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Port Stephens Whale Watching Photo Gallery
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Many species of whales have been spotted from the deck of Imagine Cruises on their whale watching tours. Pilot whales can be quite friendly and have been with Imagine Cruises - riding the bow wave like dolphins often do.
Imagine Cruises have seen Pilot whales in groups of 8 to 12, although not so much in the last 3 years.
Minkie whales are often seen, they are rorqual whales of about 10 meters and weighting around 10 tonnes, thin and fast, with white markings on their black bodies, but they are difficult to watch. Saying that Imagine Cruises have had some great interactions with them and they are beautiful to look at when they come close to the boat.
Sei whales are larger rorquals with similar behaviour. Southern Right whales are seen every year but not very often. They are large baleen whales of 40 to 60 tonnes and interesting to watch. Unfortunately Southern Right whales were completely decimated by the whaling industry to a such extent that their recovery has been very slow and is still uncertain. Southern Right whales now rarely migrate much further north than Sydney.
False killer whales are very aggressive toothed whales that can attack much larger prey than themselves. They hunt in large packs and like Orcas can attack young or sick Humpbacks. They are not seen in the Port Stephens area very often, perhaps once every couple of years.
Orcas are actually the largest dolphins, about 9 meters and around 10 tonnes for large males, are really rare at this latitude but they have been seen 6 times from the deck of Imagine Cruises. Once a group of about 40 of them followed the boat and bow rode Imagine for over 1 and a ½ hours.
But the stars of the Imagine Cruises eco-tourism show are the magnificent and often playful Humpback whales. They are 15 metres long, 30 to 40 tonnes and the fantastic to watch. Favourite displays are breaching, waving, tail slapping, tailing, back-stroking and spy-hopping. The Humpback Whale numbers are increasing at a rate of about 10% a year which makes whale watching off Port Stephens quite a reliable experience.
Vessel-based whale watching is popular along the east coast of NSW Australia. Most humpback whales in NSW waters are actively migrating to their annual breeding grounds in the warmer waters of the South Pacific Ocean or making the return journey with their new calves back to the Southern Ocean and the cold waters of the Antarctic.
Responsible whale watching practices must be adhered to so as not to disturb or distress these protected sea mammals. This is especially important in the case of the adult whales with calves, which may be either resting or suckling. Also, during the whale mating season, males competing for females may engage in rough physical contact.
When you set sail on a whale watching tour with Imagine Cruises out of Port Stephens, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, you can be assured that you are in the hands of very knowledgeable environmentalists who are dedicated to the protection & preservation of whales and the marine environment.
Port Stephens Whale Watching Tour Information...
Imagine Cruises - Port Stephens Ecotourism Accredited Tour operator...
Article: Whale Watching in NSW Australia - Guidelines & Rules...
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