History shows that whale watching in Hervey Bay started way back in September 1987. A fisherman who owned a charter fishing boat noticed that the passengers on board became more interested in watching whales than fishing. However, whales of all sorts could be seen coming from Hervey Bay during their migration especially during winter seasons since 1770. That’s really long ago.
Captain Cook who was one of the early captains sailed near Hervey Bay in 1770’s marveled by the sight of whales rising at the surface of the ocean. What happens in Hervey Bay?
Hervey Bay Activities
Nowadays both local and foreign visitors enjoy whale watching the whole day. May be your close friends and neighbors are enjoying more than you during their holidays by visiting Hervey Bay. You should not be left behind, this holiday pays the bay a visit and you will get a real adventure.
Currently, more than 20 commercial touring vessels take more than 80,000 visitors around every season of whale watching. The most amazing thing of late is the socialisation of Humpback whales with the touring vessels. They swim around the vessel giving the passengers on board such a clear view and you can take a snap for purposes of memories.
As a matter of fact, you are likely to see 40 whales rising above the water surface at once. That’s really beautiful to be captured in a photo. The lake-like serene condition at Hervey bay gives the bay such a good nature that makes the visitors enjoy the weather.
Why Visit Hervey Bay?
You may know that Hervey Bay has actually been named as the World’s Whale Watching Capital. It is the place where the Humpback Whales stop when they are having their southern migration along the eastern coast of Australia. Marine Park in the Hervey bay has become the only prime watching area of the whales.
The Best time to visit Hervey Bay is from August to October when the Humpback whales are migrating, resting, playing and nurturing their calves. When these whales enter the bay, they stop migrating and they relax.
The females concentrate on feeding, training their calves how to swim for the remaining journey of about 5000 km and showing them how they should survive. All this is done in the shallow waters of the bay. The new born calves continue growing stronger in the shelter of clear water that is safe from any predator.
Humpback Whales
This is the most common species of whale that you will see in Hervey Bay. They belong to the same class with blue whales and fin whale. The common feature with this whale is the presence of dorsal fins on their back and the ventral on its lower side.
These whales display their breaching and tail flapping to the visitors providing such a thrilling sight for many. What should you know about these whales?
- They are 5th largest animal on earth weighing 45,000kgs and 15meters long
- They are the most acrobatic whales with a variety of rolling, leaping movements.
- They produce vocals or whale songs
- Adult whales are seen 20-30 times after every 5 minutes.
- They travel in groups of 3000 when migrating.
This should at least move you to see this mammal with your own eyes and see their gymnastic. Hervey Bay is the place to go.