koreans have however developed a keen interest in dolphins and Port Stephens has been part of this shift in attitude. Over the years the port has become a very popular stop over for many thousands of Korean tourists who are attracted here to catch a glimpse of our resident Bottlenose dolphins.
A Korean TV documentary team recently visited the port to make a film about our local whale and dolphin watch industry that will be shown across Korea just prior to IWC. They interviewed Frank Future as an operator and industry rep and John Bartlett MP for Port Stephens. They were particularly interested in John's perspective of how the government supports and regulates the industry and its importance as a regional employer. Darren Kindleysides from IFAW one of the worlds leading nature conservation charities spoke about the importance of whale tourism as a key awareness-raising, educational factor in conservation.
Like the Japanese, the Koreans used to kill a huge amount of dolphins yearly for meat. However, since many Koreans have been exposed to the joy of seeing live dolphins via tourism, dolphinariums and the media, the eating of dolphin meat has dropped off dramatically. We are hoping that we can encourage Koreans and Japanese to explore whale tourism for the same outcome.
This year, the IWC is set to approve a revised management system (RMS) for the worlds whale populations. This will supply the whalers with a limited but legal commercial catch limit. Whether the non-whaling countries are able to close the scientific whaling loophole remains to be seen but the pro whalers are likely to have the simple majority this year for the first time so its unlikely they will want to change anything restricting their activities.
Whale and Dolphin Watch Australia, the national commercial whale tourism association is hoping to send an observer once again to IWC. This year it will be the president Steve Mitchell from WA. Frank has represented the Australian whale-tourism industry over the last 4 years at IWC but is taking a break this year to sail an old German built wrought iron sail training vessel back to Port Stephens from Hawaii.
IFAW reports whale and dolphin watching is growing at 15%
In 2004 The International Fund For Animal Welfare (IFAW) completed an assessment of the whale and dolphin watch industry in Australia. It showed the industry continues to grow at a rate of 15% per annum and most of this growth rate was in NSW. This is a remarkable indicator as tourism generally is very slow and in-bound international arrivals have fallen for three years in a row. Whale and Dolphin watching in Port Stephens is calculated to be worth a total of $8 million directly and $47 m. indirectly.
Whale and Dolphin Watch Australia Inc.
The Australian national association of commercial whalewatchers has now opened its doors to all operators who share in this nature based business. Once a boat operator only association, WADWA is now encouraging any person or company that makes money from living whales and dolphins to join in and help create a stronger voice to protect the whales for future generations.
For more information about joining this national association contact
or call directly on 0412 689 798.
Package up a Whale Watch with your accommodation.
If you are an accommodation provider, maybe a resort, holiday park or B&B, you might like to find out more about the advantages of packaging a whalewatch during the slow winter months. Port Stephens has to compete with other attractions of Australia including the snow and the reef for winter leisure business and whalewatching is still something few Australians have experienced so we have a great product in a fantastic setting. Give Imagine Cruises a call if you would like to catch up and discuss how we can work together to help promote your accommodation business on (02)4984 9000.
Visitors to Port Stephens can find accommodation that offer whale & dolphin watching packages and specials on the Imagine Cruises - Accommodation Packages page...
Download May 2005 Newsletter PDF (450 kbytes)
|
