We were blessed to see a double breach on a Whale Watching trip with Sea World Cruises.
If you think you might be sick, take a sea-sickness tablet 30 minutes before your planned departure time.
The cruises leave seaside in the top far left corner of the Sea World carpark. It’s best to arrive 15 minutes early so you can visit the toilet, look at the shop and have your photo taken before you board the ship.
The ship will sail straight out to the action which is fondly known as “Humpback Highway”. You might see Humpback whales after approximately 30 minutes.
We saw several different pods – usually a mother and calf. There were plenty of head bops and (breathing) blow-through blowholes.
The cruise ship follows responsible whale-watching principles that were identified by the International Whaling Commission in 1996.
Where do whales migrate in Queensland?
Between April and November, humpback whales migrate from the Antarctic up the Australian eastern coastline and then return. More than 35,000 humpback whales pass through the UNESCO world-heritage-protected Great Barrier Reef.
Where can I go whale watching in Australia?
You can spot a whale in many locations around Australia during their annual migration. You can watch southern right, dwarf minke, humpback whales and even orcas. Tourism Australia has a comprehensive list of places to go whale watching in Australia.
How do I take a good photograph of a whale?
You might find it hard to take a good photo or video of humpback whales. You will need a specialist DSLR camera and long-distance lens to make the most of recording the experience. I think it’s best to put your mobile phone down and just enjoy it.
If you do take a good shot of the whales, consider submitting it the Happy Whale website to help researchers and scientists. https://happywhale.com/home
Humpback Whale Facts
Did you know that over 40,000 whales are passing through the Gold Coast from Antarctica as part of the annual migration to the warm waters of North Queensland?
Fortunately whaling no longer occurs in Australia. The global whaling moratorium on commercial whaling was agreed in 1982 by members of the International Whaling Commission meeting.
Whales face threats from massive seismic blasting and test drilling by oil and gas companies and being caught in shark nets and bycatch in fisheries operations.
Whale Protection in Australia
Darren Kindleysides, AMCS chief executive officer, said: “Whaling is a dying industry – it is an outdated and cruel industry selling a product to a market that has all but disappeared.”
The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established in 1946 as the global body responsible for management of whaling and conservation of whales. It is an inter-governmental organisation with a current membership of 88 governments from all over the world, including Australia.
Australia has been a global leader in whale conservation since the Fraser government banned whaling in 1979. Australia took and won the landmark International Court of Justice legal case against Japan over its whaling program in 2014.
Whales and Plastics
Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) plastics expert, Shane Cucow, said the IWC resolution on a global treaty to end plastic pollution was an important step towards protecting the world’s vulnerable dolphins and whales.
“Whales are disproportionately affected by marine debris, often becoming entangled in lost or discarded fishing gear or becoming starved and malnourished when they eat plastics by mistake”
“Many whales are filter feeders, consuming vast amounts of plastic as they move through the world’s oceans. This is leading to increased incidents of whales stranding on beaches with stomachs full of plastic,” Mr Cucow said.
Read more about Humpback Whale Facts on the National Geographic Kids website.
Book a Whale Watching Tour
The whale-watching tours operate daily until late October.
Book your tickets directly through the Sea World Cruises website: https://seaworldcruises.com.au/
A portion of every ticket sold goes to support the Sea World Foundation. https://seaworld.com.au/foundation
Parking: Free open-air parking in front of Sea World.
About Sea World Cruises
Departure location: Sea World Cruises Terminal, Sea World Drive, Main Beach QLD 4217
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