Flying Saucer

It was whale survey day for the girls at Cetacea Lab. The hydrophone in Squally Channel was picking up feeding calls so Janie, Claire, Kathrin and I jumped on Elemiah. We approached the southern end of Ashdown Island and boy was it busy. Blows here, blows there, blows everywhere. It was whale city (as my mum would say) and we were right in the centre. All four of us wearing silly excited grins, more than stoked to be out there. 

For an hour or so we took ID shots; approaching whales, noting location, time and conditions, then waiting for them to fluke. We came to a pair who were traveling slowly and lunge feeding. We carefully inched forward when they took a dive, and seeing their flukes Janie said one of them was Saucer - the whale I'd seen bubble net feeding in week one. I was delighted at the re-sighting. They surfaced again, lunge feeding only 20 or so metres from our boat, then disappeared again beneath the surface. 

Seconds later, a massive body launched out of the water and fell with a thundering crash. Breaching whales are spectacular from a few kilometres away, so to be only 20 metres from such a display was insane. In that moment of surprise I realised the real size and power of these seemingly lazy animals. Whether it feels good, brings joy, or is some form of communication, we just don't know. But boy am I glad they do it. 

All speechless, we stood gaping at the wake rolling our way. Fortunately for us a few seconds later another great mass appeared. This time the whale only got half it's body out, but flopped down with an immense crash. Whales often breach twice, then take a break, and if you're lucky they'll have another go. We waited on the outskirts and sure enough after a steady fluke we witnessed another two breaches right in front of us. We moved into the foot print after the second, and found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow; a chunk of whale skin shed during impact. Janie was ecstatic as she'd always wondered if Saucer was male or female and this skin was the key to that genetic information. 

Later as we headed to the shore of Ashdown for Cohen (the whale dog) to have a quick pee, we came across Web - the biggest humpback I have ever seen. She is just ginormous. We cut the engine as she cruised right by the shore then past our boat. Janie has seen her return here year after year and over the last ten years she has mothered three calves. Sadly Janie said she believes this giant old woman may be nearing the end of her time in the ocean. She drifted off and fluked very slowly, and as if she'd heard Janie and wanted to prove she still had it in her, Web soared up out of the ocean only a short distance away.

More ID shots, more breached, and more ocean endeavours made for a fantastic girls day out.